Being in charge may affect health

Most of us want to make the best of our careers. No matter the motivation-wealth, recognition, or service to science-there is often an underlying push to obtain or hang on to elite stations. But, whether you already hold a position of prestige and authority such as veterinarian or practice owner or aspire to climb the professional ladder, have you considered how such a work position might affect your health? A study shows that higher-status jobs do have an impact on well being.

Research conducted by the University of Toronto indicates that higher-status careers have negative health effects, though the results may be more difficult to discern. The study found that people in positions of authority-defined as those who manage others or have control over hiring and wages-report medical complaints. Physical problems included headaches and fatigue; psychological symptoms noted were anxiety and sleep trouble. The maladies stemmed from greater conflict at work and stress carried over from office to home-common issues for those in positions of power.

What makes these problems less obvious, notes the report in the journal Social Science & Medicine, is that the net impact is negligible. The benefits of the more esteemed jobs-higher pay, greater status, increased autonomy-essentially negate the drawbacks. This is contrary to the previously held belief that such jobs had no effect at all on health.