A cross-sectional study of workplace social capital and blood pressure: a multilevel analysis at Japanese manufacturing companies.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

We examined the contextual effect of workplace social capital on systolic blood pressure (SBP).

Design

Cross-sectional.

Setting

A conglomerate from 58 workplaces in Japan.

Participants

Of the 5844 workers at a Japanese conglomerate from 58 workplaces, 5368 were recruited. Individuals who received drugs for hypertension (n=531) and who lacked information on any variable (n=167) were excluded from the analyses, leaving 4735 individuals (3281 men and 1454 women) for inclusion.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Systolic blood pressure.

Results

The contextual effect of workplace social capital on SBP was examined using a multilevel regression analysis with a random intercept. Coworker support had a contextual effect at the workplace level (coefficient=-1.97, p=0.043), while a lack of trust for coworkers (coefficient=0.27, p=0.039) and lack of helpfulness from coworkers were associated with SBP (coefficient=0.28, p=0.002).

Conclusions

The present study suggested that social capital at the workplace level has beneficial effects on SBP.

SUBMITTER: Fujino Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3586077 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature