Allostatic load and heart rate variability as health risk indicators

The construction industry is a work environment that poses many dangers to workers, with many hidden factors that affect work awareness. It is important for construction companies to ensure a balance between productivity and safety in the work environment. The purpose of this study was to identify relationships between the feeling of safety in the work environment, proactive work behavior, job satisfaction, work skills, team performance, and health risk indicators, such as heart rate, among construction workers of different ages. Based on previous research, we examined the hypothetical perception model. We then administered a questionnaire survey to construction workers (N = 357) employed at a Japanese construction company. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we investigated the impact of health risk indicators on worker perceptions among young and older workers. The results showed that workers’ heart rate and body mass index (BMI) had a negative effect on the feeling of safety and proactive work behavior among older workers, but showed no significant relationship among young workers. However, regardless of workers’ age, it was clear that the feeling of safety affects job satisfaction, and that work skills and proactive work behaviors affect perceptions regarding team performance.

Download Full-text

Monitoring stress and allostatic load in first responders and tactical operators using heart rate variability: a systematic review

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-11595-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sean L. Corrigan ◽

Spencer Roberts ◽

Stuart Warmington ◽

Jace Drain ◽

Luana C. Main

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Allostatic Load ◽

First Responders ◽

Stressful Events ◽

Psychological Disorder ◽

Occupational Stressors ◽

First Responder ◽

Eligibility Criteria

Abstract Background Awareness of the cumulative stress placed on first responders and tactical operators is required to manage acute fatigue, which can impair occupational performance, and may precipitate negative chronic health outcomes. The aim of this review was to investigate the utility of heart rate variability (HRV) to monitor stress and allostatic load among these populations. Methods A systematic search of Academic Search Complete, MEDLINE complete, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus and Scopus databases was conducted. Eligibility criteria: original peer reviewed research articles, written in English, published between 1985 and 2020, using human participants employed as a first responder or tactical operator, free from any psychological disorder. Results Of the 360 articles screened, 60 met the inclusion criteria and were included for full text assessment. Articles were classified based on single or repeated stressor exposure and the time of HRV assessment (baseline, during stressor, post stressor). Singular stressful events elicited a reduction in HRV from baseline to during the event. Stressors of greater magnitude reduced HRV for extended durations post stressor. Lower resting HRV was associated with lower situational awareness and impaired decision-making performance in marksmanship and navigation tasks. There were insufficient studies to evaluate the utility of HRV to assess allostatic load in repeated stressor contexts. Conclusion A reduction in HRV occurred in response to acute physical and cognitive occupational stressors. A slower rate of recovery of HRV after the completion of acute occupational stressors appears to occur in response to stressors of greater magnitude. The association between lower HRV and lower decision-making performance poses as a useful tool but further investigations on within subject changes between these factors and their relationship is required. More research is required to investigate the suitability of HRV as a measure of allostatic load in repeated stress exposures for fatigue management in first responder and tactical operators.

Download Full-text

Heart Rate Variability: New Perspectives on Physiological Mechanisms, Assessment of Self-regulatory Capacity, and Health Risk

Global Advances in Health and Medicine ◽

10.7453/gahmj.2014.073 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 46-61 ◽

Cited By ~ 205

Author(s):

Rollin Mccraty ◽

Fred Shaffer

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Health Risk ◽

Physiological Mechanisms ◽

Regulatory Capacity

Download Full-text

A Non-Invasive Tool to Quantify Autonomic Dysfunctuion: A Prognostic Indicator in Covid-19

International Journal of Innovative Research in Medical Science ◽

10.23958/ijirms/vol06-i02/1051 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (02) ◽

pp. 103-108

Author(s):

Avinash H Rajanna ◽

Jayanthi C R ◽

Swetha R ◽

Subramani ◽

Deepak Padmanabhan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Health Risk ◽

Autonomic Dysfunction ◽

Predictive Ability ◽

Heart Rhythm ◽

Prognostic Indicator ◽

P Value ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Non Invasive

Background: The Outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 has caused a major pandemic posing a threat to the millions of lives all over the world. The evidence shows that there is a relation between the autonomic nervous system and coronaviruses and likewise, levels of inflammatory markers - C-reactive protein (CRP) and autonomic dysfunction. Autonomic dysfunction is elicited using heart rate variability which in turn quantified using autonomous regulatory index (ARI). Hence this study was conducted to determine if ARI measured using patented NEUROCOR Precision HRV® Solution instrument could be used as a non-invasive measure of autonomic dysfunction among COVID-19 subjects. Materials & Methods: An exploratory study was conducted among randomly selected 22 COVID-19 male patients aged more than 18 years, admitted to COVID ward, Victoria Hospital, Bengaluru for 5 days, using ANS Recorder, a non-invasive heart rate variability recorder heart rhythm data were collected, one test per day continuously for 5 days and a patented NEUROCOR Precision HRV® Solution, an ANS Analysis Software instrument was used to record, analyze and interpret the heart rate variability in terms of ARI and CRP levels were measured. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 18.0. A P value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The occurrence of autonomic dysfunction in COVID-19 patients using the Patented NEUROCOR Precision HRV® Solution was found to be among 50.0%. The median scores of average ARI indices were significantly lesser among those with higher health risk (28.39) compared to those with lower health risk (65.95) (P<0.05). The Median ARI index showed a weak negative correlation (r = -0.13, P>0.05) with CRP (P>0.05). ARI index showed a significantly excellent predictive ability in detecting the higher health risk with the areas under the curves (AUC) being 0.93 with an optimal cut-off of 40.85 with maximum sensitivity and specificity of 100.0% and 93.0%. Conclusion: Autonomous Regulatory Index (ARI) index with significantly excellent predictive ability in detecting the higher health risk can be used as a non-invasive measure of autonomic dysfunction among COVID-19 subjects.

Download Full-text