- Project number: F 2447
- Institution: Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) / Center for Cardiology of the University Medical Center Mainz
- Status: Completed Project
Description:
The Gutenberg Health Study (GHS) investigated the link between working conditions and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases to improve the prevention of cardiovascular disease risk and its consequences.
The 10-year longitudinal study shows that type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome are more prevalent among workers in food production, metal processing, and cleaning, as well as among drivers. Additionally, men who had accumulated a moderate (221–660 nights) or high (more than 660 nights) number of night shifts over the ten years prior to study enrolment had an elevated risk of metabolic syndrome after 5 years. A moderate number of night shifts was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) after 10 years, also only among men.
Returning to work following a prolonged period of incapacity can be challenging. GHS findings show that two support methods, workplace integration management (BEM) and phased reintegration (StW), play a decisive role in this process, resulting in a higher proportion of employees regaining their ability to work and feeling better supported.
The occurrence of CVD can also be associated with workplace changes or an early exit from the workforce. In the GHS, onset of a CVD is associated with a reduction in working hours among both men and women. Women experiencing CVD are more likely to withdraw from the labour market before reaching retirement age.
The impacts of digital communication and new technologies were assessed using the Industry 4.0 module. The majority of employees regularly use digital tools and evaluate them positively, while also experiencing multitasking and the constant need to acquire new knowledge. Digital work is associated with higher job satisfaction but also with a greater intention to change jobs.
The GHS data were also linked with routine health insurance data in order to obtain additional health-related information for scientific research.