Well-being at work and immune response

In several countries, work is considered not only source of income, but also represents well-being and social identity, provides social relations, regular daily activity and planning of life. Job stress may derive from environmental conditions, not necessarily related to the working activities, but to additional conditions such as low social support, repetitive work, gratification and shifts. Moreover, perception of job insecurity today affects also the workers with stable employment because of the global economic crisis. Stress job conditions or situations of job insecurity may influence the life style, including smoking habit, healthy dietary habits and mental health status; they are considered serious stressful situations which may induce emotional disorders. Job strain and/or insecurity may thus affect both neuroendocrine and immune systems: reduced immune reactivity to mitogens and/or decreased blood NK cytotoxic activity was reported either in unemployed workers or in those with a high perception of job insecurity and/or job stress. It is also known that stress play an important role in autoimmune diseases. Although genetic factors have a key role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders, occupational stress (as in night shifts) was also reported associated to an increased incidence of autoimmune disorders.