Does job loss and its anticipation increase blood pressure in stably employed men?
Anticipation and experience of job loss are associated with significant, transient elevations in blood pressure that correlate with subjective stress.
A longitudinal study was made of blood pressure (BP) changes in married, stably employed men who lose their jobs because of a permanent plant shutdown. Some 150 men, including controls, were seen and followed up to 2 years. Major findings were as follows: (1) The controls showed no significant long-term trends, (2) BP levels during anticipation of job loss and unemployment or probationary re-employment were clearly higher than during later stabilization on new jobs, (3) Men whose BP levels remained high longer: (a) had more severe unemployment, (b) were lower on Ego Resilience, (c) reported longer-lasting subjective stress, and (d) failed to show much improvement in reported well-being, (4) Within the period of anticipation, there was a clear rise in BP which was correlated with subjective ratings of felt stress, and (5) These major BP changes were replicated in preliminary results from a second company.
Kasl et al. (1970) studied this question.
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