An English study of 28 nurses’ aids working for different bosses and working different shifts has shown that those who worked for unpopular leaders had a systolic blood pressure an average of 15 points higher and a diastolic blood pressure an average of 7 points higher than those who worked for a more popular boss.
A control group where the workers in question had only one boss or two bosses with similar popularity ratings showed only a 3 point difference in systolic pressure and no significant difference in diastolic pressure.
The study was conducted by Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College in England. The researchers concluded that the degree of elevated blood pressure seen in the nurses’ aids with unpopular bosses increases the risk of heart attack by 16 % and the risk of stroke by 33 %.
Reference:
N Wager, G Fieldman, and T Hussey. The effect on ambulatory blood pressure of working under favourably and unfavourably perceived supervisors. Occup Environ Med 2003 60: 468-474.
