Abstract
A field study was performed to assess the relations between nature of work and work characteristics, neuroendocrine reactivity and recovery, and health status. The urinary excretion of adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol was examined in fifty-nine male workers between 25 and 55 years of age during five consecutive days; three working days and two days off-work. The workers differed in the nature of their main work demands, i.e. mental, mental/physical, and physical work. Personal information and subjective perception of work characteristics, need for recovery, and health status were assessed by self-report through validated scales in a questionnaire. Multi-level analyses and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to assess aforementioned relations.
A main effect of nature of work was found in the neuroendocrine reactivity during and recovery from work in which the combined mental/physical group showed the least favourable reactions. Overall, half of the variation in subjective need for recovery and 54% of the variation in the level of health complaints was explained by a model with job demands, social relations at work, BMI, age, as well as by neuroendocrine measures of adrenaline and cortisol.
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