Cardiovascular risk as a paradigm of the negative consequences of stress at work: a “conflicting evidence”

The relation between stress and coronary diseases is controversial. Positive and null or negative results are almost equally obtained. An explanation of this can be that the most widely used stress questionnaires are not able to collect all the factors that constitute stress perception in different socio-cultural contexts. Indeed, from a clinical and experimental perspective the relation between breakdown in adaptation and cardiovascular disorder is a fact. More consistent results on the social, cultural and psychological determinants of an increased cardiovascular risk are obtained when stress is studied in relation to the socio-economic condition of groups and individuals. To better embrace and describe the social factors, a new theoretical contribution has been introduced: social capital. This is a more sophisticated version of social cohesion, social integration and social support. For the future, an interdisciplinary approach is recommended in health surveillance of life and work environmnent