The Science of Occupational Health: Stress, Psychobiology, and the New World of Work

by Ulf Lundberg, Cary Cooper, Michael Marmot (Foreword by)

Overview

The Science of Occupational Health is an evidence-based resource for all members of the health care team working with those affected by work-based stress - whether individuals suffering physical or psychological symptoms, or organizations trying to provide optimum conditions for healthy and productive employees.

The authors offer a unique psychobiological perspective, discussing the modern workplace as a cause of stimulation and well-being, as well as of distress and illness. They provide a rigorous but highly accessible scientific account of the effects that stress has on mind and body, with key chapters on 'Responses to Stress', 'Stress-Related Health Problems', and 'Stress Hormones at Work'.

This book offers the reader practical guidance on health promotion and preventive strategies at both individual and organizational levels. It concludes with a discussion of present occupational conditions around the world, and predictions of likely trends in the future.

Foreword by Sir Michael Marmot, University College London

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781444391114
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	12/01/2010
Sold by:	JOHN WILEY & SONS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	184
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Ulf Lundberg is Professor of Biological Psychology in the Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, and at the Centre for Health Equity Studies (CHESS), affiliated with Stockholm University and the Karolinska Institute. He has published extensively on work, stress, and health.

Cary L. Cooper, CBE is Distinguished Professor of Organizational Psychology and Health at Lancaster University. He is the author of over 100 books (on occupational stress, women at work, and industrial and organizational psychology), was lead scientist on the UK government's Foresight programme on Mental Capital and Wellbeing, and is a frequent contributor to national newspapers, TV, and radio.

Table of Contents

Preface

Foreword Sir Michael Marmot, UCL

Acknowledgements

1 Introduction: History of Work and Health

General background and aim

Work and health from an evolutionary perspective

About this book

2 The New Workplace in a Rapidly Changing World

Global economy and global competition

Flexible organisations – flexible workers

Health consequences of ‘sickness presenteeism’

Rationalisation

Sources of stress at work

3 The New World of Work

Lean manufacturing and just-in-time production

Frequent restructuring

Lifelong learning, work and family-life balance

Long working hours and overtime

The role of modern communication technology and telecommuting: work without boundaries, or endless work

Diffuse distinction between work and other parts of life

The challenge for health and well-being in organisations in the future

A flexible workforce

4 Work as a Source of Stimulation and Health or a Cause of Distress and Illness

Work-related stress models

Justice

Positive and negative work

Job satisfaction

Workaholism

Type A behaviour

Job strain and heart disorder

Conclusion

5 Responses to Stress

Mind–body interaction

The neuroendocrine stress systems

The cardiovascular system

Coping with stress

Acute stress

Chronic stress

Short-term versus long-term stress

Importance of sleep

Allostatic load

Catabolic and anabolic processes

6 Stress-related Health Problems

Chronic fatigue, depression, burnout

Cardiovascular disorders

Immune function

Cognitive function

Obesity, diabetes – the metabolic syndrome

Musculoskeletal disorders

Ulcers

HIV, AIDS and cancer

When should I be worried?

How can any treatment be efficient?

7 Stress Hormones at Work

8 Socioeconomic Status and Health

9 Health Promotion

Health intervention, stress reduction

Managing stress in a changing workforce

Individual interventions

Healthy work

Mental capital and well-being

Interventions and policies

Physically risky jobs

Positive psychology

Restorative environments and recreation

Sleep

Physical activity

10 Gender Differences

Symptoms, health and life expectancy

Work tasks

Unpaid work and total workload

Children, women and stress

11 Preventive Strategies

Occupational hazards

Health promotion

Occupational conditions in Europe

Healthy work

SES and health

Work–life balance

What can we do to reduce stress?

Comments on preventive strategies

12 The Future Workplace from a Stress–Health Perspective

A changing world

Work and health

Stress, well-being and productivity

Demographic changes in Europe and Japan

Global issues

References

Index

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"This book offers me additional avenues of study, and I can envision integrating parts of these authors' work into my coaching practice." (Doody's, 4 November 2011)

Editorial Reviews

"This book offers me additional avenues of study, and I can envision integrating parts of these authors' work into my coaching practice." (Doody's, 4 November 2011)

 

From the Publisher

Reviewer: Howard A Fox, MA (Fielding Graduate University)
Description: The authors of this book are advocates for workplace conditions that are not only good for society, but also enhance human capabilities and the health of the workforce. They provide insights into the effects, both positive and negative, that workplace conditions have on workers, using what they call a psychobiological perspective to explain the impact of these conditions.
Purpose: The development of the personal computer 30 years ago, the emergence of the Internet nearly 20 years ago, and the advances in electronics have all had a direct influence on our working conditions as well as other parts of our lives. Now, information spreads immediately, which can have economic, occupational, political, technical, and social consequences. While these advances have come with improvements to our economies and health, they also come with new health risks — not physical occupational hazards, but rather mental and musculoskeletal disorders. The authors advocate that more healthy work conditions can be created, which will result in improved economic and public health benefits. The authors do a good job of helping readers understand how the body responds to changing workforce conditions and of providing recommendations for changes that can be implemented.
Audience: This book would be of value to students, individuals interested in occupational health and safety, members of the helping professions wanting to explain the physical effects of workplace stress, and researchers and policymakers who need a stepping stone to more detailed research.
Features: The authors describe how the workforce in Western culture has moved from a predominantly male-dominated, manufacturing workforce to a workforce composed of both genders, which is more distributed, multicultural, and information-driven. The authors describe the effects that this new world of work has on the structure of the work environment and our work-life balance, and how 24 x 7 connectivity means we can never truly disconnect from work. The authors introduce a work-related stress model to discuss how we react to changing workplace conditions. They go into a sufficient detail to describe how the brain and body interact to respond to stressful conditions. After the authors introduce the physical manifestations of stress and stress-related health problems, they suggest possible preventions and interventions that companies and individuals can use to promote workplace health.
Assessment: This is the first book of this type that I have seen, although I am familiar with topics related to managing stress, work-life balance, and emotional self-awareness. I appreciate the connection that the authors make between changing work environments and how the body responds to physical and mental stressors in order to protect itself. This book offers me additional avenues of study, and I can envision integrating parts of these authors' work into my coaching practice.

Doody's Review Service