Job strain and arterial hypertension in nursing pro - fessionals from the municipal healthcare network in

Objective: to assess the association between job strain and arterial hypertension (AH). Method: cross-sectional study with random sample of 273 nursing professionals from the municipal healthcare network in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, conducted between September 2008 and January 2009. Job strain was measured using the demand-control model and hypertension by self-report medical diagnosis of the disease or use of antihypertensive medication. Prevalence ratios (PR) of AH and their respective 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were adjusted by Poisson multivariate regression. Results: among the professionals studied, 42.1% were nurses and 57.8% were nursing technicians or assistants. The AH was diagnosed in 16.9%. Female sex (PR = 0.56), increasing age (p of linear trend < 0.001), household income of 4 or more minimum wages (PR = 0.39) and job strain (PR = 2.53) were independently associated to AH after the multivariate adjustment. Conclusions: job strain is associated with AH among nursing professionals from the municipal healthcare network in Belo Horizonte. This finding must be considered in the formulation of public policies involving the health promotion of these workers.