BACKGROUND: Increases in blood pressure were reported in overworked public workers following the Mid-Niigata earthquake. This study aimed to compare blood pressure changes between public employees and the general population after the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011. METHODS: We analyzed 1,776 individuals from the general population and 240 public employees of the town of Watari who received medical check-ups in 2010 and from July 2011 through November 2011. Anthropometric parameters and sitting blood pressure were compared, and fasting blood samples were taken from all participants. In post-disaster measurements, the degrees of insomnia, depression, fatigue, and life disruption due to the disaster were assessed using a questionnaire. Information on the working hours of public employees was obtained from authorized sources. RESULTS: After age-sex adjustments, the public employees showed greater increases in systolic (11.3 vs. -1.9mm Hg, P < 0.001) and diastolic (7.8 vs. 1.1mm Hg, P < 0.001) blood pressure than the general population when compared with measurements taken during the previous year. In contrast, the degrees of fatigue, depression, and life disruption were equivalent in the 2 groups. The average monthly overtime hours worked by public employees in March 2011 was 10-fold higher compared with the previous March. CONCLUSION: Public employees showed greater and more prolonged increases in blood pressure than the general population after the Great East Japan earthquake. Thus blood pressure should be monitored after a great earthquake among public employees, and treatment should be considered if necessary.
BACKGROUND: Increases in blood pressure were reported in overworked public workers following the Mid-Niigata earthquake. This study aimed to compare blood pressure changes between public employees and the general population after the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 2011. METHODS: We analyzed 1,776 individuals from the general population and 240 public employees of the town of Watari who received medical check-ups in 2010 and from July 2011 through November 2011. Anthropometric parameters and sitting blood pressure were compared, and fasting blood samples were taken from all participants. In post-disaster measurements, the degrees of insomnia, depression, fatigue, and life disruption due to the disaster were assessed using a questionnaire. Information on the working hours of public employees was obtained from authorized sources. RESULTS: After age-sex adjustments, the public employees showed greater increases in systolic (11.3 vs. -1.9mm Hg, P < 0.001) and diastolic (7.8 vs. 1.1mm Hg, P < 0.001) blood pressure than the general population when compared with measurements taken during the previous year. In contrast, the degrees of fatigue, depression, and life disruption were equivalent in the 2 groups. The average monthly overtime hours worked by public employees in March 2011 was 10-fold higher compared with the previous March. CONCLUSION: Public employees showed greater and more prolonged increases in blood pressure than the general population after the Great East Japan earthquake. Thus blood pressure should be monitored after a great earthquake among public employees, and treatment should be considered if necessary.
Entities:
Keywords:
Great East Japan earthquake; blood pressure; disaster hypertension; hypertension; overtime work; public employees.
Authors: Ayman R Fath; Amro Aglan; Jeri Platt; Jordan R Yaron; Kyle S Varkoly; Roxana N Beladi; Diane Gorgas; Jean Tom Jean; Pierre Dasni; Abdullah S Eldaly; Michael Juby; Alexandra R Lucas Journal: Front Public Health Date: 2021-01-15
Authors: Yuya Kashiwazaki; Hitomi Matsunaga; Makiko Orita; Yasuyuki Taira; Keiko Oishi; Noboru Takamura Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-03-27 Impact factor: 3.390