OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between occupational stress and serum glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level.

METHODSA cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted in 115 dispatchers. The occupational stressors, personality, occupational strain and coping with stress were measured using Occupational Stress Instrument. Serum HbA1c levels were measured by stratigraphic analysis of cation exchange resin.

RESULTSSerum HbA1c level (6.63% ± 1.93%) in the shiftwork group was significantly higher than that (5.73% ± 1.57%) in the daily relay work group (P < 0.05). Spearman correlation analyses showed the positive correlation between type A behavior and serum HbA1c level (r = 0.221), the negative correlation between organizational commitment and serum HbA1c level (r = -0.218). Variance analyses revealed that serum HbA1c levels among high, middle and low job requirement groups and job control groups were significantly different (P < 0.05). There were significant differences of serum HbA1c levels among different type A behavior, internal control, susceptibility of stress and organizational commitment groups (P < 0.05). Stepwise regression analyses indicated that shiftwork affects obviously serum HbAlc level, internal control and job future were the predictors of serum HbA1c level (R2 = 0.082).

CONCLUSIONSerum HbA1c may be a potential biomarker in field investigation of the effects of occupational stress.