Cardiometabolic risks associated with work-to-family conflict: findings from the Work Family Health Network

ABSTRACT

Objective: Work and family stressors may be associated with elevated cardiovascular risk factors.

Methods: To assess the effects of work-to-family conflict (WTFC) on biomarkers of cardiometabolic risk, we examined 1524 extended care employees over 18 months and estimated multilevel linear models that accounted for the nested nature of the data.

Results: WTFC was positively associated with BMI [β = 0.53, CI = (0.08, 0.98), p = .02 at baseline and β = 0.59, CI = (0.12, 1.04), p = .01 across the 18-month study period] and negatively with HDL cholesterol [β = −0.32, CI = (−0.57, −0.08), p = .01 across the 18-month study period]. The rate of change in BMI from baseline to 18 months increased with higher levels of WTFC as well (β = 0.08, CI = (0.03, 0.15), p = .0007). However, WTFC was not associated with other variables reflecting cardiometabolic risk, such as including blood pressure, cholesterol, glycosylated hemoglobin and cigarette smoking status.

Conclusion: Findings suggest that BMI, which is linked to potentially malleable health behaviors, is more closely related to inter-role conflict than biological markers reflecting longer-term physiologic processes. These effects are exacerbated over time and may be particularly detrimental to already overweight and obese individuals.

RESUMEN

Objetivo: El trabajo y familia son factores de estrés que pueden estat asociados a riesgos cardiovasculares elevados. Métodos: Para evaluar los efectos del trabajo de conflictos familiares en los biomarcadores de riesgo cardiometabólico, hemos examinado 1.524 empleados de cuidados prolongados durante 18 meses y calculado los modelos lineales multinivel anidado que explica la naturaleza de los datos. Resultados: WTFC se asoció positivamente con el IMC [β = 0.53, IC = (0.08, 0.98, p = .02) en condiciones basales y β = 0.59, IC = (0.12, 1.04, p = .01) en el período de estudio de 18 meses] y negativamente con el colesterol HDL [β = −0.32, IC = (−0.57 −0.08, p = .01), en el período de estudio de 18 meses]. La tasa de cambio en el IMC desde el valor basal a los 18 meses se incrementó con niveles más altos de WTFC (β = 0.08, IC = (0.03, 0.15), p = .0007). Sin embargo, WTFC no estuvo asociada con otras variables que reflejan el riesgo cardiometabólico tales como presión arterial, colesterol, hemoglobina glicosilada y el hábito de fumar cigarrillos. Conclusión: Los resultados sugieren que el IMC, el cual está vinculado a la salud de las conductas potencialmente maleable, está más estrechamente relacionado con el conflicto inter-rol de marcadores biológicos que refleja los procesos fisiológicos a largo plazo. Estos efectos aumentan con el paso del tiempo, y puede ser especialmente perjudicial para los que ya tienen sobrepeso y los obesos.

KEYWORDS:

• Work and family
• cardiometabolic risk
• body mass index
• work-to-family conflict
• biomarker

PALABRAS CLAVES:

• Trabajo y Familia
• Riesgo Cardiometabolico
• Indice de Masa Corporal
• Aspecto de Conflicto Trabajo/Familia
• Biomarcardore

View correction statement:

Correction to: O'Donnell, Berkman, Kelly, Hammer, Marden and Buxton. Cardiometabolic risks associated with work-to-family conflict: findings from the Work Family Health Network

Acknowledgements

The contents of this publication are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of these institutes and offices.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Emily O’Donnell, ScD, is a Senior Analyst at the National Institute for Children’s Health Quality She received her doctorate from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Lisa F. Berkman, PhD, is a social epidemiologist whose work focuses extensively on social and policy influences on health outcomes. She is the Director of the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies and Professor of Public Policy and of Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Erin Kelly, PhD, is the Sloan Distinguished Professor of Work and Organization Studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management and affiliated with the Institute for Work and Employment Research.

Leslie Hammer, PhD, is a professor of psychology in the Department of Psychology at Portland State University and the Director of the Center for Work-Family Stress, Safety, and Health.

Jessica Marden, ScD, is an Associate at Analysis Group. She received her doctorate from the Harvard School of Public Health and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Broad Institute.

Orfeu M. Buxton, PhD, is Associate Professor of Biobehavioral Health at the Pennslyvania State University and Associate Neuroscientist at Brigham & Women’s Hospital.

ORCID

Emily O’Donnell http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7341-3469

Notes

1. Over 20% is considered high global risk, according to some researchers (D’Agostino, 2008). Thus, the mean risk in our sample is fairly low.

Additional information

Funding

This research was conducted as part of the Work, Family & Health Network (www.WorkFamilyHealthNetwork.org), which is funded by a cooperative agreement through the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (Grants # U01HD051217, U01HD051218, U01HD051256, U01HD051276), National Institute on Aging (Grant # U01AG027669), Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Grants # U01OH008788, U01HD059773). Grants from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (Grant #R01HL107240), William T. Grant Foundation, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and the US Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families have provided additional funding.