Association of self-rated physical health and incident hypertension with O*NET factors: Validation using a representative national survey

OBJECTIVE: To examine the predictive validity of Occupational Information Network (ONET)-based constructs with health outcomes. METHODS: Data from the National Survey of Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) surveys were used to examine associations of self-rated health and incident hypertension with work characteristics. Job control and substantive complexity (SC) scores derived from the ONET were imputed to occupation in the MIDUS surveys. Validity was assessed through variance partitioning and regression models contrasting ONET and survey-based constructs. RESULTS: Congruence between control scores derived from ONET and from self-rated scores from MIDUS was good. Shared variance between SC scores and survey-based control was less. All constructs were modest predictors of self-rated health. Substantive complexity was a stronger predictor of incident hypertension (Adjusted Odds Ratio = 1.87). CONCLUSIONS: Occupational characteristics derived from ONET variables performed as well as or better than survey-based job control in describing associations with self-rated health and incident hypertension.