Workplace stressors and their association with hair cortisol concentrations among ready-made garment workers in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study

Annegret Dreher; Rita Yusuf; Hasan Ashraf; Syed A K Shifat Ahmed; Wei Gao; Christian Strümpell; Adrian Loerbroks

doi:10.1002/1348-9585.12426

Workplace stressors and their association with hair cortisol concentrations among ready-made garment workers in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study

J Occup Health. 2023 Jan-Dec;65(1):e12426. doi: 10.1002/1348-9585.12426.

Authors

Annegret Dreher¹, Rita Yusuf², Hasan Ashraf³, Syed A K Shifat Ahmed², Wei Gao⁴, Christian Strümpell⁵, Adrian Loerbroks¹

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
² International Center for Biotechnology and Health (ICBH), Center for Health Population and Development (CHPD), Independent University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
³ Department of Anthropology, Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
⁴ Faculty of Psychology, Chair of Biological Psychology, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
⁵ Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.

Abstract

Objectives: Psychosocial working conditions of ready-made garment (RMG) workers have been associated with poorer self-reported health outcomes. However, no such research has been done with respect to physiological markers that are considered to reflect stress. We consequently aimed to investigate associations of psychosocial working conditions with such a marker, that is, hair cortisol, among RMG workers in Bangladesh.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured face-to-face interviews in labor colonies in the Mirpur area, Dhaka, Bangladesh, in February and March 2021 with individuals identifying as garment workers. The interview inquired after various workplace stressors and resources (i.e., workplace support, workplace bullying, vertical trust, beneficial leadership, work-family conflict, and financial issues including savings, debts, financial obligations, and financial support). In addition, hair samples of 2 cm length were collected from participants. Hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) were determined based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Linear regression models were run to detect possible associations of workplace stressors and resources with HCC.

Results: In total, data of 576 participants were included in the analysis (71.9% female, mean age = 25.9 years). Mean HCC was 4.4 pg/mg (standard deviation = 2.1 pg/mg). The sole variable significantly associated with increased HCC was "having to keep your job to support your children or spouse financially" (β = 0.28 [95% confidence interval 0.02-0.55]).

Conclusions: The sole workplace stressor significantly associated with increased HCC was the necessity to keep one's job to support children or spouse financially. This observation can, however, barely be disentangled from the fact that one has children/a spouse.

Keywords: Bangladesh; cortisol; garment industry; hair; work stress; working conditions.

MeSH terms

Adult
Bangladesh
Child
Chromatography, Liquid
Clothing
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Hair / chemistry
Humans
Hydrocortisone* / analysis
Male
Stress, Psychological* / psychology
Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Workplace / psychology

Substances

Hydrocortisone

Grants and funding

LO 1730/5-1/Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft