Scientists from St Petersburg University: Civil servants are up to four times more likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease than other occupational groups
Doctors from St Petersburg University have conducted the first large-scale study of the impact of working conditions on the health of civil servants in Russia. They found that this group of employees has an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease.
The civil service is traditionally considered a safe occupation, as it does not involve interaction with harmful substances. Unlike industrial workers, whose occupational risks are well documented, civil servants (government officials) have remained an ‘invisible’ group for occupational medicine. According to the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation, over 11,000 people were working as civil servants in St Petersburg in 2023.
The findings of the research are published in the scientific journal ‘Sanitary Doctor’.
The researchers from St Petersburg University studied and systematised a range of data on morbidity among civil servants, comparing it with similar indicators for other professional groups.
This analysis revealed a clear pattern of diseases among civil servants. Eye diseases and those affecting the eye’s appendages are the most common, affecting 21.51% of patients. Pathologies of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue follow closely at 21.2%, likely linked to the sedentary lifestyle of most employees. Diseases of the genitourinary system account for nearly 11%, and circulatory system disorders for 10.81%. Endocrine disorders, including metabolic and nutritional problems, make up 9.19% of cases. The remaining quarter of cases (26.31%) are distributed between skin diseases, neoplasms, respiratory diseases, and other pathologies.
The findings of the research showed that the incidence of cardiovascular pathologies in this occupational group is more than twice the average for St Petersburg.
Tatyana Grigorieva, co-author of the study, Associate Professor in the Department of Hospital Therapy at St Petersburg University, chief external specialist in occupational medicine at the St Petersburg Health Committee
In the study, the University scientists paid particular attention to comparing the results with those of the control group — the general able-bodied population of the city. The findings revealed that the key indicators were significantly higher than those for other categories of office workers, whose working conditions are similar to the lifestyle that civil servants must follow.
Medical experts believe that visual impairment, endocrine system diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and other consequences are caused by the specific nature of work in this sphere, which includes: high responsibility; strict regulations; constant interaction with others; irregular schedules; and the processing of large amounts of information, much of which involves computer use.
St Petersburg University’s Graduate School of Occupational Safety is dedicated to training specialists who can effectively address both research and practical challenges, thereby contributing to the preservation of workers’ health and safety, and ensuring secure working conditions.
The study also found that civil servants’ work is associated with chronic stress, irregular schedules, and high visual demands. However, this sector is practically unprotected by preventive measures. According to the authors of the research, this highlights the need to revise the regulatory framework for the health protection of civil servants.
For now, the scientists recommend that civil servants take particular care to observe the basic principles of a healthy lifestyle: maintaining physical activity; observing a regular sleep and rest schedule; and paying attention to the regime and quality of their nutrition.