biostudies-literatureTashiro SMinistry of Health, Labour and WelfareJapan Society for the Promotion of Sciencee055577https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8995962biostudies-literatureUnknown12(4)<h4>Objectives</h4>It has been hypothesised that smoking intensity may be related to occupational stress. This study aimed to investigate whether stress, including problems with superiors or co-workers, is a driver of smoking.<h4>Design</h4>Cross-sectional study.<h4>Setting and participants</h4>59 355 employees (34 865 men and 24 490 women) across multiple occupations who completed a self-reported questionnaire-based occupational stress survey between April 2016 and March 2017 in Niigata Prefecture.<h4>Main outcome measures</h4>Stress scores for the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire subscales summed up after assigning high points for high stress and converted to Z-scores based on the mean of all participants. Heavy smokers (HS) smoked ≥15 cigarettes/day and light smokers (LS) smoked <15 cigarBMJ openDifferences in occupational stress by smoking intensity and gender in cross-sectional study of 59 355 Japanese employees using the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ): the Niigata Wellness Study.PMC8995962N/AGrants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (19139518)Kitazawa MKodama SKato KOtsuka MTashiro MSone HFujihara KSato KMatsuda KTashiro SfalseDifferences in occupational stress by smoking intensity and gender in cross-sectional study of 59 355 Japanese employees using the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ): the Niigata Wellness Study.<h4>Objectives</h4>It has been hypothesised that smoking intensity may be related to occupational stress. This study aimed to investigate whether stress, including problems with superiors or co-workers, is a driver of smoking.<h4>Design</h4>Cross-sectional study.<h4>Setting and participants</h4>59 355 employees (34 865 men and 24 490 women) across multiple occupations who completed a self-reported questionnaire-based occupational stress survey between April 2016 and March 2017 in Niigata Prefecture.<h4>Main outcome measures</h4>Stress scores for the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire subscales summed up after assigning high points for high stress and converted to Z-scores based on the mean of all participants. Heavy smokers (HS) smoked ≥15 cigarettes/day and light smokers (LS) smoked <15 cigar2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Apr2025-04-05T22:17:14.104Z2025-04-05T22:17:14.104ZS-EPMC89959623539628810.1136/bmjopen-2021-055577