Occupational stress and job dissatisfaction with health work

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the association between psychosocial aspects at work and dissatisfaction among health workers in five cities in Bahia, Brazil. Methods: The evaluation was based on different models proposed to measuring occupational stress and possible combinations between them: demand-control model (DCM) and effort-reward imbalance (ERI). We conducted a cross-sectional epidemiological study including 3084 health workers. The analysis considered the association between partial/full/partial (combined) occupational stress models (the variable "exposure") and job dissatisfaction (the variable "outcome"). Results: Dissatisfaction rate was 26%. Full DCM and ERI models were better than partial ones to investigate job dissatisfaction. After adjustments, the combined models presented more robust measures of prevalence ratio than models evaluated separately (PR 2.93; CI 2.26-3.80). Conclusions: The combination of models has shown greater capacity to identify situations of job dissatisfaction and provided more potential information to support actions for workers' health. (AU)

Interaction between demand-control and social support in the occurrence of common mental disorders / Interação entre demanda-controle e apoio social na ocorrência de transtornos mentais comuns

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To analyze the interaction between the psychosocial aspects of work and the occurrence of common mental disorders among health workers. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study conducted with a representative sample of workers of the primary health care of five municipalities of the State of Bahia, Brazil, in 2012. The variable of outcome were the common mental disorders evaluated by the SRQ-20, and the variables of exposure were high demand (high psychological demand and low control over the work) and low social support in the workplace. Interaction was checked by the deviation of the additivity of the effects for the factors studied from the calculation of excess risk from interaction, proportion of cases attributed to interaction, and the synergy index. RESULTS The global prevalence of common mental disorders was 21%. The group of combined exposure has shown higher magnitude (high demand and low social support), reaching 28% when compared to the 17% in the situation of no exposure (low demand and high social support). CONCLUSIONS The results strengthen the hypothesis of interaction between the factors investigated, directing to the synergy of the effects.

RESUMO OBJETIVO Analisar a interação entre aspectos psicossociais do trabalho e a ocorrência de transtornos mentais comuns entre trabalhadores da saúde. MÉTODOS Estudo transversal conduzido em amostra representativa de trabalhadores da atenção básica de cinco municípios da Bahia em 2012. As variáveis desfecho foram os transtornos mentais comuns avaliados pelo SRQ-20, as de exposição foram a alta exigência (alta demanda psicológica e baixo controle sobre o próprio trabalho) e o baixo apoio social no trabalho. A interação foi verificada pelo afastamento da aditividade dos efeitos para fatores estudados a partir do cálculo do excesso de risco devido à interação, proporção de casos atribuída à interação e índice de sinergia. RESULTADOS A prevalência global de transtornos mentais comuns foi de 21%. Apresentou maior magnitude no grupo de exposição combinada (alta exigência e baixo apoio social), chegando a 28% quando comparada a 17% na situação de nenhuma exposição (baixa exigência e alto apoio social). CONCLUSÕES Os resultados fortalecem a hipótese de interação entre os fatores investigados, com direção para a sinergia dos efeitos.

Relationship between Psychosocial Risk Factors and Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders among Public Hospital Nurses in Malaysia

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the relationships between psychosocial work factors and risk of WRMSDs among public hospital nurses in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 660 public hospital nurses. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on the occurrence of WRMSDs according to body regions, socio-demographic profiles, occupational information and psychosocial risk factors. 468 questionnaires were returned (response rate of 71%), and 376 questionnaires qualified for subsequent analysis. Univariate analyses were applied to test for mean and categorical differences across the WRMSDs; multiple logistic regression was applied to predict WRMSDs based on the Job Strain Model's psychosocial risk factors. RESULTS: Over two thirds of the sample of nurses experienced discomfort or pain in at least one site of the musculoskeletal system within the last year. The neck was the most prevalent site (48.94%), followed by the feet (47.20%), the upper back (40.69%) and the lower back (35.28%). More than 50% of the nurses complained of having discomfort in region one (neck, shoulders and upperback) and region four (hips, knees, ankles, and feet). The results also revealed that psychological job demands, job strain and iso-strain ratio demonstrated statistically significant mean differences (p < 0.05) between nurses with and without WRMSDs. According to univariate logistic regression, all psychosocial risk factors illustrated significant association with the occurrence of WRMSDs in various regions of the body (OR: 1.52-2.14). Multiple logistic regression showed all psychosocial risk factors were significantly associated with WRMSDs across body regions (OR: 1.03-1.19) except for region 1 (neck, shoulders and upper back) and region 4 (hips, knees, ankles, and feet). All demographic variables except for years of employment were statistically and significantly associated with WRMSDs (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicated the high prevalence of WRMSDs in many body regions, and the risks of developing WRMSDs according to the various body regions were associated with important psychosocial risk factors based on the job strain model. These findings have implications for the management of WRMSDs among public hospital nurses in the Klang Valley, Malaysia.

Occupational Distribution of Job Stress in Korea / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVES: Although there is increasing concern about job stress, no published reports have addressed the basic characteristics of job stress (i.e. on various job stress domains), according to the Korean Standard of Job Categories. Therefore, this study was conducted to present epidemiologic data of common Korean workers on job stress domains, by using the self-reported Karasek's Job Content Questionnaire(JCQ.) METHODS: Data were gathered from many workers at various industries for 2 years, as a part of the workers'periodic health examinations, in Kyong-Gi and Kyong-Nam provinces, Korea. RESULTS: The total respondents were 1,866, male 1,658(88.9%) and female 208(11.1%), from 117 companies. The mean age was 35.05 years old, 1,315(70.4%) were married, 1,578(84.5%) were graduated from high school or above, and 380(20.4%) were managers at workplace. The mean scores of decision latitude, psychological job demand, social support, and job insecurity were 62.56(std 8.28, median 62), 31.45(std 3.83, median 32), 22.49(std 2.58, median 23) and 6.16(std 1.90, median 6), respectively. Construction workers belonged to the high strain group, and administrative managers and computer related experts belonged to the active group. CONCLUSIONS: To more precisely evaluate job stress according to job categories, data could be gathered from a larger sample and detailed job categories should be adopted. Such a study would form an important foundation for research into job stress in Korea.

Study on Perceived Occupational Psychosocial Stress and Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders among VDT Works / 대한산업의학회지

It has been hypothesized that jobs that have both high psychological demands and low decision latitude ('job strain") can lead to musculoskeletal disorder. The objective of this study was to test whether job strain was correlated with the presence of work-related musculoskeletal disorder, especially myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). Information on demographic factors, confounders such as household load and taking care of children or not, and scores for decision latitude, job demand, and social support was obtained by self-administered questionnaire, which had been developed in Korean language, by adopting NIOSH instrument and Extended Karasek Model (16 items). All subjects were also examined by rehabilitation medicine specialists for musculoskeletal disorders. Subjects (n=370) could be categorized into 4 groups, these were, housewives(n=89), shipyard CAD workers(n=89), general female workers(n=79; nurses, insurance counselors, public officials, clerks, etc), and telephone directory assistance operators(n=113). Results from univariate analyses indicated that all demographic factors, all confounders, scores for decision latitude and social support were not associated with the risk of musculoskeletal disorder. However, score for job demand was higher in musculoskeletal disorder cases than others. In subgroup analysis, this association was convinced again, in telephone directory assistance operators. Job strain model showed that the group of telephone directory assistance operators was high-strain group, and OR of musculoskeletal disorder was 2.446 (95% C.I. : 1.174, 5.096), when comparing this with the low strain group. In conclusion, job strain is a risk factor for work-related musculoskeletal disorder.