Association of self-rated physical health and incident hypertension with O*NET factors: validation using a representative national survey.

OBJECTIVE To examine the predictive validity of Occupational Information Network (O*NET)-based constructs with health outcomes. METHODS Data from the National Survey of Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) surveys were used to examine associations of self-rated health and incident hypertension with work characteristics. Job control and substantive complexity (SC) scores derived from the O*NET were imputed to occupation in the MIDUS surveys. Validity was assessed through variance partitioning and regression models contrasting O*NET and survey-based constructs. RESULTS Congruence between control scores derived from O*NET and from self-rated scores from MIDUS was good. Shared variance between SC scores and survey-based control was less. All constructs were modest predictors of self-rated health. Substantive complexity was a stronger predictor of incident hypertension (Adjusted Odds Ratio = 1.87). CONCLUSIONS Occupational characteristics derived from O*NET variables performed as well as or better than survey-based job control in describing associations with self-rated health and incident hypertension.