Title : Occupational stress and variation of blood pressure among bankers of bangladesh
Abstract:
Hypertension is rapidly becoming one of the most pressing global public health concerns—and in Bangladesh, the banking profession is quietly bearing the brunt of it. Long working hours, chronic stress, and sedentary lifestyles are part and parcel of a banker’s routine, yet few studies have explored how these occupational stressors translate into tangible health risks like elevated blood pressure. This study set out to bridge that gap by investigating the association between work-related stress and blood pressure variation among 240 bankers employed in both government and private banks in Bangladesh. Using the validated Effort–Reward Imbalance (ERI) scale to assess occupational stress, Body Mass Index (BMI) to evaluate nutritional status, and the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) to measure physical activity levels, we captured a comprehensive picture of the participants' cardiovascular risk profiles. Standard WHO protocols were followed for blood pressure measurement. Statistical analyses—including chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression—were performed to identify key predictors of hypertension. The findings are both revealing and concerning: over half (53.8%) of participants experienced high occupational stress (ERI >1), 45.4% were overweight, and 48.8% reported low physical activity. In terms of blood pressure, 25.4% had controlled hypertension, 14.2% had undiagnosed hypertension, and 28.7% were in the prehypertensive stage. Crucially, multivariate analysis showed that both occupational stress (OR = 1.723, p = 0.038) and moderate physical activity levels (OR = 1.798, p = 0.041) were significantly associated with hypertension, whereas BMI did not emerge as a significant factor in the adjusted model. These insights spotlight a largely unaddressed health crisis within the financial sector. The study calls for urgent, evidence-based interventions tailored to the needs of banking professionals—ranging from stress management and workplace wellness initiatives to institutional screening for hypertension. Without action, the growing toll of occupational stress may continue to undermine both individual well-being and workforce productivity.
