2024 Volume 61 Issue 2 Pages 133-139
We introduce an occupational stress assessment method which utilizes autonomic nerve function fluctuations recorded by a Holter electrocardiograph. The method uses a 24-hour ECG, but instead of so-called long-time analysis, a continuous short-time analysis method in which a long-time recorded ECG is divided into 1 or 2-minute segments and all of them are analyzed, is used. In a stress video test, significant correlations were found between a video in which the subjects felt stressed and a video in which the low-frequency component/high-frequency component ratio (LF/HF) increased. There are also stress reactions such as in roller coaster rides which occur without subject’s awareness. Case reports where there is difficulty in calculating LF/HF such as Formula car drivers whose heart rates increase excessively are presented, and we introduce actual cases of work-related stress reaction assessment of physicians, nurses, and care workers. However, it was found that some problems remain, such as the difficulty in discriminating between mental stress and exercise load, and the complexity of filling out work diaries. Several papers on stress assessment by long-time analysis of internal and external heart rate variability are also presented.
