Data from the Cornell University cohort study of Psychosocial Factors and Cardiovascular Disease and the Columbia University-Northern Manhattan Stroke Study were analyzed. The study had five specific aims, including to determine whether: blood pressure levels were associated with cumulative exposure to "job strain"; differences in blood pressure increases were associated with an objective measure of "job strain"; increased risk of stroke was associated with an objective measure of "job strain"; changes in psychological variables over time were associated with job characteristics; changes in CVD risk factors (other than hypertension) were associated with job characteristics.