[A study of the relationship between job type and/or position to life style and health of male white-collar workers].

The relationship between the type of job and/or position of male white-collar workers to their working life, life style, health behavior, and health condition was examined based on data obtained from a survey of 1129 male workers in a major computer manufacturing company in 1988. The results were as follows: 1. Work, life style, health behavior, and health condition of male white-collar workers are strongly affected by type of job and position when adjusted for education, income, and age. 2. Workers in the sales department and engineering department appeared to have the most problems associated with working life, life style, health behavior, and health condition. Workers in sales, especially, displayed Type A behavior and their job was characterized by a lot of business transactions in a working environment that requires them to work until late at night. This leads to an irregular diet, late bed time, and makes their family relationships worse. Workers in the engineering department had work loads that were heavy because they have the longest working hours, and the content of their jobs is a mixture of both research and sales. Consequently their health is not good. On the other hands, workers in the laboratory had the best situation, and with general workers about average in terms of working life, life style, health behavior, and the state of health. 3. The department heads have the best conditions of life and health over all, except for their diet. The chiefs of sections are generally in the middle between the department heads and ordinary workers in terms of life and health. They drink and smoke heavily and show Type A behavior characteristics. Ordinary workers appear to have the most problems in working life, life style, health behavior, and health condition. From these results it may be concluded that this is associated with the difference in work type and position of these workers compared to managerial class and also with a low level of morale.