Job strain and psychotropic drug use among white-collar workers

The main objective of this study was to measure the association between sim ultaneous exposure to high psychological demand and low decision latitude a t work and the use of psychotropic drugs among white-collar workers. A seco nd objective was to determine whether social support at work modified this association. A cross-sectional study was performed that included 2786 worke rs from the public sector in the Greater Quebec City area. A self-administe red questionnaire was used in order to evaluate psychological demand, decis ion latitude and social support at work. Psychotropic drug use was measured over a period of 2 days. The prevalence of psychotropic drug use among the participants was found to be 3.9%, even though 20.5% were exposed to job s train. The association between job strain and psychotropic drug use, after adjustment for social support at work, age, gender, education, family incom e, employment status, occupation, stressful life events, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity, was statistically significant ( odds ratio: 4.5, 95% CI 1.7-12.2). Social support did trot appear to modify this association. The results of this study suggest that job strain might be a determinant of psychotropic drug use among white collar workers. Socia l support at work does not appear, however, to modify this association.