Psychosocial and occupational risk perception among health care workers: a Moroccan multicenter study.

PubMed

Giurgiu, Doina Ileana; Jeoffrion, Christine; Grasset, Benjamin; Dessomme, Brigitte Keriven; Moret, Leila; Roquelaure, Yves; Caubet, Alain; Verger, Christian; Laraqui, Chakib El Houssine; Lombrail, Pierre; Geraut, Christian; Tripodi, Dominique

2015-09-04

International studies on occupational risks in public hospitals are infrequent and only few researchers have focused on psychosocial stress in Moroccan Health Care Workers (HCWs). The aim of this study was to present and analyze Moroccan HCWs occupational risk perception. Across nine public hospitals from three Moroccan regions (northern, central and southern), a 49 item French questionnaire with 4 occupational risks subscales, was distributed to 4746 HCWs. This questionnaire was based on the Job Content Questionnaire. Psychosocial job demand, job decision latitude and social support scores analysis were used to isolate high strain jobs. Occupational risks and high strain perception correlation were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. 2863 HCWs (60%) answered the questionnaire (54% women; mean age 40 years; mean work seniority 11 years; 24% physicians; 45% nurses). 44% of Moroccan HCWs were at high strain. High strain was strongly associated with two occupational categories: midwives (2.33 OR; CI 1.41-3.85), full-time employment (1.65 OR; CI 1.24-2.19), hypnotics and sedatives use (1.41 OR; CI 1.11-1.79), analgesics use (1.37 OR; CI 1.13-1.66). Moroccan HCWs, physicians included, perceive their job as high strain. Moroccan HCWs use of hypnotics, sedatives and analgesics is high. Risk prevention plan implementation is highly recommended.

Psychosocial Stress and Ovarian Cancer Risk: Metabolomics and Perceived Stress

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-13-1-0493 TITLE: Psychosocial Stress and Ovarian Cancer Risk: Metabolomics and Perceived Stress PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR...SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Psychosocial Stress and Ovarian Cancer Risk: Metabolomics and Perceived Stress 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-13-1-0493 5c...TERMS ovarian cancer, psychosocial stress, depression, anxiety, social support, metabolomics 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF

[Psychosocial stress and disease risks in occupational life. Results of international studies on the demand-control and the effort-reward imbalance models].

PubMed

Siegrist, J; Dragano, N

2008-03-01

Given the far-reaching changes of modern working life, psychosocial stress at work has received increased attention. Its influence on stress-related disease risks is analysed with the help of standardised measurements based on theoretical models. Two such models have gained special prominence in recent years, the demand-control model and the effort-reward imbalance model. The former model places its emphasis on a distinct combination of job characteristics, whereas the latter model's focus is on the imbalance between efforts spent and rewards received in turn. The predictive power of these models with respect to coronary or cardiovascular disease and depression was tested in a number of prospective epidemiological investigations. In summary, twofold elevated disease risks are observed. Effects on cardiovascular disease are particularly pronounced among men, whereas no gender differences are observed for depression. Additional evidence derived from experimental and ambulatory monitoring studies supplements this body of findings. Current scientific evidence justifies an increased awareness and assessment of these newly discovered occupational risks, in particular by occupational health professionals. Moreover, structural and interpersonal measures of stress prevention and health promotion at work are warranted, with special emphasis on gender differences.

Organizational climate, occupational stress, and employee mental health: mediating effects of organizational efficiency.

PubMed

Arnetz, Bengt B; Lucas, Todd; Arnetz, Judith E

2011-01-01

To determine whether the relationship between organizational climate and employee mental health is consistent (ie, invariant) or differs across four large hospitals, and whether organizational efficiency mediates this relationship. Participants (total N = 5316) completed validated measures of organizational climate variables (social climate, participatory management, goal clarity, and performance feedback), organizational efficiency, occupational stress, and mental health. Path analysis best supported a model in which organizational efficiency partially mediated relationships between organizational climate, occupational stress, and mental health. Focusing on improving both the psychosocial work environment and organizational efficiency might contribute to decreased employee stress, improved mental well-being, and organizational performance.

Occupational stress, anxiety and coping strategies in police officers.

PubMed

Acquadro Maran, D; Varetto, A; Zedda, M; Ieraci, V

2015-08-01

Studies on occupational stress have shown that police officers are exposed to stressful events more often than other workers and this can result in impaired psychosocial well-being and physical health. To measure the level of stress experienced, the consequences in terms of anxiety and the coping strategies adopted in a sample of police officers working in a large city in northern Italy. We used the Police Stress Questionnaire and the Distress Thermometer to measure occupational stress, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory to measure anxiety and the Brief COPE questionnaire to measure coping strategies. Six hundred seventeen police officers completed the questionnaire, a response rate of 34%. Differences between genders, sectors and roles emerged, but overall the study population generally demonstrated good use of positive coping strategies. Women in all operational service roles were more vulnerable to both organizational and operational stressors than men (P < 0.001), while in the interior department, men were more vulnerable to organizational stressors (P < 0.05). Our results suggest that for Italian police officers, training courses and support in dealing with occupational stress should take into account gender, role and type of work. Tailored training courses and support programmes could be useful and effective tools for preventing stress before it becomes chronic. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Psychosocial work environment and stress-related disorders, a systematic review.

PubMed

Nieuwenhuijsen, K; Bruinvels, D; Frings-Dresen, M

2010-06-01

Knowledge on the impact of the psychosocial work environment on the occurrence of stress-related disorders (SRDs) can assist occupational physicians in the assessment of the work-relatedness of these disorders. To systematically review the contribution of work-related psychosocial risk factors to SRDs. A systematic review of the literature was carried out by searching Medline, PsycINFO and Embase for studies published up until October 2008. Studies eligible for inclusion were prospective cohort studies or patient-control studies of workers at risk for SRDs. Studies were included in the review when data on the association between exposure to psychosocial work factors and the occurrence of SRDs were presented. Where possible, meta-analysis was conducted to obtain summary odds ratios of the association. The strength of the evidence was assessed using four levels of evidence. From the 2426 studies identified, seven prospective studies were included in this review. Strong evidence was found that high job demands, low job control, low co-worker support, low supervisor support, low procedural justice, low relational justice and a high effort-reward imbalance predicted the incidence of SRDs. This systematic review points to the potential of preventing SRDs by improving the psychosocial work environment. However, more prospective studies are needed on the remaining factors, exposure assessment and the relative contributions of single factors, in order to enable consistent assessment of the work-relatedness of SRDs by occupational physicians.

Role of maternal occupational physical activity and psychosocial stressors on adverse birth outcomes

PubMed Central

Lee, Laura J; Symanski, Elaine; Lupo, Philip J; Tinker, Sarah C; Razzaghi, Hilda; Chan, Wenyaw; Hoyt, Adrienne T; Canfield, Mark A

2016-01-01

Objectives We examined the association of an array of estimated maternal occupational physical activities and psychosocial stressors during pregnancy with odds for preterm birth (PTB) and small-for-gestational age (SGA). Methods Data for infants born without major birth defects delivered from 1997 to 2009 whose mothers reported working at least 1 month during pregnancy were obtained from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. We linked occupational codes to the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Information Network, which provides estimates of exposure for multiple domains of physical activity and psychosocial stressors by occupational categories. We conducted factor analysis using principal components extraction with 17 occupational activities and calculated factor scores. ORs for PTB and SGA across quartiles of factor scores in each trimester were computed using logistic regression. Results Factor analysis grouped occupational domains into 4 groups based on factor loadings. These groups were ‘occupational physical activity’, ‘interpersonal stressor’, ‘automated work’ and ‘job responsibility’. High levels of ‘occupational physical activity’ were significantly associated with SGA (adjusted OR (AOR) for highest quartile compared with lowest quartile of factor score: 1.36; 95% CIs 1.02 to 1.82; p for trend=0.001) and were also positively associated with PTB (AOR: 1.24; 95% CI 0.93 to 1.64; p for trend=0.01). No clear results were observed across domains of psychosocial stressors. Conclusions Our findings expand understanding of associations between occupational physical activity and psychosocial stressors and PTB and SGA and suggest that additional research is needed to further examine these relationships. PMID:27919059

Psychosocial Stress and Ovarian Cancer Risk: Metabolomics and Perceived Stress

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-13-1-0493 TITLE: Psychosocial Stress and Ovarian Cancer Risk: Metabolomics and Perceived Stress PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR...CONTRACT NUMBER Psychosocial Stress and Ovarian Cancer Risk: Metabolomics and Perceived Stress 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-13-1-0493 5c. PROGRAM...Distribution Unlimited 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT Mouse models suggest that chronic stress promotes ovarian tumorigenesis, but the relationship

Occupational noise exposure, psychosocial working conditions and the risk of tinnitus.

PubMed

Frederiksen, Thomas Winther; Ramlau-Hansen, Cecilia Høst; Stokholm, Zara Ann; Grynderup, Matias Brødsgaard; Hansen, Åse Marie; Lund, Søren Peter; Kristiansen, Jesper; Vestergaard, Jesper Medom; Bonde, Jens Peter; Kolstad, Henrik Albert

2017-02-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of occupational noise (current and cumulative doses) and psychosocial work factors (psychological demands and decision latitude) on tinnitus occurrence among workers, using objective and non-self-reported exposure measures to prevent reporting bias. In a cross-sectional study, we analyzed data from a Danish survey from 2009 to 2010 that included 534 workers from children day care units and 10 manufacturing trades. Associations between risk factors (current noise exposure, cumulative noise exposure and psychosocial working conditions) and tinnitus were analyzed with logistic regression. We found no statistically significant associations between either current [OR 0.95 (95% CI 0.89; 1.01)] or cumulative [OR 0.93 (95% CI 0.81; 1.06)] occupational noise exposure and tinnitus. Likewise, results for psychosocial working conditions showed no statistically significant association between work place decision latitude [OR 1.06 (95% CI 0.94; 1.13)] or psychological demands [OR 1.07 (95% CI 0.90; 1.26)] and tinnitus. Our results suggest that current Danish occupational noise levels (in combination with relevant noise protection) are not associated with tinnitus. Also, results indicated that the psychosocial working conditions we observed in this cohort of mainly industrial workers were not associated with tinnitus. Therefore, psychosocial working conditions comparable to those observed in this study are probably not relevant to take into account in the evaluation of workers presenting with tinnitus.

Role of maternal occupational physical activity and psychosocial stressors on adverse birth outcomes.

PubMed

Lee, Laura J; Symanski, Elaine; Lupo, Philip J; Tinker, Sarah C; Razzaghi, Hilda; Chan, Wenyaw; Hoyt, Adrienne T; Canfield, Mark A

2017-03-01

We examined the association of an array of estimated maternal occupational physical activities and psychosocial stressors during pregnancy with odds for preterm birth (PTB) and small-for-gestational age (SGA). Data for infants born without major birth defects delivered from 1997 to 2009 whose mothers reported working at least 1 month during pregnancy were obtained from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. We linked occupational codes to the US Department of Labor's Occupational Information Network, which provides estimates of exposure for multiple domains of physical activity and psychosocial stressors by occupational categories. We conducted factor analysis using principal components extraction with 17 occupational activities and calculated factor scores. ORs for PTB and SGA across quartiles of factor scores in each trimester were computed using logistic regression. Factor analysis grouped occupational domains into 4 groups based on factor loadings. These groups were 'occupational physical activity', 'interpersonal stressor', 'automated work' and 'job responsibility'. High levels of 'occupational physical activity' were significantly associated with SGA (adjusted OR (AOR) for highest quartile compared with lowest quartile of factor score: 1.36; 95% CIs 1.02 to 1.82; p for trend=0.001) and were also positively associated with PTB (AOR: 1.24; 95% CI 0.93 to 1.64; p for trend=0.01). No clear results were observed across domains of psychosocial stressors. Our findings expand understanding of associations between occupational physical activity and psychosocial stressors and PTB and SGA and suggest that additional research is needed to further examine these relationships. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

[Presenteeism, Absenteeism and psychosocial stress at work among German clinicians in surgery].

PubMed

Klein, J

2013-10-01

Presenteeism is determined as turning up at work despite ill health. In the last decade this phenomenon became much more relevant and will be a central topic for future research in workplace health, health promotion and productivity loss. Compared to absenteeism research data about presenteeism are comparatively rare. Especially employees in health care are at high risk for presenteeism. The present study examines the degree of presenteeism and absenteeism among German hospital clinicians in surgery focussing on associations with psychosocial stress at work. The stratified randomised sample consisted of 1 311 German clinicians in surgery from 489 hospitals. The frequencies of presenteeism and absenteeism were respectively assessed by one item. Psychosocial stress at work was measured by the effort-reward imbalance model and the demand-control model. About 90% of the respondents indicate that they were working despite illness at least once a year, 65% actually answered sometimes or often. Nearly two thirds were absent due to illness for a minimum of once a year. Multivariate logistic regression analyses show that organisational and work-related factors are clearly associated with presenteeism. Compared to absenteeism, presenteeism shows stronger associations with psychosocial workload. Significant associations with different components of psychosocial stress reveal elevated odds ratios between 1.4 and 2.8. High efforts and demands, low rewards and increased overcommitment were notably emerging factors. Clinicians in surgery are affected by presenteesim to a high degree whereas rates of absenteeism are less striking. As potential causes for elevated presenteeism different aspects of psychosocial stress at work were identified. Workplace health promotion on different levels can reduce presenteeism to improve the health status and job performance among this occupational group that bears heavy responsibility. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Occupational Psychosocial Hazards Among the Emerging US Green Collar Workforce.

PubMed

Fernandez, Cristina A; Moore, Kevin; McClure, Laura A; Caban-Martinez, Alberto J; LeBlanc, William G; Fleming, Lora E; Cifuentes, Manuel; Lee, David J

2017-01-01

To compare occupational psychosocial hazards in green collar versus non-green collar workers. Standard Occupational Classification codes were used to link the 2010 National Health Interview Survey to the 2010 Occupational Information Network Database. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to predict job insecurity, work life imbalance, and workplace harassment in green versus non-green collar workers. Most participants were white, non-Hispanic, 25 to 64 years of age, and obtained greater than a high school education. The majority of workers reported no job insecurity, work life imbalance, or workplace harassment. Relative to non-green collar workers (n = 12,217), green collar workers (n = 2,588) were more likely to report job insecurity (Odds ratio [OR] = 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02 to 1.26) and work life imbalance (1.19; 1.05 to 1.35), but less likely to experience workplace harassment (0.77; 0.62 to 0.95). Continuous surveillance of occupational psychosocial hazards is recommended in this rapidly emerging workforce.

Work-related psychosocial stress as a risk factor for asthma, allergy, and respiratory infections in the Swedish workforce.

PubMed

Runeson-Broberg, Roma; Norbäck, Dan

2014-04-01

This study examined the association between work-related psychosocial stress and asthma, atopy, and respiratory infections. 532 randomly selected occupationally active people (272 men, 260 women; M age = 41 yr., SD = 13) in Sweden participated. Information on history of asthma, atopy, and respiratory infections was collected by a postal self-report questionnaire. Work stress was assessed based on the demands-control-support model. Current asthma and respiratory infections were associated with work-related psychosocial stress. When stratified for sex, these associations were only found in men. Associations between low control, low support, and current asthma were found among young participants (< 40 years), whereas among older participants (> 40 years) low supervisor support was associated with frequent respiratory infections.

[Psychosocial Risk Evaluation in the Workplace: Expert-based Development of a Checklist for Occupational Physicians].

PubMed

Weigl, M; Müller, A; Angerer, P; Petru, R

2016-03-01

The implementation of psychosocial risk assessment at the workplace often fails in practice. One reason is the lack of competence of those who are in charge of the process. We present a checklist for the effective implementation of psychosocial risk assessment at workplace. This tool shall support occupational physicians in the preparation, planning and implementation of a psychosocial risks assessment process. Based on a stepwise development and validation process, specific steps and factors for the successful implementation were identified qualitatively with 15 occupational physicians and experts. This was conducted in a 2-stage Delphi study. In the following, the identified steps and factors were transferred into a checklist. Subsequently, the checklist was evaluated in a focus group of occupational physicians (user evaluation). Thereafter, the contents were subjected to an expert evaluation. Our checklist for the effective implementation of the process of psychosocial risk management in the workplace aims to strengthen the competence of occupational physicians, especially in the implementation of risk assessments in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Long-Term Occupational Stress Is Associated with Regional Reductions in Brain Tissue Volumes

PubMed Central

Blix, Eva; Perski, Aleksander; Berglund, Hans; Savic, Ivanka

2013-01-01

There are increasing reports of cognitive and psychological declines related to occupational stress in subjects without psychiatric premorbidity or major life trauma. The underlying neurobiology is unknown, and many question the notion that the described disabilities represent a medical condition. Using PET we recently found that persons suffering from chronic occupational stress had limbic reductions in the 5-HT1A receptor binding potential. Here we examine whether chronic work-related stress is also associated with changes in brain structure. We performed MRI-based voxel-based morphometry and structural volumetry in stressed subjects and unstressed controls focusing on gray (GM) and white matter (WM) volumes, and the volumes of hippocampus, caudate, and putamen – structures known to be susceptible to neurotoxic changes. Stressed subjects exhibited significant reductions in the GM volumes of the anterior cingulate cortex and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Furthermore, their caudate and putamen volumes were reduced, and the volumes correlated inversely to the degree of perceived stress. Our results add to previous data on chronic psychosocial stress, and indicate a morphological involvement of the frontostriatal circuits. The present findings of morphological changes in these regions confirm our previous conclusion that symptoms from occupational stress merit careful investigations and targeted treatment. PMID:23776438

Occupational psychosocial hazards among the emerging U.S. green collar workforce

PubMed Central

Fernandez, Cristina A.; Moore, Kevin; McClure, Laura A.; Caban-Martinez, Alberto J.; LeBlanc, William G.; Fleming, Lora E.; Cifuentes, Manuel; Lee, David J.

2016-01-01

Objective To compare occupational psychosocial hazards in green collar versus non-green collar workers. Methods Standard Occupational Classification codes were used to link the 2010 National Health Interview Survey to the 2010 Occupational Information Network Database. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to predict job insecurity, work-life imbalance, and workplace harassment in green versus non-green collar workers. Results Most participants were white, non-Hispanic, 25–64 years of age, and obtained greater than a high school education. The majority reported not being harassed at work, no work-life imbalance, and no job insecurity. Relative to non-green collar workers (n=12,217), green collar workers (n=2,588) were more likely to report job insecurity (OR=1.13; 95% CI=1.02–1.26) and work-life imbalance (1.19; 1.05–1.35), but less likely to experience workplace harassment (0.77; 0.62–0.95). Conclusions Continuous surveillance of occupational psychosocial hazards is recommended in this rapidly emerging workforce. PMID:28045790

Occupational stress and job satisfaction of healthcare staff in rehabilitation units.

PubMed

Fiabane, Elena; Giorgi, Ines; Musian, D; Sguazzin, Cinzia; Argentero, P

2012-01-01

Occupational stress and job dissatisfaction are recognized risk factors for healthcare professionals and can lead to a decrease in work performance and in the quality of care offered, and to poorer health of workers. Research in the rehabilitation care setting is very limited and needs to be explored. To investigate occupational stress, job satisfaction and their relationships with organizational factors among healthcare staff in rehabilitation units. A cross-sectional study of healthcare staff working in two rehabilitation units was conducted. They were sent two self-administered questionnaires, the Occupational Stress Indicator (OSI) and the Areas of Work life Scale (AWS), in order to assess occupational stress and job satisfaction. One-way ANOVA was used to explore work stress among two groups of workers, characterized by high and low job satisfaction levels. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between job satisfaction and organizational risk factors. A total of 90 questionnaires were returned (response rate 53%). The main sources of stress were unfairness, conflict between personal and organizational values, lack of reward and workload Workers with low job satisfaction significantly scored higher in work-related stress in regard to various aspects of work, and in lower job control. Regression analysis showed that the most important predictors of job satisfaction were fairness and workload. The results of this study showed that job dissatisfaction is strongly associated with work stress and certain organizational risk factors. This study suggests the importance of focusing on the psychosocial factors in the work environment and job satisfaction in order to improve the well-being of rehabilitation healthcare staff.

Occupational Stress among Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albertson, Larry M.; Kagan, Dona M.

1987-01-01

Two studies were conducted to investigate the degree to which occupational stress among teachers could be attributed to personal characteristics of the individuals themselves. The first study developed dispositional stress scales. The second examined correlations between these scales, occupational stress scales, and teachers' attitudes toward…

[Psychosocial stress among health care workers].

PubMed

Ansoleaga, Elisa

2015-01-01

Health care workers are exposed to high stress levels and psychosocial risks. The imbalance between the invested efforts and received rewards acquires special importance in this setting. To assess the psychosocial risk level and its relationship with depression, distress and psychotropic drug use among health care workers. Seven hundred eighty two workers (602 females; 180 males) answered self-administered questionnaires to measure psychosocial risk and mental health. Twenty five percent of respondents used psychotropic drugs, 34% had a high level of distress and 23% had depressive symptoms. They also reported a low level of decisional latitude (48%), high emotional demands (47%), low social support (41%) and a significant effort-reward imbalance (67%). Those exposed to job strain (high demands and low decisional latitude), iso-strain (job strain plus low social support), and effort-reward imbalance were twice as likely to suffer symptoms of depression and elevated distress compared to non-exposed subjects. There are high levels of psychosocial stress among health care workers.

Psychosocial stress and cervical neoplasia risk.

PubMed

Coker, Ann L; Bond, Sharon; Madeleine, Margaret M; Luchok, Kathryn; Pirisi, Lucia

2003-01-01

We assessed the association between psychosocial stress and preinvasive cervical neoplasia development controlling for HR-HPV infection. This case-control study enrolled low-income women receiving family planning services at health department clinics. There were 59 cases with biopsy confirmed HSIL and 163 with low-grade SIL and 160 controls with normal cervical cytology. A modified SLE scale was used to measure stressful events and the perceived impact of the event in the prior 5 years. Unconditional logistic regression was used to assess SIL risk and stressful events scores and by subscales. After adjusting for age, HR-HPV infection, and lifetime number of sex partners, the SLE count score was associated with an increased risk of SIL among white women (aOR = 1.20; 95% CI = 1.04, 1.38) yet not among African American women (aOR = 1.02; 95% CI = 0.87, 1.19). The relationship stress subscale (divorce, infidelity, an increase in the number of arguments, and psychological and physical partner violence) was the only one of four subscales (loss, violence, and financial stress) associated with SIL, again, only among white women (aOR = 1.54; 95% CI = 1.21, 1.96). These data suggest that psychosocial stress may play a role in SIL development. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings, to explore racial difference in reporting stress, and to explore the mechanism through which psychosocial stress may affect cervical neoplasia risk.

Leadership and Occupational Stress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stickle, Fred E.; Scott, Kelly

2016-01-01

In a leadership position, it is important to understand what stress is and how it affects others. In an occupational setting, stressors vary according to personality types, gender, and occupational rank. The purpose of this manuscript is to review the foundations of stress and to explore how personality characteristics influence stress.…

Impairments of spatial working memory and attention following acute psychosocial stress.

PubMed

Olver, James S; Pinney, Myra; Maruff, Paul; Norman, Trevor R

2015-04-01

Few studies have investigated the effect of an acute psychosocial stress paradigm on impaired attention and working memory in humans. Further, the duration of any stress-related cognitive impairment remains unclear. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of an acute psychosocial stress paradigm, the Trier Social Stress, on cognitive function in healthy volunteers. Twenty-three healthy male and female subjects were exposed to an acute psychosocial stress task. Physiological measures (salivary cortisol, heart rate and blood pressure) and subjective stress ratings were measured at baseline, in anticipation of stress, immediately post-stress and after a period of rest. A neuropsychological test battery including spatial working memory and verbal memory was administered at each time point. Acute psychosocial stress produced significant increases in cardiovascular and subjective measures in the anticipatory and post-stress period, which recovered to baseline after rest. Salivary cortisol steadily declined over the testing period. Acute psychosocial stress impaired delayed verbal recall, attention and spatial working memory. Attention remained impaired, and delayed verbal recall continued to decline after rest. Acute psychosocial stress is associated with an impairment of a broad range of cognitive functions in humans and with prolonged abnormalities in attention and memory. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Association between psychosocial stress and hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Liu, Mei-Yan; Li, Na; Li, William A; Khan, Hajra

2017-06-01

The etiology of hypertension is various and complex, involving both genetic and behavioral factors. The relationship between psychosocial stress and hypertension has been hypothesized. More and more people experience increased anxiety, depression, and chronic psychosocial stress brought on by globalization, cultural changes, socioeconomic changes, and stress at the work place. Although a plethora of studies have investigated the interaction between psychosocial stress and hypertension, this relationship is still contentious. The objective of this study is twofold. First, a review of recent advancements in our understanding of the relationship between psychosocial stress and hypertension. Second, a meta-analysis aiming to assess the relationship between chronic psychosocial stress and blood pressure. We systematically searched and identified relevant studies from five databases, including PubMed, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), CQVIP, and the Wanfang Database until April 2016. Eleven studies encompassing 5696 participants were included in the final analysis. Data showed that psychosocial stress was associated with an increased risk of hypertension (OR = 2.40, 95% CI = 1.65-3.49), and hypertensive patients had a higher incidence of psychosocial stress compared to normotension patients (OR = 2.69, 95% CI = 2.32-3.11). Based on our meta-analysis, chronic psychosocial stress may be a risk factor for hypertension. The few cohort and case-control studies on the association between psychosocial stress and hypertension employed variable definition of stressors and the responses, making the meta-analysis difficult. Although we found an association between chronic psychosocial stress and hypertension, more studies are needed to confirm this relationship.

Cumulative psychosocial stress, coping resources, and preterm birth.

PubMed

McDonald, Sheila W; Kingston, Dawn; Bayrampour, Hamideh; Dolan, Siobhan M; Tough, Suzanne C

2014-12-01

Preterm birth constitutes a significant international public health issue, with implications for child and family well-being. High levels of psychosocial stress and negative affect before and during pregnancy are contributing factors to shortened gestation and preterm birth. We developed a cumulative psychosocial stress variable and examined its association with early delivery controlling for known preterm birth risk factors and confounding environmental variables. We further examined this association among subgroups of women with different levels of coping resources. Utilizing the All Our Babies (AOB) study, an ongoing prospective pregnancy cohort study in Alberta, Canada (n = 3,021), multinomial logistic regression was adopted to examine the independent effect of cumulative psychosocial stress and preterm birth subgroups compared to term births. Stratified analyses according to categories of perceived social support and optimism were undertaken to examine differential effects among subgroups of women. Cumulative psychosocial stress was a statistically significant risk factor for late preterm birth (OR = 1.73; 95 % CI = 1.07, 2.81), but not for early preterm birth (OR = 2.44; 95 % CI = 0.95, 6.32), controlling for income, history of preterm birth, pregnancy complications, reproductive history, and smoking in pregnancy. Stratified analyses showed that cumulative psychosocial stress was a significant risk factor for preterm birth at <37 weeks gestation for women with low levels of social support (OR = 2.09; 95 % CI = 1.07, 4.07) or optimism (OR = 1.87; 95 % CI = 1.04, 3.37). Our analyses suggest that early vulnerability combined with current anxiety symptoms in pregnancy confers risk for preterm birth. Coping resources may mitigate the effect of cumulative psychosocial stress on the risk for early delivery.

Psychosocial work exposures among European employees: explanations for occupational inequalities in mental health.

PubMed

Schütte, Stefanie; Chastang, Jean-François; Parent-Thirion, Agnès; Vermeylen, Greet; Niedhammer, Isabelle

2015-09-01

Social inequalities in mental health have been demonstrated but understanding the mechanisms remains unclear. This study aims at exploring the role of psychosocial work factors in explaining occupational inequalities in mental health among European employees. The study sample covered 33,443 employees coming from the European Working Conditions Survey 2010. Mental health was measured by the WHO-5 well-being index and socioeconomic position by occupation. Twenty-five psychosocial work factors were constructed including job demands, job influence and development, role stressors, social support, quality of leadership, discrimination, violence at work, working hours, job promotion, job insecurity and work-life imbalance. Multilevel linear regressions and bootstrap analyses were performed. Occupational differences were observed for poor mental health and almost all psychosocial work factors. Factors related to job demands, influence and development at work, social relationships and leadership, working hours and other factors contributed to explain the occupational inequalities in mental health. In particular, factors related to influence and development contributed substantially. Among men, workplace violences were found to contribute little whereas among women these factors did not play a role. Future prevention interventions should have a broad and comprehensive focus in order to reduce social inequalities in mental health. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Psychosocial job stress and immunity: a systematic review.

PubMed

Nakata, Akinori

2012-01-01

The purpose of this review was to provide current knowledge about the possible association between psychosocial job stress and immune parameters in blood, saliva, and urine. Using bibliographic databases (PubMed, PsychINFO, Web of Science, Medline) and the snowball method, 56 studies were found. In general, exposure to psychosocial job stress (high job demands, low job control, high job strain, job dissatisfaction, high effort-reward imbalance, overcommitment, burnout, unemployment, organizational downsizing, economic recession) had a measurable impact on immune parameters (reduced NK cell activity, NK and T cell subsets, CD4+/CD8+ ratio, and increased inflammatory markers). The evidence supports that psychosocial job stresses are related to disrupted immune responses but further research is needed to demonstrate cause-effect relationships.

The role of stressors and psychosocial variables in the stress process: a study of chronic caregiver stress.

PubMed

Vedhara, K; Shanks, N; Anderson, S; Lightman, S

2000-01-01

An investigation was conducted 1) to examine the relative importance of stressor types (ie, daily hassles, caregiving-specific stressors, and life events) on the stress response, 2) to assess the stability of relationships between psychosocial variables and stress over a 6-month period, and 3) to explore how the nature and magnitude of the contributions made by stressors and psychosocial factors to the stress process varied according to the qualitative characteristics of the stress response (ie, anxiety, depression, and stress). Fifty spousal caregivers of patients with dementia were recruited and asked to participate in a detailed psychosocial evaluation at 3-month intervals; the evaluation involved measurement of stressor frequency, psychosocial variables, and indices of the stress response (ie, anxiety, depression, and stress). The data revealed that the effects of stressors and psychosocial factors on the stress response were considerable (accounting for 49-63% of the variance in stress response measures). Furthermore, there was some evidence of stability in the effects of the stressor and mediator variables on the stress response. Specifically, the contributions of life events and caregiver difficulties were largely consistent at both 3 and 6 months, and the psychosocial factor of "reactive coping and self-appraisal" influenced all three stress response indices at both 3 and 6 months. There is some evidence of stability in the effects of stressors and psychosocial variables on the stress process over a 6-month period. However, it would also seem that the nature of the stress process differs according to the qualitative characteristics of the stress response.

[Psychosocial burdens in teaching proffession--initial results of Questionnaire of Occupational Burdens in Teaching (QOBT)].

PubMed

Pyzalski, Jacek

2008-01-01

This article presents the results obtained using a new tool for measuring psychosocial burdens in teaching profession--the Questionnaire of Occupational Burdens in Teaching (QOBT). In its first theoretical part, some typologies of stressors in teaching, developed in other countries, are presented and the need to construct a new tool in Poland is discussed. In this part, the construction process of the new tool and its three scales comprising: Conflict Situations, Organizational Burdens and Lack of Work Sense are described. The psychometric features of the new questionnaire (e.g., Cronbach a = 0.63-0.84) are also given. The results are based on a large random sample of teachers from the Łódz voivodeship. The results did not show significant differences in the level of occupational burdens between men and women. Generally, neither are seniority and age related to the level of burdens. One exception are Organizational burdens that slightly more affect older teachers. The study also showed the need to incorporate the activities at the organizational level into programs on occupational stress.

Associations of Work Stress, Supervisor Unfairness, and Supervisor Inability to Speak Spanish with Occupational Injury among Latino Farmworkers.

PubMed

Clouser, Jessica Miller; Bush, Ashley; Gan, Wenqi; Swanberg, Jennifer

2017-06-22

Little is known about how psychosocial work factors such as work stress, supervisor fairness, and language barriers affect risk of occupational injury among Latino farmworkers. This study attempts to address these questions. Surveys were administered via interviews to 225 Latino thoroughbred farmworkers. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of occupational injury in the past year in relation to occupational characteristics. Work stress (OR 6.70, 95% CI 1.84-24.31), supervisor unfairness (OR 3.34, 95% CI 1.14-9.73), longer tenure at farm (OR 2.67, 95% CI 1.13-6.34), and supervisor inability to speak Spanish (OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.05-5.00) were significantly associated with increased odds of occupational injury. Due to the associations between work stress, supervisor unfairness, supervisor inability to speak Spanish and injury, supervisor training to improve Spanish language ability and equitable management practices is merited. Future research is needed to understand the antecedents of work stress for Latino farmworkers.

Suppressing the endocrine and autonomic stress systems does not impact the emotional stress experience after psychosocial stress.

PubMed

Ali, Nida; Nitschke, Jonas P; Cooperman, Cory; Pruessner, Jens C

2017-04-01

Acute psychosocial stress activates the physiological and endocrine stress systems and increases the subjective emotional experience of stress. While considerable efforts have been made to link changes in the activity of the biological stress systems with changes in the subjective emotional experience of stress, results so far have been mixed, at best. To investigate this association in a study employing experimental manipulation, we pharmacologically suppressed both the autonomic and the endocrine stress responses, and investigated the effects of acute psychosocial stress on the emotional stress experience. 22 healthy men and women received dexamethasone (2mg) the day before, and propranolol (80mg) one hour before psychosocial stress induction. A control group (n=24) received placebo pills on each occasion. Salivary cortisol, alpha-amylase and heart-rate responses to stress were assessed before, during and after stress induction. Subjective stress, mood, and state self-esteem assessments were made before and after stress. In the pharmacological manipulation group, subjects demonstrated no increase in autonomic or endocrine stress response, after exposure to psychosocial stress. Despite these effects, the emotional stress experience was intact in this group and identical to the control group. Participants in the experimental group showed an increase in subjective stress, greater mood dysregulation, and lower state self-esteem following stress exposure, with the response magnitude comparable to the control group. Our findings suggest that at least acutely, the physiological stress arousal systems and the emotional experience of stress are dissociated. This raises important questions about the efficacy of our measurement of subjective stress, and the unique contributions of the autonomic and endocrine responses in the subjective stress experience. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Symposium on teacher stress. Occupational stress among vocational teachers.

PubMed

Pithers, R T; Fogarty, G J

1995-03-01

There is a widespread belief that work related stress among teachers is serious, with implications for teachers' health status and performance. The difficulty with interpreting data on teacher stress is that the measuring instruments used are often neither standardised nor sometimes focused on stressors pertinent to the occupational roles of teachers. This study, therefore, uses a recently developed test instrument called the Occupational Stress Inventory (OSI) which concisely measures occupational stress, strain and coping resources. Data were obtained, using the OSI, from a group of vocational teachers and compared to a group of professional non-teachers. Overall the results showed a significantly higher level of teacher stress, although only one of 10 stress and strain measures contributed to this effect. The implications for teachers, in terms of occupational role, are discussed.

Psychosocial Stress and Brain Function in Adolescent Psychopathology.

PubMed

Quinlan, Erin Burke; Cattrell, Anna; Jia, Tianye; Artiges, Eric; Banaschewski, Tobias; Barker, Gareth; Bokde, Arun L W; Bromberg, Uli; Büchel, Christian; Brühl, Rüdiger; Conrod, Patricia J; Desrivieres, Sylvane; Flor, Herta; Frouin, Vincent; Gallinat, Jürgen; Garavan, Hugh; Gowland, Penny; Heinz, Andreas; Martinot, Jean-Luc; Paillère Martinot, Marie-Laure; Nees, Frauke; Papadopoulos-Orfanos, Dimitri; Paus, Tomáš; Poustka, Luise; Smolka, Michael N; Vetter, Nora C; Walter, Henrik; Whelan, Robert; Glennon, Jeffrey C; Buitelaar, Jan K; Happé, Francesca; Loth, Eva; Barker, Edward D; Schumann, Gunter

2017-08-01

The authors sought to explore how conduct, hyperactivity/inattention, and emotional symptoms are associated with neural reactivity to social-emotional stimuli, and the extent to which psychosocial stress modulates these relationships. Participants were community adolescents recruited as part of the European IMAGEN study. Bilateral amygdala regions of interest were used to assess the relationship between the three symptom domains and functional MRI neural reactivity during passive viewing of dynamic angry and neutral facial expressions. Exploratory functional connectivity and whole brain multiple regression approaches were used to analyze how the symptoms and psychosocial stress relate to other brain regions. In response to the social-emotional stimuli, adolescents with high levels of conduct or hyperactivity/inattention symptoms who had also experienced a greater number of stressful life events showed hyperactivity of the amygdala and several regions across the brain. This effect was not observed with emotional symptoms. A cluster in the midcingulate was found to be common to both conduct problems and hyperactivity symptoms. Exploratory functional connectivity analyses suggested that amygdala-precuneus connectivity is associated with hyperactivity/inattention symptoms. The results link hyperactive amygdala responses and regions critical for top-down emotional processing with high levels of psychosocial stress in individuals with greater conduct and hyperactivity/inattention symptoms. This work highlights the importance of studying how psychosocial stress affects functional brain responses to social-emotional stimuli, particularly in adolescents with externalizing symptoms.

Perceived stress at work is associated with attenuated DHEA-S response during acute psychosocial stress.

PubMed

Lennartsson, Anna-Karin; Theorell, Töres; Kushnir, Mark M; Bergquist, Jonas; Jonsdottir, Ingibjörg H

2013-09-01

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) have been suggested to play a protective role during acute psychosocial stress, because they act as antagonists to the effects of the stress hormone cortisol. This study aims to investigate whether prolonged psychosocial stress, measured as perceived stress at work during the past week, is related to the capacity to produce DHEA and DHEA-S during acute psychosocial stress. It also aims to investigate whether prolonged perceived stress affects the balance between production of cortisol and DHEA-S during acute psychosocial stress. Thirty-six healthy subjects (19 men and 17 women, mean age 37 years, SD 5 years), were included. Perceived stress at work during the past week was measured by using the Stress-Energy (SE) Questionnaire. The participants were divided into three groups based on their mean scores; Low stress, Medium stress and High stress. The participants underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and blood samples were collected before, directly after the stress test, and after 30 min of recovery. General Linear Models were used to investigate if the Medium stress group and the High stress group differ regarding stress response compared to the Low stress group. Higher perceived stress at work was associated with attenuated DHEA-S response during acute psychosocial stress. Furthermore, the ratio between the cortisol production and the DHEA-S production during the acute stress test were higher in individuals reporting higher perceived stress at work compared to individuals reporting low perceived stress at work. There was no statistical difference in DHEA response between the groups. This study shows that prolonged stress, measured as perceived stress at work during the past week, seems to negatively affect the capacity to produce DHEA-S during acute stress. Given the protective functions of DHEA-S, attenuated DHEA-S production during acute stress may lead to higher risk for adverse

Occupational Stress. Proceedings of the Conference on Occupational Stress (Los Angeles, California, November 3, 1977).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Univ., Los Angeles. Inst. of Industrial Relations.

The proceedings of a conference on occupational stress are contained in this report. Presentation titles include the following: "Basic Concepts of Organizational Stress--Causes and Problems,""Occupational Sources of Stress: A Review of the Literature Relating to Coronary Heart Disease and Mental Ill Health,""A Review of [National Institute for…

Assessment of Workplace Stress: Occupational Stress, Its Consequences, and Common Causes of Teacher Stress.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Jo-Ida; Sullivan, Brandon A.

This chapter introduces teachers and other education professionals to the assessment of occupational stress. It begins with a brief discussion of what occupational stress is, and overview of the consequences of prolonged stress, and a review of the common causes of teacher stress. Next, it presents methods for reducing occupational stress through…

Employee occupational stress in banking.

PubMed

Michailidis, Maria; Georgiou, Yiota

2005-01-01

Occupational stress literature emphasizes the importance of assessment and management of work related stress. The recognition of the harmful physical and psychological effects of stress on both individuals and organizations is widely studied in many parts of the world. However, in other regions such research is only at the introductory stages. The present study examines occupational stress of employees in the banking sector. A sample of 60 bank employees at different organizational levels and educational backgrounds was used. Data collection utilized the Occupational Stress Indicator (OSI). Results of data analysis provided evidence that employees' educational levels affect the degree of stress they experience in various ways. Bank employees cannot afford the time to relax and "wind down" when they are faced with work variety, discrimination, favoritism, delegation and conflicting tasks. The study also shows the degree to which some employees tend to bring work-related problems home (and take family problems to work) depends on their educational background, the strength of the employees' family support, and the amount of time available for them to relax. Finally, the drinking habits (alcohol) of the employees were found to play a significant role in determining the levels of occupational stress.

Occupational Stress: Preventing Suffering, Enhancing Wellbeing.

PubMed

Quick, James Campbell; Henderson, Demetria F

2016-04-29

Occupational stress is a known health risk for a range of psychological, behavioral, and medical disorders and diseases. Organizations and individuals can mitigate these disorders through preventive stress management and enhanced wellbeing. This article addresses, first, the known health risk evidence related to occupational stress; second, the use of preventive stress management in organizations as the framework for intervention; and third, the emerging domain of enhancing wellbeing, which strengthens the individual. Premature death and disability along with chronic suffering from occupational stress are not inevitable, despite being known outcome risks.

The role of chronic psychosocial stress in explaining racial differences in stress reactivity and pain sensitivity

PubMed Central

Gordon, Jennifer L.; Johnson, Jacqueline; Nau, Samantha; Mechlin, Beth; Girdler, Susan S.

2016-01-01

Objective To examine the role of psychosocial factors in mediating the relationship between African American (AA) race and both increased pain sensitivity and blunted stress reactivity. Methods Participants included 133 AA and non-Hispanic White (nHW) individuals (mean (SD) age = 37 (9)) matched for age, sex and socioeconomic status. Participants underwent mental stress testing (Trier Social Stress Test) while cardiovascular, hemodynamic, and neuroendocrine reactivity were measured. Participants completed questionnaires assessing potential sources of psychosocial stress and were tested for pain responses to cold pain and the temporal summation of heat pulses. Mediation analyses were used to determine the extent to which exposure to psychosocial stress accounted for the observed racial differences in stress reactivity and pain. Results Chronic stress exposure and reactivity to mental stress was largely similar among AAs and nHWs; however, AAs exhibited heightened pain to both cold (p = .012) and heat (p = .004). Racial differences in the relationship between stress reactivity and pain were also observed: while greater stress reactivity was associated with decreased pain among nHWs, reactivity was either unrelated to or even positively associated with pain among AAs (e.g. r = −.21 among nHWs and r = .41 among AAs for stroke volume reactivity and cold pressor intensity). Adjusting for minor racial differences in chronic psychosocial stress did not change these findings. Conclusion Accounting for psychosocial factors eliminated racial differences in stress reactivity but not racial differences in sensitivity to experimental pain tasks. Increased exposure to chronic stress may not explain AAs’ increased pain sensitivity in laboratory settings. PMID:27669431

The Role of Chronic Psychosocial Stress in Explaining Racial Differences in Stress Reactivity and Pain Sensitivity.

PubMed

Gordon, Jennifer L; Johnson, Jacqueline; Nau, Samantha; Mechlin, Beth; Girdler, Susan S

To examine the role of psychosocial factors in mediating the relationship between African American (AA) race and both increased pain sensitivity and blunted stress reactivity. Participants included 133 AA and non-Hispanic white (nHW) individuals (mean [SD] age, 37 [9]) matched for age, sex, and socioeconomic status. Participants underwent mental stress testing (Trier Social Stress Test) while cardiovascular, hemodynamic, and neuroendocrine reactivity were measured. Participants completed questionnaires assessing potential sources of psychosocial stress and were tested for pain responses to cold pain and the temporal summation of heat pulses. Mediation analyses were used to determine the extent to which exposure to psychosocial stress accounted for the observed racial differences in stress reactivity and pain. Chronic stress exposure and reactivity to mental stress was largely similar among AAs and nHWs; however, AAs exhibited heightened pain to both cold (p = .012) and heat (p = .004). Racial differences in the relationship between stress reactivity and pain were also observed: while greater stress reactivity was associated with decreased pain among nHWs, reactivity was either unrelated to or even positively associated with pain among AAs (e.g., r = -.21 among nHWs and r = .41 among AAs for stroke volume reactivity and cold pressor intensity). Adjusting for minor racial differences in chronic psychosocial stress did not change these findings. Accounting for psychosocial factors eliminated racial differences in stress reactivity but not racial differences in sensitivity to experimental pain tasks. Increased exposure to chronic stress may not explain AAs' increased pain sensitivity in laboratory settings.

[Appraisal of occupational stress and work ability].

PubMed

Yang, Xinwei; Wang, Zhiming; Lan, Yajia; Wang, Mianzhen

2004-01-01

This study was conducted to assess occupational stress and work ability. A test of occupational stress and work ability was carry out with revised occupational stress inventory (OSI-R) and work ability index(WAI) for 2270 workers. (1) The occupational stress and strain in male was significantly higher than those in female, but self-care and social support in female werehigher than in male(P < 0.01). The level of occupational stress, strain except interpersonal strain increased with age, while work ability decreased(P < 0.05). (2) Among 6 items of occupational role questionnaire, the score of role boundary and responsibility were obviously higher in college education (P < 0.05). The score of occupational role, psychological strain, physical strain was higher in maried, divorce than unmarried(P < 0.05). (3) The score of occupational role, strain in good work ability category was significantly lower than others, but personal resources were higher(P < 0.05). (4) The correlation of work ability and occupational stress, strain, personal resources were significant(P < 0.01), occupational role and personal strain were positively correlated, both of which correlated negatively to the personal resources(P < 0.01). (5) The major influential factors of personal strain were age, recreation, self-care, social support, rational/cognitive, role insufficiency, role ambiguity and role boundary.

The Tree Theme Method in psychosocial occupational therapy: a case study.

PubMed

Gunnarsson, A Birgitta; Jansson, Jan-Ake; Eklund, Mona

2006-12-01

This study aimed to describe the Tree Theme Method (TTM) as a method for intervention in psychosocial occupational therapy. The TTM is based on theories concerning creative activities and occupational storytelling and story making. In order to exemplify the method a case study of a treatment process with follow up was undertaken. The participant was a female client suffering from anxiety and depression. During an interview the client painted symbolic trees on five different occasions with specific variations of the tree theme: a tree symbolizing her present life, her childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and, finally, a tree representing her future. The trees were used as starting points for the client to tell her life story. The intention was that she would find new strategies for how to change her daily life. Three years later there was a follow up stage where the client painted new trees and told her story. Some life themes were identified. The TTM appears suitable for intervention in psychosocial occupational therapy. In future studies the TTM should be subjected to evaluation research based on several clients in order to develop a deeper understanding of the process and what kind of results changes in the TTM intervention may provide.

[Role of the occupational health nurse].

PubMed

Rauch, Nadine

2018-02-01

The missions of occupational health nurses are exclusively preventive, except in the event of emergency situations. They are involved in the prevention of occupational stress, the assessment of psychosocial risks and the improvement of quality of life at work. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Effects of Psychosocial Stress on Subsequent Hemorrhagic Shock and Resuscitation in Male Mice.

PubMed

Langgartner, Dominik; Wachter, Ulrich; Hartmann, Clair; Gröger, Michael; Vogt, Josef; Merz, Tamara; McCook, Oscar; Fink, Marina; Kress, Sandra; Georgieff, Michael; Kunze, Julia F; Radermacher, Peter L; Reber, Stefan O; Wepler, Martin

2018-06-08

Hypoxemia and tissue ischemia during hemorrhage as well as formation of oxygen and nitrogen radicals during resuscitation promote hyperinflammation and, consequently, trigger severe multiple-organ-failure (MOF). Individuals diagnosed with stress-related disorders or reporting a life history of psychosocial stress are characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation and a reduced glucocorticoid (GC) signaling. We hypothesized that exposure to chronic psychosocial stress during adulthood prior to hemorrhagic shock increases oxidative/nitrosative stress and therefore the risk of developing MOF in mice. To induce chronic psychosocial stress linked to mild immune activation and reduced GC signaling in male mice, the chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC) paradigm was employed. Single-housed (SHC) mice were used as controls. Subsequently, CSC and SHC mice were exposed to hemorrhagic shock following resuscitation to investigate the effects of prior psychosocial stress load on survival, organ function, metabolism, oxidative/nitrosative stress, and inflammatory readouts. An increased adrenal weight in CSC mice indicates that the stress paradigm reliably worked. However, no effect of prior psychosocial stress on outcome after subsequent hemorrhage and resuscitation could be detected. Chronic psychosocial stress during adulthood is not sufficient to promote hemodynamic complications, organ dysfunction, metabolic disturbances and did not increase the risk of MOF after subsequent hemorrhage and resuscitation. Intravenous norepinephrine to keep target hemodynamics might have led to a certain level of oxidative stress in both groups and, therefore, disguised potential effects of chronic psychosocial stress on organ function after hemorrhagic shock in the present murine trauma model.

Psychosocial Stress and Preterm Birth: The Impact of Parity and Race.

PubMed

Wheeler, Sarahn; Maxson, Pamela; Truong, Tracy; Swamy, Geeta

2018-03-29

Objectives Studies examining risk factors for preterm birth (PTB) such as psychosocial stress are often focused on women with a history of PTB; however, most preterm babies are born to women with no history of preterm birth. Our objective was to determine if the relationship between psychosocial stress and PTB is altered by parity. Non-Hispanic black (NHB) women have increased psychosocial stress and PTB; therefore, we further aimed to determine if race alters the relationship between psychosocial stress, parity, and PTB. Methods We performed a secondary analysis of the Healthy Pregnancy, Healthy Baby Study comparing pregnant women who were primiparous (first pregnancy), multiparous with history of preterm birth, or multiparous with history of term birth. Perceived stress, perceived racism, interpersonal support, John Henryism and self-efficacy were measured using validated instruments. Logistic regression was used to model the effect of psychosocial stress on PTB stratified by parity and race. Results The analysis entire cohort included 1606 subjects, 426 were primiparous, 268 had a history of presterm birth, and 912 had a history of term birth. In women with a history of term birth, higher self-efficacy was associated with lower odds of spontaneous PTB, and this association was amplified in NHB women. In women with a history of spontaneous PTB, John Henryism Active Coping was associated with lower odds of spontaneous PTB in the index pregnancy. Conclusions for Practice The relationship between psychosocial stress and PTB may be mediated by parity and race.

Psychosocial Stress and Ovarian Cancer Risk: Metabolomics and Perceived Stress

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

noted that phobic anxiety and social isolation were suggestively associated with increased risk of ovarian cancer (hazard ratios of 1.14 and 1.24...SUBJECT TERMS ovarian cancer, psychosocial stress, depression, anxiety , social support, metabolomics 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION...application is to examine whether self-reported stress exposures (depressive symptoms, phobic anxiety , social support, job strain, care-giving stress) are

Heart rate variability is associated with psychosocial stress in distinct social domains.

PubMed

Lischke, Alexander; Jacksteit, Robert; Mau-Moeller, Anett; Pahnke, Rike; Hamm, Alfons O; Weippert, Matthias

2018-03-01

Psychosocial stress is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Accordingly, there is a growing interest in biomarkers that indicate whether individuals show adaptive (i.e., stress-buffering and health-promoting) or maladaptive (i.e., stress-escalating and health-impairing) stress reactions in social contexts. As heart rate variability (HRV) has been suggested to be a biomarker of adaptive behavior during social encounters, it may be possible that inter-individual differences in HRV are associated with inter-individual differences regarding stress in distinct social domains. To test this hypothesis, resting state HRV and psychosocial stress was assessed in 83 healthy community-dwelling individuals (age: 18-35years). HRV was derived from heart rate recordings during spontaneous and instructed breathing to assess the robustness of possible associations between inter-individual differences in HRV and inter-individual differences in psychosocial stress. Psychosocial stress was determined with a self-report questionnaire assessing stress in distinct social domains. A series of categorical and dimensional analyses revealed an association between inter-individual differences in HRV and inter-individual differences in psychosocial stress: Individuals with high HRV reported less stress in social life, but not in family life, work life or everyday life, than individuals with low HRV. On basis of these findings, it may be assumed that individuals with high HRV experience less psychosocial stress than individuals with low HRV. Although such an assumption needs to be corroborated by further findings, it seems to be consistent with previous findings showing that individuals with high HRV suffer less from stress and stress-related disorders than individuals with low HRV. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of occupational stress on the gastrointestinal tract

PubMed Central

Huerta-Franco, María-Raquel; Vargas-Luna, Miguel; Tienda, Paola; Delgadillo-Holtfort, Isabel; Balleza-Ordaz, Marco; Flores-Hernandez, Corina

2013-01-01

The aim of this review is to provide a general overview of the relationship between occupational stress and gastrointestinal alterations. The International Labour Organization suggests occupational health includes psychological aspects to achieve mental well-being. However, the definition of health risks for an occupation includes biological, chemical, physical and ergonomic factors but does not address psychological stress or other affective disorders. Nevertheless, multiple investigations have studied occupational stress and its physiological consequences, focusing on specific risk groups and occupations considered stressful. Among the physiological effects of stress, gastrointestinal tract (GIT) alterations are highly prevalent. The relationship between occupational stress and GIT diseases is evident in everyday clinical practice; however, the usual strategy is to attack the effects but not the root of the problem. That is, in clinics, occupational stress is recognized as a source of GIT problems, but employers do not ascribe it enough importance as a risk factor, in general, and for gastrointestinal health, in particular. The identification, stratification, measurement and evaluation of stress and its associated corrective strategies, particularly for occupational stress, are important topics to address in the near future to establish the basis for considering stress as an important risk factor in occupational health. PMID:24244879

Association Between Unstable Work and Occupational Wellbeing Among Artists in Finland: Results of a Psychosocial Survey.

PubMed

Tuisku, Katinka; Houni, Pia; Seppänen, Johanna; Virtanen, Marianna

2016-06-01

Although artistic work is in transition, the occupational wellbeing of artists has been less studied than wellbeing among other workers. This study aimed to explore the relationship between work characteristics and occupational (psychosocial) wellbeing of artists. A national questionnaire was sent to all artists (theatre artists, writers, and visual artists) reached by four major labor unions in Finland. Type of employment (permanent full-time work vs other), working field (own field of art vs other), regularity of working hours (regular vs irregular), and control of workload were assessed. The wellbeing outcomes were work engagement, recovery from work, and experience of stress and low mood. Full-time permanent employment, regular working hours, and working in one's own field of art were positively associated with work engagement. Furthermore, regular working hours were positively associated with recovery and negatively associated with subjective report of low mood. Ability to control workload was positively associated with recovery and negatively associated with stress and low mood. Higher age was associated with lower stress and better recovery. Artists with regular working hours, secure employment, ability to control workload, working in one's own field of art, and higher age reported better wellbeing in this study. The late stages of career appear to guarantee more stability and wellbeing than the more insecure beginning of a career.

Health and occupational correlates of perceived occupational stress in symphony orchestra musicians.

PubMed

Middlestadt, S E; Fishbein, M

1988-09-01

The authors examined the relationship between perceived occupational stress and the prevalence of a number of psychologic and physical ailments in a sample of professional symphony orchestra musicians and related musicians' self-reports of stress to demographic and occupational characteristics. Results of a survey of 2,212 musicians from 47 symphony orchestras revealed a significant relationship between perceived occupational stress and prevalence of a number of psychologic as well as physical medical problems. Age and occupational factors, such as the orchestra in which the musician plays, the instrument played, and status as a soloist, were also found to be significant correlates of perceived stress.

Exposure to Stress: Occupational Hazards in Hospitals

MedlinePlus

EXPOSURE TO STRESS Occupational Hazards in Hospitals DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Exposure to Stress Occupational Hazards in Hospitals DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ...

Association between socio-demographic, psychosocial, material and occupational factors and self-reported health among workers in Europe.

PubMed

Schütte, Stefanie; Chastang, Jean-François; Parent-Thirion, Agnès; Vermeylen, Greet; Niedhammer, Isabelle

2014-06-01

The aim of this study was to explore the associations between socio-demographic, psychosocial, material and occupational factors and self-reported health (SRH) in the European working population. Another objective was to examine whether these associations varied according to occupation and country. This study was based on data from the European quality of life survey 2007 including 17,005 workers from 31 European countries. SRH was measured using a single item. Factors were classified into four different groups: socio-demographic, psychosocial, material and occupational factors. The associations between these factors and SRH were examined using multilevel logistic regression analyses including interaction tests. When all four groups of factors were studied together, age, occupation, urbanization level, origin, trust level, social exclusion, material deprivation, financial and neighbourhood problems, access to medical services, quality of public services, psychological job demands, job reward, work-life imbalance and dangerous/unhealthy working conditions were associated with poor SRH. Almost no differences were found in these associations according to occupation and country. Various factors were associated with poor SRH. This study gave a first European overview of the associations between socio-demographic, psychosocial, material and occupational factors and SRH in Europe and could provide better advice to policy-makers at a European level. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The factors associated to psychosocial stress among general practitioners in Lithuania. Cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Vanagas, Giedrius; Bihari-Axelsson, Susanna

2005-06-10

There are number of studies showing that general practice is one of the most stressful workplace among health care workers. Since Baltic States regained independence in 1990, the reform of the health care system took place in which new role and more responsibilities were allocated to general practitioners' in Lithuania. This study aimed to explore the psychosocial stress level among Lithuanian general practitioner's and examine the relationship between psychosocial stress and work characteristics. The cross-sectional study of 300 Lithuanian General practitioners. Psychosocial stress was investigated with a questionnaire based on the Reeder scale. Job demands were investigated with the R. Karasek scale. The analysis included descriptive statistics; interrelationship analysis between characteristics and multivariate logistic regression to estimate odds ratios for each of the independent variables in the model. Response rate 66% (N = 197). Our study highlighted highest prevalence of psychosocial stress among widowed, single and female general practitioners. Lowest prevalence of psychosocial stress was among males and older age general practitioners. Psychosocial stress occurs when job demands are high and job decision latitude is low (chi2 = 18,9; p < 0,01). The multivariate analysis shows that high job demands (OR 4,128; CI 2,102-8,104; p < 0,001), patient load more than 18 patients per day (OR 5,863; CI 1,549-22,188; p < 0,01) and young age of GP's (OR 6,874; CI 1,292-36,582; p < 0,05) can be assigned as significant predictors for psychosocial stress. One half of respondents suffering from work related psychosocial stress. High psychological workload demands combined with low decision latitude has the greatest impact to stress caseness among GP's. High job demands, high patient load and young age of GP's can be assigned as significant predictors of psychosocial stress among GP's.

The factors associated to psychosocial stress among general practitioners in Lithuania. Cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Vanagas, Giedrius; Bihari-Axelsson, Susanna

2005-01-01

Background There are number of studies showing that general practice is one of the most stressful workplace among health care workers. Since Baltic States regained independence in 1990, the reform of the health care system took place in which new role and more responsibilities were allocated to general practitioners' in Lithuania. This study aimed to explore the psychosocial stress level among Lithuanian general practitioner's and examine the relationship between psychosocial stress and work characteristics. Methods The cross-sectional study of 300 Lithuanian General practitioners. Psychosocial stress was investigated with a questionnaire based on the Reeder scale. Job demands were investigated with the R. Karasek scale. The analysis included descriptive statistics; interrelationship analysis between characteristics and multivariate logistic regression to estimate odds ratios for each of the independent variables in the model. Results Response rate 66% (N = 197). Our study highlighted highest prevalence of psychosocial stress among widowed, single and female general practitioners. Lowest prevalence of psychosocial stress was among males and older age general practitioners. Psychosocial stress occurs when job demands are high and job decision latitude is low (χ2 = 18,9; p < 0,01). The multivariate analysis shows that high job demands (OR 4,128; CI 2,102–8,104; p < 0,001), patient load more than 18 patients per day (OR 5,863; CI 1,549–22,188; p < 0,01) and young age of GP's (OR 6,874; CI 1,292–36,582; p < 0,05) can be assigned as significant predictors for psychosocial stress. Conclusion One half of respondents suffering from work related psychosocial stress. High psychological workload demands combined with low decision latitude has the greatest impact to stress caseness among GP's. High job demands, high patient load and young age of GP's can be assigned as significant predictors of psychosocial stress among GP's. PMID:15946388

The use of psychosocial stress scales in preterm birth research

PubMed Central

CHEN, Melissa J.; GROBMAN, William A.; GOLLAN, Jackie K.; BORDERS, Ann E.B.

2011-01-01

Psychosocial stress has been identified as a potential risk factor for preterm birth. However, an association has not consistently been found, and a consensus on the extent to which stress and preterm birth are linked is still lacking. A literature search was performed with a combination of keywords and MeSH terms to detect studies of psychosocial stress and preterm birth. Studies were included in the review if psychosocial stress was measured with a standardized, validated instrument and the outcomes included either preterm birth or low birth weight. Within the 138 studies that met inclusion criteria, 85 different instruments were used. Measures designed specifically for pregnancy were used infrequently, although scales were sometimes modified for the pregnant population. The many different measures used may be one factor that accounts for the inconsistent associations that have been observed. PMID:21816383

Occupational stress in a rural hospital.

PubMed

McKenna, J F

1985-01-01

A rural hospital served as the research setting for this study. Respondents completed occupational stress questionnaires which incorporated five sources of work-related stress factors. Specifically, knowledge, patient care, conflict, environmental, and managerial sources of stress were assessed. The results of an analysis of variance procedure indicated that certain forms of occupational stress were clearly more associated with certain departmental groupings within the hospital than others.

Psychosocial stress and asthma morbidity.

PubMed

Yonas, Michael A; Lange, Nancy E; Celedón, Juan C

2012-04-01

The objective of this review is to provide an overview and discussion of recent epidemiologic and mechanistic studies of stress in relation to asthma incidence and morbidity. Recent findings suggest that stress, whether at the individual (i.e. epigenetics, perceived stress), family (i.e. prenatal maternal stress, early-life exposure, or intimate partner violence) or community (i.e. neighborhood violence; neighborhood disadvantage) level, influences asthma and asthma morbidity. Key recent findings regarding how psychosocial stress may influence asthma through Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, prenatal and postnatal maternal/caregiver stress, and community violence and deprivation are highlighted. New research illustrates the need to further examine, characterize, and address the influence of social and environmental factors (i.e. psychological stress) on asthma. Further, research and innovative methodologies are needed to characterize the relationship and pathways associated with stress at multiple levels to more fully understand and address asthma morbidity, and to design potential interventions, especially to address persistent disparities in asthma in ethnic minorities and economically disadvantaged communities.

Is occupational stress associated with work engagement ?

PubMed

Padula, Rosimeire Simprini; Chiavegato, Luciana Dias; Cabral, Cristina Maria Nunes; Almeid, Talita; Ortiz, Thais; Carregaro, Rodrigo Luiz

2012-01-01

The occupational stress is associated with dissatisfaction, excessive demand at work and personal factors. Those factors can reduce work performance and can predispose workers to various diseases. Workers' health may be protected if there is encouragement to face challenges, which may lessen the impact on psychological and somatic stress and thus have greater personal and professional satisfaction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between occupational stress and work engagement. Participated in this study 457 male and female workers of a metallurgical industry. Subjects answered personal data, and the Job Stress Scale and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale were applied. Results showed an association between occupational stress and work engagement (P=0,001). The way the individual deals with his frustrations, or rather the work engagement, is associated with the occupational stress.

Role of Occupational Stress and Burnout in Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Embassy Personnel of Foreign Countries in Iran

PubMed Central

Aghilinejad, Mashaallah; Sadeghi, Zargham; Abdullah, Amer; Sarebanha, Shima; Bahrami-Ahmadi, Amir

2014-01-01

Background: Occupation is one of the major parts of our daily lives that might cause a great amount of stress. Stress and job burnout are linked together. The association between musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) and burnout syndrome as a psychosocial factor was investigated previously. Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the role of occupational stress and burnout in musculoskeletal complaint among diplomatic employees of different embassies in Iran. Materials and Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we assessed 200 employees of the foreign countries embassies in Iran. The participants were selected randomly from all the embassy personnel. Study questionnaires were delivered to the participants and finally 161 questionnaires were returned to the researchers (response rate: 80.5%). An assessment of burnout and MSD were made using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and Nordic questionnaires. The work place stress was measured by the work place stress questionnaire. Results: Mean occupational stress was significantly higher among embassy personnel with MSD than among the personnel without this syndrome during the preceding week (17.18 ± 3.42 and 16.06 ± 2.19, respectively; P = 0.02) and the preceding year (17.17 ± 3.11 and 16.74 ± 3.03, respectively; P < 0.01) to the study. Only smoking and occupational stress were identified as independent predictors of MSD among embassy personnel. Conclusions: It seems that association between musculoskeletal complaints and burnout syndrome was more complex than being attributed to only occupation stress. Further studies are recommended to determine other related factors to this association. PMID:25031868

Role of occupational stress and burnout in prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among embassy personnel of foreign countries in iran.

PubMed

Aghilinejad, Mashaallah; Sadeghi, Zargham; Abdullah, Amer; Sarebanha, Shima; Bahrami-Ahmadi, Amir

2014-05-01

Occupation is one of the major parts of our daily lives that might cause a great amount of stress. Stress and job burnout are linked together. The association between musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) and burnout syndrome as a psychosocial factor was investigated previously. The aim of this study was to identify the role of occupational stress and burnout in musculoskeletal complaint among diplomatic employees of different embassies in Iran. In a cross-sectional study, we assessed 200 employees of the foreign countries embassies in Iran. The participants were selected randomly from all the embassy personnel. Study questionnaires were delivered to the participants and finally 161 questionnaires were returned to the researchers (response rate: 80.5%). An assessment of burnout and MSD were made using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and Nordic questionnaires. The work place stress was measured by the work place stress questionnaire. Mean occupational stress was significantly higher among embassy personnel with MSD than among the personnel without this syndrome during the preceding week (17.18 ± 3.42 and 16.06 ± 2.19, respectively; P = 0.02) and the preceding year (17.17 ± 3.11 and 16.74 ± 3.03, respectively; P < 0.01) to the study. Only smoking and occupational stress were identified as independent predictors of MSD among embassy personnel. It seems that association between musculoskeletal complaints and burnout syndrome was more complex than being attributed to only occupation stress. Further studies are recommended to determine other related factors to this association.

Occupational Stress: Preventing Suffering, Enhancing Wellbeing †

PubMed Central

Quick, James Campbell; Henderson, Demetria F.

2016-01-01

Occupational stress is a known health risk for a range of psychological, behavioral, and medical disorders and diseases. Organizations and individuals can mitigate these disorders through preventive stress management and enhanced wellbeing. This article addresses, first, the known health risk evidence related to occupational stress; second, the use of preventive stress management in organizations as the framework for intervention; and third, the emerging domain of enhancing wellbeing, which strengthens the individual. Premature death and disability along with chronic suffering from occupational stress are not inevitable, despite being known outcome risks. PMID:27136575

Occupational accident and disease claims, work-related stress and job satisfaction of physiotherapists.

PubMed

Brattig, Birte; Schablon, Anja; Nienhaus, Albert; Peters, Claudia

2014-01-01

Physiotherapists are exposed to diverse occupational demands. Until now, little has been known about the interaction between occupational stress and the job satisfaction of physiotherapists. This paper aims to examine their work-related stress and job satisfaction. It will analyse accidents at work and occupational diseases of physiotherapists along with work-related physical and psychosocial stress and job satisfaction. We analysed routine data of the German Institute for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention in the Health and Welfare Services (BGW) on accidents at work and occurring en route to/from work as well as occupational diseases of physiotherapists. Work-related stress and job satisfaction were examined in a cross-sectional survey using a standard questionnaire to be completed by subjects themselves. Between 2007 and 2011, 1,229 cases of occupational disease were reported to the BGW. The majority of reports involved skin diseases (73%). Stumbles and falls were the most frequent causes of accidents at work (42.9%). Eighty-five physiotherapists all over Germany took part in the survey. They experience high quantitative demands at work. The main physical demands consist of a torso posture between 45° and 90° and high hand activity. Of the 85 subjects, 51% suffer from complaints of the musculoskeletal system in the neck and thoracic spine area and 24% have skin diseases. Most physiotherapists (88%) are satisfied with their work overall. This is aided by a high degree of influence on their work and breaks, by practical application of skills and expert knowledge, high regard for their profession, varied work and a good atmosphere at work. Reservations tend to be about statutory regulations and the social benefits provided by the German healthcare system. Overall, despite high demands and stress relating to the adequacy of resources, the majority of physiotherapists surveyed seem to be satisfied with their job. The main focus of action to promote the

Self-disclosure and occupational stress in Chinese professionals.

PubMed

Hamid, P N

2000-12-01

The relationship of self-disclosure with occupational stress and symptoms of stress was examined among 243 Hong Kong Chinese adult professionals. Self-disclosure was negatively correlated with both occupational stress and psychological symptoms of stress for disclosures of personal feelings and social relationships when disclosing to a Best Friend, indicating a stress-buffering effect. There was a positive correlation between occupational stress and psychological symptoms of stress for disclosure of personal feelings and information about social relationships when disclosing to Mother. While both sexes reported similar occupational stress, the total self-disclosure of women was higher than for men, and this was especially true for intimate topics. The implications of the results were discussed.

Occupational stress, burnout and personality in anesthesiologists.

PubMed

van der Wal, Raymond A B; Wallage, Jacqueline; Bucx, Martin J L

2018-06-01

There is a growing awareness of the problem of occupational stress and burnout among anesthesiologists. Occupational stress was found to be related to burnout, a process that is supposed to be moderated by personality. This article will discuss the topic of stress and burnout in relationship to anesthesiologists' personality based on recent literature. Studies among anesthesiologists are in concordance with the broader body of literature on this topic. Personality consistently influences stress appraisal and coping and consequently the development of burnout. Neuroticism, negative affectivity and cooperativeness all contribute to burnout. Strategies to alleviate stress and hence the development of burnout should not only be directed at adapting occupational or organizational factors but also at equipping anesthesiologists with psychological tools to deal with occupational stress. Furthermore, personality traits that predispose for development of burnout could be taken into consideration in resident selection procedures.

Job stress, fatigue, and job dissatisfaction in Dutch lorry drivers: towards an occupation specific model of job demands and control

PubMed Central

de Croon, E M; Blonk, R; de Zwart, B C H; Frings-Dresen, M; Broersen, J

2002-01-01

Objectives: Building on Karasek's model of job demands and control (JD-C model), this study examined the effects of job control, quantitative workload, and two occupation specific job demands (physical demands and supervisor demands) on fatigue and job dissatisfaction in Dutch lorry drivers. Methods: From 1181 lorry drivers (adjusted response 63%) self reported information was gathered by questionnaire on the independent variables (job control, quantitative workload, physical demands, and supervisor demands) and the dependent variables (fatigue and job dissatisfaction). Stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the main effects of job demands and job control and the interaction effect between job control and job demands on fatigue and job dissatisfaction. Results: The inclusion of physical and supervisor demands in the JD-C model explained a significant amount of variance in fatigue (3%) and job dissatisfaction (7%) over and above job control and quantitative workload. Moreover, in accordance with Karasek's interaction hypothesis, job control buffered the positive relation between quantitative workload and job dissatisfaction. Conclusions: Despite methodological limitations, the results suggest that the inclusion of (occupation) specific job control and job demand measures is a fruitful elaboration of the JD-C model. The occupation specific JD-C model gives occupational stress researchers better insight into the relation between the psychosocial work environment and wellbeing. Moreover, the occupation specific JD-C model may give practitioners more concrete and useful information about risk factors in the psychosocial work environment. Therefore, this model may provide points of departure for effective stress reducing interventions at work. PMID:12040108

Job stress, fatigue, and job dissatisfaction in Dutch lorry drivers: towards an occupation specific model of job demands and control.

PubMed

de Croon, E M; Blonk, R W B; de Zwart, B C H; Frings-Dresen, M H W; Broersen, J P J

2002-06-01

Building on Karasek's model of job demands and control (JD-C model), this study examined the effects of job control, quantitative workload, and two occupation specific job demands (physical demands and supervisor demands) on fatigue and job dissatisfaction in Dutch lorry drivers. From 1181 lorry drivers (adjusted response 63%) self reported information was gathered by questionnaire on the independent variables (job control, quantitative workload, physical demands, and supervisor demands) and the dependent variables (fatigue and job dissatisfaction). Stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to examine the main effects of job demands and job control and the interaction effect between job control and job demands on fatigue and job dissatisfaction. The inclusion of physical and supervisor demands in the JD-C model explained a significant amount of variance in fatigue (3%) and job dissatisfaction (7%) over and above job control and quantitative workload. Moreover, in accordance with Karasek's interaction hypothesis, job control buffered the positive relation between quantitative workload and job dissatisfaction. Despite methodological limitations, the results suggest that the inclusion of (occupation) specific job control and job demand measures is a fruitful elaboration of the JD-C model. The occupation specific JD-C model gives occupational stress researchers better insight into the relation between the psychosocial work environment and wellbeing. Moreover, the occupation specific JD-C model may give practitioners more concrete and useful information about risk factors in the psychosocial work environment. Therefore, this model may provide points of departure for effective stress reducing interventions at work.

Occupational stress experienced by residents and faculty physicians on night shifts.

PubMed

Tür, Feriyde Çalişkan; Toker, İbrahim; Şaşmaz, Cafer Tayyar; Hacar, Serkan; Türe, Burcu

2016-03-22

Occupational stress is an undesired factor causing discomfort for healthcare workers. Stressors in work can lead to dissatisfaction and in turn, this may affect patient care adversely. The aim of this study was to evaluate the occupational stress among residents and faculty physicians of various medical specialties working night shifts. Residents and faculty physicians working night shifts in the emergency departments, medical and surgical wards were questioned with Swedish Demand Control Support Questionnaire. Also, various factors (specialty, marital status, sex, number of patients during a typical shift, number of night shifts per month, decision about career making in that specialty, having chronic disease and/or sleep problem) originated from social life or working conditions were investigated that could affect the demand, job-control and job strain model. Of the 108 participants, the mean age was 31 ± 6 years, 40.7% were female, and 78.7% were residents. Job strain was similar among the three physician groups (p > 0.05). Job control and social support was found to be lower among residents while job stress was higher. The social support-scores were lower in residents who were responsible for more than 60 patients, and who had a chronic disease. The demand-scores were lower in faculty physicians who worked 1 to 4 night shifts per month. Job strain was higher in residents with respect to faculty physicians. Stress and psychosocial risk factors are considered critical issues in the field of occupational health. Workload and job stress are stated as predictors of workers' health, productivity, and motivation. We found a few job stressors by physician working night shifts such as number of taken care of patient, having chronic disease. But, these physicians were significantly residents, due to their high workload sense. Interestingly, job stress was not more by emergency physicians than others. Job strain was found to be higher among the residents as

Occupational stress and hypertension.

PubMed

Ferguson, D A; Edye, B V; Long, A A; Ng, T K

1982-01-01

The Department of Occupational and Environmental Health in the Commonwealth Institute of Health and the University of Sydney has since 1977 been conducting a study of possible occupational factors in hypertension and in other precursors of coronary heart disease. The study arose out of claims by public service employees that the stress of their work was inducing these diseases. The study has two additional aims: prospective observation of progression of hypertension and associated cardiovascular risk variables in relation to evolving occupational conditions; and a trial of non-pharmacological modification of mild hypertension and associated variables through intervention by occupational nurses. A total of 4607 subject drawn from telecommunications and taxation offices in Sydney underwent medical screening before allocation, according to risk, into intervention and reference groups. Data acquisition included self-administration of two questionnaires, on personal, social, occupational and medical history, and on reaction to potential work stresses and to recent life events. Response to questions related to the coronary prone behaviour pattern was tested in a sub-set of the population against rating of the pattern by Rosenman and Friedman's interview method. The paper reports on method and preliminary description of the population.

Occupational gender composition and mild to severe depression in a Swedish cohort: The impact of psychosocial work factors.

PubMed

Nyberg, Anna; Magnusson Hanson, Linda L; Leineweber, Constanze; Hammarström, Anne; Theorell, Töres

2018-05-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate associations between occupational gender composition, psychosocial work factors and mild to severe depression in Swedish women and men with various educational backgrounds. The study included 5560 participants from two waves of the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health, an approximately representative sample of the Swedish working population. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals of mild to severe depression in 2014 were estimated for five strata of occupational gender composition with >20-40%, >40-60%, >60-80% and >80-100% women, using 0-20% women as the reference. Analyses were stratified by gender and education. Job strain, organisational injustice, poor social support and effort-reward imbalance in 2012 were added in separate models, and changes in OR of mild to severe depression for strata of occupational gender composition were evaluated. Among women, the odds of mild to severe depression did not vary by occupational gender composition. Among men with low to intermediate education, the odds were higher in the stratum with >80-100% women, and among men with high education, the odds were higher in strata with >20-40% and >60-80% women. Psychosocial work factors affected the odds ratios of mild to severe depression, but most of the variation remained unexplained. Odds of mild to severe depression appeared to vary by occupational gender composition among Swedish men but not women. This variation seemed only to a small extent to be explained by psychosocial work factors.

Psychosocial versus physiological stress – meta-analyses on deactivations and activations of the neural correlates of stress reactions

PubMed Central

Kogler, Lydia; Mueller, Veronika I.; Chang, Amy; Eickhoff, Simon B.; Fox, Peter T.; Gur, Ruben C.; Derntl, Birgit

2015-01-01

Stress is present in everyday life in various forms and situations. Two stressors frequently investigated are physiological and psychosocial stress. Besides similar subjective and hormonal responses, it has been suggested that they also share common neural substrates. The current study used activation-likelihood-estimation meta-analysis to test this assumption by integrating results of previous neuroimaging studies on stress processing. Reported results are cluster-level FWE corrected. The inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the anterior insula (AI) were the only regions that demonstrated overlapping activation for both stressors. Analysis of physiological stress showed consistent activation of cognitive and affective components of pain processing such as the insula, striatum, or the middle cingulate cortex. Contrarily, analysis across psychosocial stress revealed consistent activation of the right superior temporal gyrus and deactivation of the striatum. Notably, parts of the striatum appeared to be functionally specified: the dorsal striatum was activated in physiological stress, whereas the ventral striatum was deactivated in psychosocial stress. Additional functional connectivity and decoding analyses further characterized this functional heterogeneity and revealed higher associations of the dorsal striatum with motor regions and of the ventral striatum with reward processing. Based on our meta-analytic approach, activation of the IFG and the AI seems to indicate a global neural stress reaction. While physiological stress activates a motoric fight-or-flight reaction, during psychosocial stress attention is shifted towards emotion regulation and goal-directed behavior, and reward processing is reduced. Our results show the significance of differentiating physiological and psychosocial stress in neural engagement. Furthermore, the assessment of deactivations in addition to activations in stress research is highly recommended. PMID:26123376

Occupational imbalance and the role of perceived stress in predicting stress-related disorders.

PubMed

Håkansson, Carita; Ahlborg, Gunnar

2017-03-02

Stress-related disorders are the main reason for sick leave in many European countries. The aim of the present study was to explore whether perceived occupational imbalance predicts stress-related disorders, potential gender differences, and to explore the mediating role of perceived stress. Longitudinal data on 2223 employees in a public organization in Sweden were collected by surveys, and analyzed by logistic regression. Occupational imbalance predicted stress-related disorders among both women and men. However, what aspects of occupational imbalance which predicted stress-related disorders differ by gender. Perceived stress was not a mediator in these associations. How women and men perceived their occupational balance affected the risk of stress-related disorders. The results may be used to develop effective strategies to decrease stress-related disorders.

Association of occupational stress and social support with health-related behaviors among chinese offshore oil workers.

PubMed

Chen, Wei-Qing; Wong, Tze Wai; Yu, Ignatius Tak-Sun

2008-01-01

To explore the relationship of occupational stress and social support with health-related behaviors of smoking, alcohol usage and physical inactivity, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among 561 offshore oil installation workers of a Chinese state-owned oil company. They were investigated with a self-administered questionnaire about socio-demographic characteristics, occupational stress, social support and health-related behaviors. Logistic regression analysis was used to study the association between occupational stress, social support and health-related behaviors and adjusted for age, educational level, marital status, duration of offshore work and job title. Of 561 workers, 218 (38.9%) were current smokers, 124 (22.1%) current drinkers, and 354 (63.1%) physically inactive in their leisure time. Further multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that: (1) Current smoking was significantly negatively related with perceived stress from "Safety" (OR=0.74; 95% CI=0.58-0.94) and lack of supervisors' instrumental support (OR=0.34; 95% CI=0.18-0.65); (2) Current drinking was significantly positively related to perceived stress from "Interface between job and family/social life" (OR=1.32; 95% CI=1.02-1.70) and "Organizational structure" (OR=1.35; 95% CI=1.06-1.74), but was significantly negatively related to poor emotional support from friends (OR=0.54; 95% CI=0.62-0.96); (3) Physical inactivity after work was significantly positively associated with perceived stress from "Safety" (OR=1.44; 95% CI=1.16-1.79) and lack of instrumental support from both supervisors (OR=1.74; 95% CI=1.16-2.65) and friends (OR=1.68; 95% CI=1.06-2.42). The findings suggest that psychosocial factors of occupational stress and social support at offshore oil work might affect workers' health-related behaviors in different ways.

Community Stress, Psychosocial Hazards, and EPA Decision-Making in Communities Impacted by Chronic Technological Disasters

PubMed Central

Coles, Charlton J.

2011-01-01

Psychosocial stress has emerged as an important consideration in managing environmental health risks. Stress has adverse impacts on health and may interact with environmental hazards to increase health risk. This article's primary objective was to explore psychosocial stress related to environmental contamination. We hypothesized that knowledge about stress should be used in conjunction with chemical risk assessment to inform environmental risk management decisions. Knowledge of psychosocial stress at contaminated sites began by exploring the relationships among social capital, collective efficacy, and contamination at the community level. We discussed stress at the family and individual levels, focusing on stress proliferation, available resources, and coping styles and mechanisms. We then made recommendations on how to improve the use of information on psychosocial stress in environmental decision-making, particularly in communities facing chronic technological disasters. PMID:21836109

Does an advantageous occupational position make women happier in contemporary Japan? Findings from the Japanese Study of Health, Occupation, and Psychosocial Factors Related Equity (J-HOPE).

PubMed

Umeda, Maki; McMunn, Anne; Cable, Noriko; Hashimoto, Hideki; Kawakami, Norito; Marmot, Michael

2015-12-01

Occupational position is one of the determinants of psychological health, but this association may differ for men and women depending on the social context. In contemporary Japanese society, occupational gender segregation persists despite increased numbers of women participating in the labour market, which may contribute to gender specific patterns in the prevalence of poor psychological health. The present study examined gender specific associations between occupational position and psychological health in Japan, and the potential mediating effects of job control and effort-reward imbalance in these associations. We used data obtained from 7123 men and 2222 women, aged between 18 and 65 years, who participated in an occupational cohort study, the Japanese Study of Health, Occupation, and Psychosocial Factors Related Equity (J-HOPE), between 2011 and 2012. We used logistic regression to examine the association between occupational position and poor psychological health, adjusted for age, working hours, household income and education, as well as psychosocial work characteristics (job control and effort-reward imbalance). The prevalence of poor psychological health increased from manual/service occupations (23%) to professionals/managers (38%) among women, while it did not vary by occupational position among men. In women, the significant association between occupational position and psychological health was not explained by job control, but was attenuated by effort-reward imbalance. Our findings suggest that Japanese women in more advantaged occupational positions are likely to be at a greater risk for poor psychological health due to higher levels of effort-reward imbalance at work.

Work-related stress management between workplace and occupational health care.

PubMed

Kinnunen-Amoroso, Maritta; Liira, Juha

2016-06-13

Work-related stress has been evaluated as one of the most important health risks in Europe. Prevention of work related stress and interventions to reduce risk factors for stress in the workplace are conducted together by the enterprise and occupational health services. The aim of the study was to examine the experiences of Finnish occupational physicians on the stress management with enterprises. From the Finnish Association of Occupational Health Physicians membership list 207 physicians responded to self-administered anonymous questionnaire. The data were analysed using SPSS 17.0. The client enterprises contacted occupational health services frequently about work-related stress. Collaboration between occupational health and enterprises was strongest in companies' own occupational health services and generally with most experienced physicians. Occupational health services and enterprises shared responsibility for managing work-related stress. Professional experience and close contact with organisation management favours successful stress management between occupational health and enterprises.

Contribution of material, occupational, and psychosocial factors in the explanation of social inequalities in health in 28 countries in Europe.

PubMed

Aldabe, B; Anderson, R; Lyly-Yrjänäinen, M; Parent-Thirion, A; Vermeylen, G; Kelleher, C C; Niedhammer, I

2011-12-01

To analyse the associations between socio-economic status (SES), measured using occupation, and self-reported health, and to examine the contribution of various material, occupational and psychosocial factors to social inequalities in health in Europe. This study was based on data from the European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS) carried out in 2003. The total sample consisted of 6038 and 6383 working men and women in 28 countries in Europe (response rates: 30.3-91.2%). Each set of potential material, occupational and psychosocial mediators included between eight and 11 variables. Statistical analysis was performed using multilevel logistic regression analysis. Significant social differences were observed for self-reported health, manual workers being more likely to be in poor health (OR=1.89, 95% CI 1.46 to 2.46 for men, OR=2.18, 95% CI 1.71 to 2.77 for women). Strong social gradients were found for almost all potential mediating factors, and almost all displayed significant associations with self-reported health. Social differences in health were substantially reduced after adjustment for material, occupational and psychosocial factors, with material factors playing a major role. The four strongest contributions to reducing these differences were found for material deprivation, social exclusion, financial problems and job reward. Taking all mediators into account led to an explanation of the social differences in health by 78-100% for men and women. The association between SES and poor health may be attributed to differential distributions of several dimensions of material, occupational and psychosocial conditions across occupational groups. Interventions targeting different dimensions might result in a reduction in social inequalities in health.

Independent Effects of Neighborhood Poverty and Psychosocial Stress on Obesity Over Time.

PubMed

Kwarteng, Jamila L; Schulz, Amy J; Mentz, Graciela B; Israel, Barbara A; Perkins, Denise White

2017-12-01

The objective of the study was to examine the independent effects of neighborhood poverty and psychosocial stress on increases in central adiposity over time. Data are from a community sample of 157 Non-Hispanic Black, Non-Hispanic White, and Hispanic adults collected in 2002-2003 and 2007-2008, and from the 2000 Decennial Census. The dependent variable was waist circumference. Independent variables included neighborhood poverty, perceived neighborhood physical environment, family stress, safety stress, everyday unfair treatment, and a cumulative stress index. Weighted 3-level hierarchical linear regression models for a continuous outcome were used to assess the effects of neighborhood poverty and psychosocial stress on central adiposity over time. We also assessed whether psychosocial stress mediated the association between neighborhood poverty and central adiposity. Neighborhood poverty and everyday unfair treatment at baseline were independently associated with increases in central adiposity over time, accounting for the other indicators of stress. Perceptions of the neighborhood physical environment and cumulative stress mediated associations between neighborhood poverty and central adiposity. Results suggest that residing in neighborhoods with higher concentrations of poverty and exposure to everyday unfair treatment independently heighten risk of increased central adiposity over time. Associations between neighborhood poverty and central adiposity were mediated by perceptions of the neighborhood physical environment and by the cumulative stress index. Public health strategies to reduce obesity should consider neighborhood poverty and exposure to multiple sources of psychosocial stress, including everyday unfair treatment.

Enhanced emotional empathy after psychosocial stress in young healthy men.

PubMed

Wolf, Oliver T; Schulte, Judith M; Drimalla, Hanna; Hamacher-Dang, Tanja C; Knoch, Daria; Dziobek, Isabel

2015-01-01

Empathy is a core prerequisite for human social behavior. Relatively, little is known about how empathy is influenced by social stress and its associated neuroendocrine alterations. The current study was designed to test the impact of acute stress on emotional and cognitive empathy. Healthy male participants were exposed to a psychosocial laboratory stressor (trier social stress test, (TSST)) or a well-matched control condition (Placebo-TSST). Afterwards they participated in an empathy test measuring emotional and cognitive empathy (multifaceted empathy test, (MET)). Stress exposure caused an increase in negative affect, a rise in salivary alpha amylase and a rise in cortisol. Participants exposed to stress reported more emotional empathy in response to pictures displaying both positive and negative emotional social scenes. Cognitive empathy (emotion recognition) in contrast did not differ between the stress and the control group. The current findings provide initial evidence for enhanced emotional empathy after acute psychosocial stress.

[Psychosocial risks and the job activity of banking sector employees].

PubMed

Stańczak, Aleksander; Mościcka-Teske, Agnieszka; Merecz-Kot, Dorota

2014-01-01

Psychosocial risks, via stress mechanism, may negatively influence employees' health and work activity. Both the scale and the type of these risks depend on job specificity in particular occupation or sector. The aim of the study was to characterize the categories of stressors occurring in the banking sector and their effects on employees' performance. The studied subjects were 484 employees tested with the questionnaire method. The Scale of Psychosocial Risk was used as a research tool. The more the employees are exposed to threats connected with work content, work context, pathologies and specific factor, the less satisfied they are and the more frequently they declare turnover intention. However, rarely does it change their engagement or absence. The subjects felt the effects of risks, regardless of their stressfulness. It turns out that individual's well-being is rather related to work context, e.g. relations with co-workers or salary, than to the character of tasks. It was observed, that with age, employees are less resistant to work context related to threats, which results in frequent absence. Most of the results comply with the literature data. The work environment diagnosis may be based only on the occurrence of psychosocial risks, regardless of the subjectively experienced stress. The conclusions can be used by both employers and specialists in occupational stress prevention.

Environmental design, work, and well being: managing occupational stress through changes in the workplace environment.

PubMed

Heerwagen, J H; Heubach, J G; Montgomery, J; Weimer, W C

1995-09-01

The physical environment can be an important contributor to occupational stress. Factors that contribute to stress and other negative outcomes include: lack of control over the environment, distractions from coworkers, lack of privacy, noise, crowding, and environmental deprivations (such as lack of windows and aesthetic impoverishment). The design of "salutogenic" environments requires not only the elimination of negative stress inducing features, but also the addition of environmental enhancements, including such factors as increased personal control, contact with nature and daylight, aesthetically pleasing spaces, and spaces for relaxation alone or with others. Salutogenic environments also take into consideration positive psychosocial "fit," as well as functional fit between people and environments. At the heart of the current interest in the work environment are two major concerns: organizational productivity and employee well being.

[Effect of occupational stress on neurotransmitters in petroleum workers].

PubMed

Jiang, Yu; Lian, Yulong; Tao, Ning; Ge, Hua; Liu, Jiwen

2015-09-01

To explore the effects of occupational stress on neurotransmitters in petroleum workers. 178 petroleum workers with the length of service ≥ 1 year were recruited to the subjects by the questionnaire of OSI-R. The levels of 5-hydroxy tryptamine (5-HT), norepinephrine (NE), neuropeptide Y (NPY) and substance P (SP) in serum were measured. The subjects were classified into 3 groups according to the scores of occupational stress. The levels of 5-HT NE and SP for over 15 working years were higher than those of less than 15 years (P < 0. 05). There were differences (P < 0. 05) on 5-HT, NE, NPY and SP in different occupational stress degree groups, multiple comparison showed high. occupational stress group was higher than those of low occupational stress group. Multivariate correlation analysis showed that the occupational stress and sleep quality component scores correlated positively with the 5-HT, NE and SP (P < 0. 05) and correlated inversely with NPY in petroleum workers (P < 0. 05). Occupational stress in petroleum workers is correlated with serum monoamine and neuropeptides neurotransmitters, and it may affect serum levels of monoamine and neuropeptides neurotransmitters.

Occupational stress and related factors among surgical residents in Korea.

PubMed

Kang, Sanghee; Jo, Hye Sung; Boo, Yoon Jung; Lee, Ji Sung; Kim, Chong Suk

2015-11-01

The application rate for surgical residents in Korea has continuously decreased over the past few years. The demanding workload and the occupational stress of surgical training are likely causes of this problem. The aim of this study was to investigate occupational stress and its related factors in Korean surgical residents. With the support of the Korean Surgical Society, we conducted an electronic survey of Korean surgical residents related to occupational stress. We used the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS) to measure occupational stress. We analyzed the data focused on the stress level and the factors associated with occupational stress. The mean KOSS score of the surgical residents was 55.39, which was significantly higher than that of practicing surgeons (48.16, P < 0.001) and the average score of specialized professionals (46.03, P < 0.001). Exercise was the only factor found to be significantly associated with KOSS score (P = 0.001) in univariate analysis. However, in multiple linear regression analysis, the mean number of assigned patients, resident occupation rate and exercise were all significantly associated with KOSS score. Surgical residents have high occupational stress compared to practicing surgeons and other professionals. Their mean number of assigned patients, resident recruitment rate and exercise were all significantly associated with occupational stress for surgical residents.

[Psychosocial Stress, Stress Perception and Stress Management of Students of Social Work: a Quantitative Study].

PubMed

Kriener, C; Schwertfeger, A; Deimel, D; Köhler, T

2018-02-01

In this quantitative study, data on 746 students of social work were collected regarding their current sense of stress, experience of psychosocial drain as well as their use of specific coping strategies. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Trier Inventory of Chronic Stress (TICS) were used. The results show that one out of 3 students suffer from a lot of to extreme stress. One-fourth of the students report feeling overworked and socially overburdened. More than half of the students are exposed to psychosocial drain as a consequence of past events in their biography (e. g. death or mental illness of a close relative). Despite these obvious burdens, only one-fourth made use of professional aid or counseling. Students who are primarily using functional coping strategies have a lower sensibility to stress and feel less overworked than students primarily using dysfunctional coping strategies. In the university setting, the theoretically and empirically sound knowledge based on this report can be used profitably: The increasing implementation of seminars on coping with stress at universities itself suggests that learning and utilizing functional coping strategies can contribute to a reduction of stress and strain among students. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

The Impact of Work Demand and Gender on Occupational and Psychosocial Stress in Hispanic Farmworkers.

PubMed

TePoel, Megan; Rohlman, Diane; Shaw, Meagan

2017-04-26

Hispanic farmworkers experience hazardous work conditions, language barriers, poverty, and limited healthcare access that increase their risk for health problems. We sought to characterize occupational and lifestyle stressors in farmworker couples and to examine the impact of seasonal work demand and gender on health outcomes. We administered surveys to 31 couples (N = 62) in May (low work demand) and September (high work demand) of 2012. Measures included acculturation, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, quality of life, decision latitude, support (supervisor, co-worker), and work-family conflict. This population did not report significant differences in stress in low and high work demand times. Women reported more work-family conflict (F = 19.06, p 0.0001; F = 11.28, p = 0.0015) and less supervisor support (F = 6.56, p = 0.0135). Women experienced more conflict between work and family and less support at work. This group reported low depressive symptomology and moderate levels of stress; a subset reported elevated levels. Copyright© by the American Society of Agricultural Engineers.

Occupational Stress and Turnover Intention: Implications for Nursing Management

PubMed Central

Mosadeghrad, Ali Mohammad

2013-01-01

Background: The main purpose of this study was to explore the status of occupational stress among hospital nurses in Isfahan, Iran. It also aimed to examine the relationship between nurses’ occupational stress and their intention to leave the hospital. Methods: The study employed a cross-sectional research design. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data from 296 nurses. Respondents were asked to rate the intensity of 30 common occupational stressors using a five-point scale. Results: A third of hospital nurses rated their occupational stress high. The major sources of stress were inadequate pay, inequality at work, too much work, staff shortage, lack of promotion, job insecurity and lack of management support. More than 35% of nurses stated that they are considering leaving the hospital, if they could find another job opportunity. Occupational stress was positively associated with nurses’ turnover intentions. Conclusion: Hospital managers should develop and apply appropriate policies and strategies to reduce occupational stress and consequently nurses’ turnover intention. PMID:24596858

Parental psychosocial stress and asthma morbidity in Puerto Rican twins

PubMed Central

Lange, Nancy E.; Bunyavanich, Supinda; Silberg, Judy L.; Canino, Glorisa; Rosner, Bernard A.; Celedón, Juan C.

2010-01-01

Background Little is known about paternal psychosocial factors and childhood asthma. Objective To examine the link between maternal and paternal psychosocial stress and asthma outcomes in young children. Methods Parents of 339 pairs of Puerto Rican twins were interviewed individually about their own psychosocial stress and about asthma in their children at age 1 and again about their child’s asthma at age 3. Fathers were asked about symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anti-social behavior. Mothers were asked about depressive symptoms. Outcomes assessed in children included recent asthma symptoms, oral steroid use and hospitalizations for asthma in the prior year, and asthma diagnosis. Generalized estimated equation models were used for the multivariate analysis of parental psychosocial stress and asthma morbidity in childhood. Results After multivariable adjustment, paternal PTSD symptoms, depression, and anti-social behavior were each associated with increased asthma symptoms at age 1 (e.g., OR =1.08 for each 1-point increase in PTSD score, 95% CI=1.03–1.14). Maternal depressive symptoms were associated with an increased risk of asthma hospitalizations at age 1 year. At age 3 years, maternal depressive symptoms were associated with asthma diagnosis and hospitalizations for asthma (OR for each 1-point increase in symptoms=1.16, 95% CI=1.00–1.36]). In an analysis combining 1 and 3 year outcomes, paternal depression was associated with oral steroid use, maternal depressive symptoms were associated with asthma hospitalizations and asthma diagnosis, and parental depression was associated with hospitalizations for asthma. Conclusions Both paternal and maternal psychosocial factors may influence asthma morbidity in young Puerto Rican children. PMID:21194742

Occupational stress and burnout among Hong Kong dentists.

PubMed

Choy, H B; Wong, M Cm

2017-10-01

Professional burnout has been described as a gradual erosion of a person and may be one of the possible consequences of chronic occupational stress. Although occupational stress has been surveyed among dentists in Hong Kong, no study has been published about burnout in the profession. This study aimed to evaluate burnout among Hong Kong dentists and its association with occupational stress. We surveyed a random sample of 1086 registered dentists in Hong Kong, which formed 50% of the local profession. They were mailed an anonymous questionnaire about burnout and occupational stress in 2015. The questionnaire assessed occupational stress, coping strategies, effects of stress, level of burnout, and socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents. Occupational stress assessment concerned 33 stressors in five groups: patient-related, time-related, income-related, job-related, and staff-/technically related. Level of burnout was assessed by the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (22 items) with three scores: emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, and personal accomplishment. Completed questionnaires were received from 301 dentists (response rate, 28.3%), of whom 25.4% had a high level of emotional exhaustion, 17.2% had a high level of depersonalisation, and 39.0% had a low level of personal accomplishment. Only 7.0% of respondents, however, had a high level of overall burnout (high emotional exhaustion, high depersonalisation, and low personal accomplishment). A high level of overall burnout was significantly associated with a higher mean score for job-related stressors and lack of postgraduate qualifications (P<0.05). Patient-related stressors are the top occupational stressors experienced by dentists in Hong Kong. In spite of this, a low proportion of dentists have a high level of overall burnout. There was a positive association between occupational stress and level of burnout.

Psychosocial stress and multi-site musculoskeletal pain: a cross-sectional survey of patient care workers.

PubMed

Sembajwe, Grace; Tveito, Torill Helene; Hopcia, Karen; Kenwood, Christopher; O'Day, Elizabeth Tucker; Stoddard, Anne M; Dennerlein, Jack T; Hashimoto, Dean; Sorensen, Glorian

2013-03-01

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between psychosocial factors at work and multi-site musculoskeletal pain among patient care workers. In a survey of 1,572 workers from two hospitals, occupational psychosocial factors and health outcomes of workers with single and multi-site pain were evaluated using items from the Job Content Questionnaire that was designed to measure psychological demands, decision latitude, and social support. An adapted Nordic Questionnaire provided data on the musculoskeletal pain outcome. Covariates included body mass index, age, gender, and occupation. The analyses revealed statistically significant associations between psychosocial demands and multi-site musculoskeletal pain among patient care associates, nurses, and administrative personnel, both men and women. Supervisor support played a significant role for nurses and women. These results remained statistically significant after adjusting for covariates. These results highlight the associations between workplace psychosocial strain and multi-site musculoskeletal pain, setting the stage for future longitudinal explorations. Copyright 2013, SLACK Incorporated.

Psychosocial Stress and Ovarian Cancer Risk: Metabolomics and Perceived Stress

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

ovarian cancer, psychosocial stress, depression , anxiety, social support, metabolomics 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT 18...Changes/ Problems ...….………………………………………………3 6. Products…………………………………….……….….…………….3 7. Participants & Other Collaborating Organizations……………3 8. Special...reported stress exposures ( depressive symptoms, phobic anxiety, social support, job strain, care-giving stress) are associated with ovarian cancer risk

Salivary Biomarkers of Chronic Psychosocial Stress and CVD Risks: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

An, Kyungeh; Salyer, Jeanne; Brown, Roy E; Kao, Hsueh-Fen Sabrina; Starkweather, Angela; Shim, Insop

2016-05-01

The use of salivary biomarkers in stress research is increasing, and the precision and accuracy with which researchers are able to measure these biomarkers have dramatically improved. Chronic psychosocial stress is often linked to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Salivary biomarkers represent a noninvasive biological method of characterizing the stress phenomenon that may help to more fully describe the mechanism by which stress contributes to the pathogenesis and outcomes of CVD. We conducted a systematic review of 40 research articles to identify the salivary biomarkers researchers have most commonly used to help describe the biological impact of chronic psychosocial stress and explore its associations with CVD risk. We address strengths and weaknesses of specimen collection and measurement. We used PubMed, CINAHL, EBSCOhost, Web of Science, BIOSIS Previews, Biological Sciences (ProQuest), and Dissertations/Theses (ProQuest) to retrieve 387 initial articles. Once we applied our inclusion/exclusion criteria to specifically target adult human studies dealing with chronic stress rather than acute/laboratory-induced stress, 40 studies remained, which we synthesized using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses criteria. Cortisol was the biomarker used most frequently. Sources of psychosocial stress included job strain, low socioeconomic status, and environmental factors. Overall, psychosocial stress was associated with CVD risks such as vascular pathology (hypertension, blood pressure fluctuation, and carotid artery plaque) as well as metabolic factors such as abnormal blood glucose, dyslipidemia, and elevated cardiac enzymes. Diverse salivary biomarkers have been useful in stress research, particularly when linked to CVD risks. © The Author(s) 2015.

Occupational stress and related factors among surgical residents in Korea

PubMed Central

Kang, Sanghee; Jo, Hye Sung; Lee, Ji Sung; Kim, Chong Suk

2015-01-01

Purpose The application rate for surgical residents in Korea has continuously decreased over the past few years. The demanding workload and the occupational stress of surgical training are likely causes of this problem. The aim of this study was to investigate occupational stress and its related factors in Korean surgical residents. Methods With the support of the Korean Surgical Society, we conducted an electronic survey of Korean surgical residents related to occupational stress. We used the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS) to measure occupational stress. We analyzed the data focused on the stress level and the factors associated with occupational stress. Results The mean KOSS score of the surgical residents was 55.39, which was significantly higher than that of practicing surgeons (48.16, P < 0.001) and the average score of specialized professionals (46.03, P < 0.001). Exercise was the only factor found to be significantly associated with KOSS score (P = 0.001) in univariate analysis. However, in multiple linear regression analysis, the mean number of assigned patients, resident occupation rate and exercise were all significantly associated with KOSS score. Conclusion Surgical residents have high occupational stress compared to practicing surgeons and other professionals. Their mean number of assigned patients, resident recruitment rate and exercise were all significantly associated with occupational stress for surgical residents. PMID:26576407

Relationship between Occupational Stress and Gastric Disease in Male Workers.

PubMed

Lihm, Ho-Seob; Park, Sang-Hyun; Gong, Eun-Hee; Choi, Jong-Soon; Kim, Jung-Won

2012-09-01

Physical and mental health of workers is threatened due to various events and chronic occupational stress. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between occupational stress and gastric disease in male workers of the shipbuilding industry. Occupational stress measured among a total of 498 workers of a shipbuilding firm who visited the hospital for health examination using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS)-short form, and the relationship between sociodemographic factors, health-related behaviors, occupational stress, and gastric disease, and the distribution of occupational stress by sociodemographic factors in the gastric disease group was examined. There was no significant association between gastric disease and total occupational stress score and its seven sub-factors. The analysis showed that risk of gastric disease was significantly higher in the Q1 group in which the stress caused by occupational discomfort among seven sub-factors was lowest than that in the Q4 group (odds ratio, 2.819; 95% confidence interval, 1.151 to 6.908). Analysis only on the gastric disease group showed that the stress score of laborers was higher in the four sub-factors than that of office workers (P < 0.05). Analysis on educational background showed that the scores of the three sub-factors were lower in subjects who's highest level of education was high school (P < 0.01). This study suggests that it is necessary to improve the culture of Korean collectivism in the workplace and to manage the occupational stress in the low-educated and laborers. It is recommended for future studies to confirm the causal relationship between occupational stress and gastric disease by large scale studies using a KOSS which appropriately reflects workplace culture.

Relationship between psychosocial stress and hypertension among Ghanaians in Amsterdam, the Netherlands--the GHAIA study.

PubMed

Agyei, Bernard; Nicolaou, Mary; Boateng, Linda; Dijkshoorn, Henriette; van den Born, Bert-Jan; Agyemang, Charles

2014-07-07

Hypertension is highly prevalent among recent sub-Saharan African (SSA) migrants in western countries and some tend to associate their hypertension to psychosocial stress. However data on the relationship between hypertension and psychosocial stress among SSA migrants are rare. We assessed the relationship between psychosocial stress and hypertension among the largest SSA migrant population (Ghanaians) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Data were obtained from structured interviews along with medical examination among 212 participants from a cross-sectional study: the GHAIA study in 2010 in Amsterdam. Blood pressure was measured with a validated Oscillometric automated digital blood pressure device. Psychosocial stress was assessed by questionnaires on perceived discrimination, depressive symptoms and financial problems. Binary logistic regression was used to study associations between psychosocial stress and hypertension. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 54.7%. About two thirds of the study population experienced a moderate (31%) or high (36%) level of discrimination. 20.0% of the participants had mild depressive symptoms, whilst 9% had moderate depressive symptoms. The prevalence of financial stress was 34.8%. The psychosocial stresses we assessed were not significantly associated with hypertension: adjusted odds ratios comparing those with low levels and those with high levels were 0.99 (95% CI, 0.47-2.08) for perceived discrimination, 0.81 (95% CI, 0.26-2.49) for depressive symptoms and 0.71 (95% CI, 0.37-1.36) for financial stress, respectively. We did not find evidence for the association between psychosocial stress and hypertension among recent SSA migrants. More efforts are needed to unravel other potential factors that may underlie the high prevalence of hypertension among these populations.

[Effect of occupational stress on oxidation/antioxidant capacity in nurses].

PubMed

Cao, Lili; Tian, Honger; Zhang, Qingdong; Zhu, Xinyun; Zhan, Yongguo; Su, Jingguo; Xu, Tian; Zhu, Huabin; Liu, Ling

2014-02-01

To investigate the effect of occupational stress on the oxidation/antioxidant capacity in nurses. A total of 131 nurses were included as study subjects. The occupational health information collection system (based on the Internet of things) was used for measurement of occupational stress. Levels of hydroxyl free radicals and antioxidant enzymes were determined. The serum level of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was the highest in nurses under the age of 30 and the lowest in those over 45 (P < 0.05). The serum levels of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and peroxidase (POD) were the highest in nurses of working age less than 5 years, followed by those of 5-15 years, and nurses with more than 25 years' working experience showed the lowest GSH-Px and POD levels (P < 0.05). Furthermore, nurses with a university (college) degree had a higher GSH-Px level and a lower POD level compared with those with junior and senior high school degrees (P < 0.05). Job prospects and job control were positive occupational stress factors for SOD. Job hazards were negative occupational stress factors for POD. Psychological satisfaction was negative occupational stress reaction for hydroxyl free radicals. Calmness was positive occupational stress reaction for SOD, and daily stress was a negative one. The positive occupational stress reactions for GSH-Px were psychological satisfaction and job satisfaction, and daily stress was negative reaction. Nurses with higher occupational stress have stronger oxidation and weaker antioxidant capacity, which intensifies oxidant-antioxidant imbalance and leads to oxidative stress damage.

Parental psychosocial stress and asthma morbidity in Puerto Rican twins.

PubMed

Lange, Nancy E; Bunyavanich, Supinda; Silberg, Judy L; Canino, Glorisa; Rosner, Bernard A; Celedón, Juan C

2011-03-01

Little is known about paternal psychosocial factors and childhood asthma. We sought to examine the link between maternal and paternal psychosocial stress and asthma outcomes in young children. Parents of 339 pairs of Puerto Rican twins were interviewed individually about their own psychosocial stress and about asthma in their children at age 1 year and again about their child's asthma at age 3 years. Fathers were asked about symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and antisocial behavior. Mothers were asked about depressive symptoms. Outcomes assessed in children included recent asthma symptoms, oral steroid use and hospitalizations for asthma in the prior year, and asthma diagnosis. Generalized estimated equation models were used for the multivariate analysis of parental psychosocial stress and asthma morbidity in childhood. After multivariable adjustment, paternal PTSD symptoms, depression, and antisocial behavior were each associated with increased asthma symptoms at age 1 year (eg, odds ratio, 1.08 for each 1-point increase in PTSD score; 95% CI, 1.03-1.14). Maternal depressive symptoms were associated with an increased risk of asthma hospitalizations at age 1 year. At age 3 years, maternal depressive symptoms were associated with asthma diagnosis and hospitalizations for asthma (odds ratio for each 1-point increase in symptoms, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.00-1.36). In an analysis combining 1- and 3-year outcomes, paternal depression was associated with oral steroid use, maternal depressive symptoms were associated with asthma hospitalizations and asthma diagnosis, and parental depression was associated with hospitalizations for asthma. Both paternal and maternal psychosocial factors can influence asthma morbidity in young Puerto Rican children. Copyright © 2010 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Working in the margins women's experiences of stress and occupational health problems in part-time and casual retail jobs.

PubMed

Zeytinogla, Isik Uurla; Seaton, M Bianca; Lillevik, Waheeda; Moruz, Josefina

2005-01-01

Women workers dominate the labor market of part-time and casual jobs in Canada and other industrialized countries, particularly in the retail trade and consumer services sector. However, research into the occupational health consequences of part-time and casual jobs for this large group of women workers is still in its early stages. Emerging evidence suggests that part-time and casual jobs contribute to stress and result in health problems for women. To learn about the impact of part-time and casual jobs on women's experiences of stress and their resulting physical and emotional health, we conducted interviews and focus groups with occupational health and safety union representatives and female workers in retail and consumer services. Results show that stress is a major occupational health problem for these women, due to the working conditions in part-time and casual jobs, the psychosocial work environment, and the gendered work environment in the retail trade and consumer services. Stress from part-time and casual jobs results in repetitive strain injuries, migraine headaches, and feelings of low self-esteem, low motivation, and job dissatisfaction for women. The disconcerting implication of our research is that part-time and casual employment comes at a cost for some women.

Validating the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ-II) Using Set-ESEM: Identifying Psychosocial Risk Factors in a Sample of School Principals

PubMed Central

Dicke, Theresa; Marsh, Herbert W.; Riley, Philip; Parker, Philip D.; Guo, Jiesi; Horwood, Marcus

2018-01-01

School principals world-wide report high levels of strain and attrition resulting in a shortage of qualified principals. It is thus crucial to identify psychosocial risk factors that reflect principals' occupational wellbeing. For this purpose, we used the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ-II), a widely used self-report measure covering multiple psychosocial factors identified by leading occupational stress theories. We evaluated the COPSOQ-II regarding factor structure and longitudinal, discriminant, and convergent validity using latent structural equation modeling in a large sample of Australian school principals (N = 2,049). Results reveal that confirmatory factor analysis produced marginally acceptable model fit. A novel approach we call set exploratory structural equation modeling (set-ESEM), where cross-loadings were only allowed within a priori defined sets of factors, fit well, and was more parsimonious than a full ESEM. Further multitrait-multimethod models based on the set-ESEM confirm the importance of a principal's psychosocial risk factors; Stressors and depression were related to demands and ill-being, while confidence and autonomy were related to wellbeing. We also show that working in the private sector was beneficial for showing a low psychosocial risk, while other demographics have little effects. Finally, we identify five latent risk profiles (high risk to no risk) of school principals based on all psychosocial factors. Overall the research presented here closes the theory application gap of a strong multi-dimensional measure of psychosocial risk-factors. PMID:29760670

Validating the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ-II) Using Set-ESEM: Identifying Psychosocial Risk Factors in a Sample of School Principals.

PubMed

Dicke, Theresa; Marsh, Herbert W; Riley, Philip; Parker, Philip D; Guo, Jiesi; Horwood, Marcus

2018-01-01

School principals world-wide report high levels of strain and attrition resulting in a shortage of qualified principals. It is thus crucial to identify psychosocial risk factors that reflect principals' occupational wellbeing. For this purpose, we used the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ-II), a widely used self-report measure covering multiple psychosocial factors identified by leading occupational stress theories. We evaluated the COPSOQ-II regarding factor structure and longitudinal, discriminant, and convergent validity using latent structural equation modeling in a large sample of Australian school principals ( N = 2,049). Results reveal that confirmatory factor analysis produced marginally acceptable model fit. A novel approach we call set exploratory structural equation modeling (set-ESEM), where cross-loadings were only allowed within a priori defined sets of factors, fit well, and was more parsimonious than a full ESEM. Further multitrait-multimethod models based on the set-ESEM confirm the importance of a principal's psychosocial risk factors; Stressors and depression were related to demands and ill-being, while confidence and autonomy were related to wellbeing. We also show that working in the private sector was beneficial for showing a low psychosocial risk, while other demographics have little effects. Finally, we identify five latent risk profiles (high risk to no risk) of school principals based on all psychosocial factors. Overall the research presented here closes the theory application gap of a strong multi-dimensional measure of psychosocial risk-factors.

Unconscious fearful priming followed by a psychosocial stress test results in higher cortisol levels.

PubMed

Hänsel, Alexander; von Känel, Roland

2013-10-01

Human perception of stress includes an automatic pathway that processes subliminal presented stimuli below the threshold of conscious awareness. Subliminal stimuli can therefore activate the physiologic stress system. Unconscious emotional signals were shown to significantly moderate reactions and responses to subsequent stimuli, an effect called 'priming'. We hypothesized that subliminal presentation of a fearful signal during the Stroop task compared with an emotionally neutral one will prime stress reactivity in a subsequently applied psychosocial stress task, thereby yielding a significant increase in salivary cortisol. Half of 36 participants were repeatedly presented either a fearful face or a neutral one. After this, all underwent a psychosocial stress task. The fearful group showed a significant increase in cortisol levels (p = 0.022). This change was not affected by sex, age and body mass index, and it also did not change when taking resting cortisol levels into account. Post-hoc analyses showed that the increase in cortisol in the fearful group started immediately after the psychosocial stress test. Hence, subliminal exposure to a fearful signal in combination with the Stroop and followed by a psychosocial stress test leads to an increase in stress reactivity. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Dynamic changes in DNA methylation of stress-associated genes (OXTR, BDNF ) after acute psychosocial stress.

PubMed

Unternaehrer, E; Luers, P; Mill, J; Dempster, E; Meyer, A H; Staehli, S; Lieb, R; Hellhammer, D H; Meinlschmidt, G

2012-08-14

Environmentally induced epigenetic alterations are related to mental health. We investigated quantitative DNA methylation status before and after an acute psychosocial stressor in two stress-related genes: oxytocin receptor (OXTR) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF ). The cross sectional study took place at the Division of Theoretical and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Trier, Germany and was conducted from February to August 2009. We included 83 participants aged 61-67 years. Thereof, 76 participants completed the full study procedure consisting of blood sampling before (pre-stress), 10 min after (post-stress) and 90 min after (follow-up) the Trier social stress test. We assessed quantitative DNA methylation of whole-blood cells using Sequenom EpiTYPER. Methylation status differed between sampling times in one target sequence of OXTR (P<0.001): methylation increased from pre- to post-stress (P=0.009) and decreased from post-stress to follow-up (P<0.001). This decrease was also found in a second target sequence of OXTR (P=0.034), where it lost statistical significance when blood cell count was statistically controlled. We did not detect any time-associated differences in methylation status of the examined BDNF region. The results suggest a dynamic regulation of DNA methylation in OXTR-which may in part reflect changes in blood cell composition-but not BDNF after acute psychosocial stress. This may enhance the understanding of how psychosocial events alter DNA methylation and could provide new insights into the etiology of mental disorders.

Relationship between Occupational Stress and Gastric Disease in Male Workers

PubMed Central

Lihm, Ho-Seob; Park, Sang-Hyun; Gong, Eun-Hee; Kim, Jung-Won

2012-01-01

Background Physical and mental health of workers is threatened due to various events and chronic occupational stress. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between occupational stress and gastric disease in male workers of the shipbuilding industry. Methods Occupational stress measured among a total of 498 workers of a shipbuilding firm who visited the hospital for health examination using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS)-short form, and the relationship between sociodemographic factors, health-related behaviors, occupational stress, and gastric disease, and the distribution of occupational stress by sociodemographic factors in the gastric disease group was examined. Results There was no significant association between gastric disease and total occupational stress score and its seven sub-factors. The analysis showed that risk of gastric disease was significantly higher in the Q1 group in which the stress caused by occupational discomfort among seven sub-factors was lowest than that in the Q4 group (odds ratio, 2.819; 95% confidence interval, 1.151 to 6.908). Analysis only on the gastric disease group showed that the stress score of laborers was higher in the four sub-factors than that of office workers (P < 0.05). Analysis on educational background showed that the scores of the three sub-factors were lower in subjects who's highest level of education was high school (P < 0.01). Conclusion This study suggests that it is necessary to improve the culture of Korean collectivism in the workplace and to manage the occupational stress in the low-educated and laborers. It is recommended for future studies to confirm the causal relationship between occupational stress and gastric disease by large scale studies using a KOSS which appropriately reflects workplace culture. PMID:23115706

Acute psychosocial stress and emotion regulation skills modulate empathic reactions to pain in others

PubMed Central

Buruck, Gabriele; Wendsche, Johannes; Melzer, Marlen; Strobel, Alexander; Dörfel, Denise

2014-01-01

Psychosocial stress affects resources for adequate coping with environmental demands. A crucial question in this context is the extent to which acute psychosocial stressors impact empathy and emotion regulation. In the present study, 120 participants were randomly assigned to a control group vs. a group confronted with the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), an established paradigm for the induction of acute psychosocial stress. Empathy for pain as a specific subgroup of empathy was assessed via pain intensity ratings during a pain-picture task. Self-reported emotion regulation skills were measured as predictors using an established questionnaire. Stressed individuals scored significantly lower on the appraisal of pain pictures. A regression model was chosen to find variables that further predict the pain ratings. These findings implicate that acute psychosocial stress might impair empathic processes to observed pain in another person and the ability to accept one's emotion additionally predicts the empathic reaction. Furthermore, the ability to tolerate negative emotions modulated the relation between stress and pain judgments, and thus influenced core cognitive-affective functions relevant for coping with environmental challenges. In conclusion, our study emphasizes the necessity of reducing negative emotions in terms of empathic distress when confronted with pain of another person under psychosocial stress, in order to be able to retain pro-social behavior. PMID:24910626

Association of Maternal Psychosocial Stress With Increased Risk of Asthma Development in Offspring

PubMed Central

Magnus, Maria C; Wright, Rosalind J; Røysamb, Espen; Parr, Christine L; Karlstad, Øystein; Page, Christian M; Nafstad, Per; Håberg, Siri E; London, Stephanie J; Nystad, Wenche

2018-01-01

Abstract Prenatal maternal psychosocial stress might influence the development of childhood asthma. Evaluating paternal psychosocial stress and conducting a sibling comparison could provide further insight into the role of unmeasured confounding. We examined the associations of parental psychosocial stress during and after pregnancy with asthma at age 7 years in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (n = 63,626; children born in 2000–2007). Measures of psychosocial stress included lifetime major depressive symptoms, current anxiety/depression symptoms, use of antidepressants, anxiolytics, and/or hypnotics, life satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, work stress, and social support. Childhood asthma was associated with maternal lifetime major depressive symptoms (adjusted relative risk (aRR) = 1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09, 1.30), in addition to symptoms of anxiety/depression during pregnancy (aRR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.29) and 6 months after delivery (aRR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.28). Maternal negative life events during pregnancy (aRR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.13) and 6 months after delivery (aRR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.11, 1.18) were also associated with asthma. These associations were not replicated when evaluated within sibling groups. There were no associations with paternal psychosocial stress. In conclusion, maternal anxiety/depression and negative life events were associated with offspring asthma, but this might be explained by unmeasured maternal background characteristics that remain stable across deliveries. PMID:29244063

High occupational stress and low career satisfaction of Korean surgeons.

PubMed

Kang, Sang Hee; Boo, Yoon Jung; Lee, Ji Sung; Han, Hyung Joon; Jung, Cheol Woong; Kim, Chong Suk

2015-02-01

Surgery is a demanding and stressful field in Korea. Occupational stress can adversely affect the quality of care, decrease job satisfaction, and potentially increase medical errors. The aim of this study was to investigate the occupational stress and career satisfaction of Korean surgeons. We have conducted an electronic survey of 621 Korean surgeons for the occupational stress. Sixty-five questions were used to assess practical and personal characteristics and occupational stress using the Korean occupational stress scale (KOSS). The mean KOSS score was 49.31, which was higher than the average of Korean occupational stress (45.86) or that of other specialized professions (46.03). Young age, female gender, long working hours, and frequent night duties were significantly related to the higher KOSS score. Having spouse, having hobby and regular exercise decreased the KOSS score. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that long working hours and regular exercise were the independent factors associated with the KOSS score. Less than 50% of surgeons answered that they would become a surgeon again. Most surgeons (82.5%) did not want to recommend their child follow their career. Korean Surgeons have high occupational stress and low level of career satisfaction.

Work-related psychosocial stress and glycemic control among working adults with diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Annor, Francis B; Roblin, Douglas W; Okosun, Ike S; Goodman, Michael

2015-01-01

To examine the association between glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and four subscales of work-related psychosocial stress at study baseline and over time. We used survey data from a major HMO located in the Southeastern part of the US on health and healthy behaviors linked with patients' clinical, pharmacy and laboratory records for the period between 2005 and 2009. Study participants (n=537) consisted of working adults aged 25-59 years, diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM) but without advanced micro or macrovascular complications at the time of the survey. We estimated the baseline (2005) association between HbA1c and work-related psychosocial stress and their interactions using linear regression analysis. Using individual growth model approach, we estimated the association between HbA1c over time and work-related psychosocial stress. Each of the models controlled for socio-demographic variables, diet and physical activity factor, laboratory factor, physical examinations variables and medication use in a hierarchical fashion. After adjusting for all study covariates, we did not find a significant association between work-related psychosocial stress and glycemic control either at baseline or over time. Among fairly healthy middle aged working adults with DM, work-related psychosocial stress was not directly associated with glycemic control. Copyright © 2015 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationship of occupational and non-occupational stress with smoking in automotive industry workers.

PubMed

Hassani, Somayeh; Yazdanparast, Taraneh; Seyedmehdi, Seyed Mohammad; Ghaffari, Mostafa; Attarchi, Mirsaeed; Bahadori, Baharak

2014-01-01

Tobacco use is the second cause of death and first cause of preventable mortality worldwide. Smoking in the workplace is particularly concerning. Smoking-free workplaces decrease the risk of exposure of non-smoking personnel to cigarette smoke. Recent studies have mostly focused on the effect of daily or non-occupational stressors (in comparison with occupational stress) on prevalence of smoking. Occupational stress is often evaluated in workplaces for smoking cessation or control programs, but the role of non-occupational stressors is often disregarded in this respect. This cross-sectional study was conducted in an automobile manufacturing company. The response of automotive industry workers to parts of the validated, reliable, Farsi version of Musculoskeletal Intervention Center (MUSIC)-Norrtalje questionnaire was evaluated. A total of 3,536 factory workers participated in this study. Data were analyzed using SPSS and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. The correlation of smoking with demographic factors, occupational stressors and life events was evaluated. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that even after adjusting for the confounding factors, cigarette smoking was significantly correlated with age, sex, level of education, job control and life events (P<0.05). The results showed that of occupational and non-occupational stressors, only job control was correlated with cigarette smoking. Non-occupational stressors had greater effect on cigarette smoking. Consideration of both non-occupational and occupational stressors can enhance the success of smoking control programs. On the other hand, a combination of smoking control and stress (occupational and non-occupational) control programs can be more effective than smoking cessation interventions alone.

The impact of stress and psychosocial interventions on assisted reproductive technology outcome.

PubMed

Morreale, Mary; Balon, Richard; Tancer, Manuel; Diamond, Michael

2011-01-01

In natural cycles of attempted conception, stress has been shown to predict lower conception rates. The objective of this article is to determine whether stress affects the outcome of assisted reproductive technology (ART) as well. In addition, this article analyzes the effect that psychosocial interventions targeting the reduction of stress have on ART outcomes. This review examined available PubMed articles published in the past 15 years, and 28 articles were included. Looking specifically at numbers of women studied, stress appears to negatively affect ART outcome; interventions targeting stress reduction appear beneficial. Because stress appears to negatively affect ART outcome, and psychosocial interventions do not have detrimental effects, screening for stress should occur and some type of intervention considered during the ART process.

Occupational stress and depression in Korean employees.

PubMed

Cho, Jung Jin; Kim, Ji Yong; Chang, Sei Jin; Fiedler, Nancy; Koh, Sang Baek; Crabtree, Benjamin F; Kang, Dong Mug; Kim, Yong Kyu; Choi, Young Ho

2008-10-01

The purpose of this study is to analyze what aspects of occupational stress predict depression among Korean workers, and determine which components of occupational stress or job characteristics is more strongly associated with depression. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 8,522 workers (21-65 years of age) from a nationwide sample were recruited. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess socio-demographics, job characteristics, depressive symptoms measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and occupational stress assessed by the Korean occupational stress scale (KOSS). Multivariate analyses show that inadequate social support (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.52, 1.66) and discomfort in occupational climate (OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.18, 1.32) were more important risk factors for depression than organizational injustice, job demand and job control. Compared to the 'business activities' industries, 'recreational, cultural and sporting activities' (OR = 3.45, 95% CI = 1.80, 6.58), 'hotel and restaurants' (OR = 3.34, 95% CI = 1.92, 5.80), 'real estate and renting and leasing' (OR = 2.24, 95% CI = 1.13, 4.44), 'wholesale and retail' (OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.28, 2.67), 'transportation' (OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.11, 3.07), and 'financial institute and insurance' (OR = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.04, 2.48) industries had significantly greater risk of depression after controlling for gender, age, marital status, duration of employment and all subscale of KOSS. The finding that inadequate social support and discomfort in occupational climate is a better predictor of depressive symptoms than organizational injustice in Korea, indicates that the newly developed KOSS has cultural relevance for assessing occupational stress in Korea. Future studies need to understand factors such as "emotional labor" within certain industries where increased risk for depression is observed.

Occupational Stress and Physical Symptoms among Family Medicine Residents

PubMed Central

Choi, So-Myung; Park, Yong Soon; Kim, Go-Young

2013-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to examine the levels of occupational stress and physical symptoms among family medicine residents and investigate the effect of subscales of occupational stress on physical symptoms. Methods A self-administered questionnaire survey of 1,152 family medicine residents was carried out via e-mail from April 2010 to July 2010. The response rate was 13.1% and the R (ver. 2.9.1) was used for the analysis of completed data obtained from 150 subjects. The questionnaire included demographic factors, resident training related factors, 24-items of the Korean Occupational Stress Scales and Korean Versions of the Wahler Physical Symptom Inventory. Results The total score of occupational stress of family medicine residents was relatively low compared to that of average workers. The scores of 'high job demand', 'inadequate social support', 'organizational injustice', and 'discomfort in occupational climate' were within the top 50%. Parameters associated with higher occupational stress included level of training, on-duty time, daily patient load, critical patient assigned, total working days, night duty day, sleep duration, and sleep quality. The six subscales of occupational stress, except for 'Job insecurity', had a significant positive correlation with physical symptom scores after adjustment had been made for potential confounders (total score, r = 0.325 and P < 0.001; high job demand, r = 0.439 and P < 0.001). Conclusion After the adjustment had been made for potential confounders, the total score of occupational stress and six subscales in family medicine residents showed a significant positive correlation with physical symptom scores. PMID:23372906

A prospective study of musculoskeletal outcomes among manufacturing workers: II. Effects of psychosocial stress and work organization factors.

PubMed

Gerr, Fredric; Fethke, Nathan B; Anton, Dan; Merlino, Linda; Rosecrance, John; Marcus, Michele; Jones, Michael P

2014-02-01

The aim of this study was to characterize associations between psychosocial and work organizational risk factors and upper-extremity musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders. Methodological limitations of previous studies of psychosocial and work organizational risk factors and musculoskeletal outcomes have produced inconsistent associations. In this prospective epidemiologic study of 386 workers, questionnaires to assess decision latitude ("control") and psychological job demands ("demand") were administered to study participants and were used to classify them into job strain "quadrants". Measures of job stress and job change were collected during each week of follow-up. Incident hand/arm and neck/shoulder symptoms and disorders were ascertained weekly. Associations between exposure measures and musculoskeletal outcomes were estimated with proportional hazard methods. When compared to the low-demand/high-control job strain referent category, large increases in risk of hand/arm disorders were observed for both high-demand/high-control (hazard ratio [HR] = 4.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.23, 16.4]) and high-demand/low-control job strain categories (HR = 5.18,95% CI = [1.39, 19.4]). Similar associations were observed for hand/arm symptoms. A strong association was also observed between the low-demand/low-control job strain category and neck/shoulder disorders (HR = 6.46, 95% CI = [1.46, 28.6]). Statistically significant associations were also observed between weekly stress level and weekly job change and several musculoskeletal outcomes. Associations between psychosocial risk factors and work organizational factors and musculoskeletal outcomes were large and in the hypothesized direction. Prevention of occupational musculoskeletal disorders may require attention to psychosocial and work organizational factors in addition to physical factors. Methods to control adverse effects of psychosocial and work organizational risk factors should be explored.

Psychosocial stress in pregnancy and preterm birth: associations and mechanisms

PubMed Central

Shapiro, Gabriel D.; Fraser, William D.; Frasch, Martin G.; Séguin, Jean R.

2016-01-01

Aims Psychosocial stress during pregnancy (PSP) is a risk factor of growing interest in the etiology of preterm birth (PTB). This literature review assesses the published evidence concerning the association between PSP and PTB, highlighting established and hypothesized physiological pathways mediating this association. Method The PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched using the keywords “psychosocial stress”, “pregnancy”, “pregnancy stress”, “preterm”, “preterm birth”, “gestational age”, “anxiety”, and “social support”. After applying the exclusion criteria, the search produced 107 articles. Results The association of PSP with PTB varied according to the dimensions and timing of PSP. Stronger associations were generally found in early pregnancy, and most studies demonstrating positive results found moderate effect sizes, with risk ratios between 1.2 and 2.1. Subjective perception of stress and pregnancy-related anxiety appeared to be the stress measures most closely associated with PTB. Potential physiological pathways identified included behavioral, infectious, neuroinflammatory, and neuroendocrine mechanisms. Conclusions Future research should examine the biological pathways of these different psychosocial stress dimensions and at multiple time points across pregnancy. Culture-independent characterization of the vaginal microbiome and noninvasive monitoring of cholinergic activity represent two exciting frontiers in this research. PMID:24216160

Mitochondrial Gene Expression Profiles Are Associated with Maternal Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy and Infant Temperament.

PubMed

Lambertini, Luca; Chen, Jia; Nomura, Yoko

2015-01-01

Gene-environment interactions mediate through the placenta and shape the fetal brain development. Between the environmental determinants of the fetal brain, maternal psychosocial stress in pregnancy has been shown to negatively influence the infant temperament development. This in turn may have adverse consequences on the infant neurodevelopment extending throughout the entire life-span. However little is known about the underlying biological mechanisms of the effects of maternal psychosocial stress in pregnancy on infant temperament. Environmental stressors such as maternal psychosocial stress in pregnancy activate the stress response cascade that in turn drives the increase in the cellular energy demand of vital organs with high metabolic rates such as, in pregnancy, the placenta. Key players of the stress response cascade are the mitochondria. Here, we tested the expression of all 13 protein-coding genes encoded by the mitochondria in 108 placenta samples from the Stress in Pregnancy birth cohort, a study that aims at determining the influence of in utero exposure to maternal psychosocial stress in pregnancy on infant temperament. We showed that the expression of the protein-coding mitochondrial-encoded gene MT-ND2 was positively associated with indices of maternal psychosocial stress in pregnancy including Prenatal Perceived Stress (β = 0.259; p-regression = 0.004; r2-regression = 0.120), State Anxiety (β = 0.218; p-regression = 0.003; r2-regression = 0.153), Trait Anxiety (β = 0.262; p-regression = 0.003; r2-regression = 0.129) and Pregnancy Anxiety Total (β = 0.208; p-regression = 0.010; r2-regression = 0.103). In the meantime MT-ND2 was negatively associated with the infant temperament indices of Activity Level (β = -0.257; p-regression = 0.008; r2-regression = 0.165) and Smile and Laughter (β = -0.286; p-regression = 0.036; r2-regression = 0.082). Additionally, MT-ND6 was associated with the maternal psychosocial stress in pregnancy index of Prenatal

The Effect of Personality on Occupational Stress in Veterinary Surgeons.

PubMed

Dawson, Briony F Y; Thompson, Neill J

Statistics show that veterinary surgeons are in one of the professions with the highest suicide rates. This indicates the sector has significant well-being issues, with high levels of occupational stress and burnout. Previous research has focused on environmental factors in isolation, overlooking the influence of personality. This study aimed to establish that personality is a better predictor of occupational stress than environment. UK veterinary surgeons (n=311) completed an online survey composed of three questionnaires; the NEO Five-Factor Inventory, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and the Job Stress Survey. Multiple regression analysis revealed that personality is a better predictor of occupational stress than environment (p<.001). Neuroticism is the trait that significantly predicts occupational stress (p<.001), and the components of neuroticism that contribute the most to stress are depression (p=.002) and anger hostility (p=.005). Demographic factors such as the number of years the veterinarian has been qualified acted as a mediator between depression and occupational stress (p<.001), and as a moderator between personal accomplishments and occupational stress (p=.028). Overall findings suggest that newly qualified veterinarians are at greater risk of suffering from high levels of occupational stress than those well established in the profession, and that veterinarians with higher levels of depression and anger hostility are likely to experience greater levels of occupational stress. Implications highlight the need for greater awareness of potentially susceptible personality traits in the veterinary admissions process. This would allow for the identification of those at risk and the implementation of interventions.

[Gender difference of relationship between occupational stress and depressive symptoms].

PubMed

Yu, Shan-fa; Gu, Gui-zhen; Zhou, Wen-hui; Zhou, Shi-yi; Yang, Xiao-fa; Sun, Shi-yi

2011-12-01

To explore gender difference of relationship between occupational stress and depressive symptoms. The cross-sectional study was used to investigate 5338 workers in 13 factories and companies, the depressive symptoms were assessed with Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the perceived occupational stress was evaluated by the Chinese version of the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) and Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) Model Questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to estimate the associations between occupational stress and prevalence of depressive symptoms. Prevalence of depressive symptoms was 31.8% for all subjects, 33.8% for males and 27.7% for females, gender difference of prevalence was significant (P < 0.01). Psychological demands, physical demands, job control, effort, overcommitment and negative affectivity scores for males were significantly higher than those for females(P < 0.01 or 0.05), social support, reward and job satisfaction scores for males were significantly lower than those for females (P < 0.01). Psychological demands, physical demands, job control, effort, overcommitment and negative affectivity scores for workers with depressive symptoms were significantly higher than those for workers without depressive symptoms (P < 0.01) but job control, social support, reward, job satisfaction and positive affectivity scores for workers with depressive symptoms were significantly lower than those for without depressive symptoms (P < 0.01). Psychological demands, physical demands, job control, effort, overcommitment and negative affectivity scores for male workers with depressive symptoms were significantly higher than those for female counterparts (P < 0.01), but social support, reward, job satisfaction scores for male workers with depressive symptoms were significantly lower than hose for female workers with depressive symptoms (P < 0.01). Ratio of male workers and male workers with depressive symptoms with job strain and ERI

Are Workplace Psychosocial Factors Associated With Work-Related Injury in the US Workforce?: National Health Interview Survey, 2010.

PubMed

Farnacio, Yvonne; Pratt, Michael E; Marshall, Elizabeth G; Graber, Judith M

2017-10-01

Psychosocial hazards in the workplace may adversely impact occupational and general health, including injury risk. Among 16,417 adult workers in the 2010 National Health Interview Survey Occupational Health Supplement, weighted prevalence estimates were calculated for work-related injuries (WRI) and any injuries. The association between injury and psychosocial occupational hazards (job insecurity, work-family imbalance, hostile work environment) was assessed adjusting for sociodemographic and occupational factors. WRI prevalence was 0.65% (n = 99); any injury prevalence was 2.46% (n = 427). In multivariable models job insecurity, work-family imbalance, and hostile work environment were each positively associated with WRI prevalence (odds ratio [OR]: 1.60, 95% CI: 0.97-2.65; OR: 1.69, 95% CI 0.96-2.89; and 2.01, 95% CI 0.94-4.33, respectively). Stressful working conditions may contribute to injuries. There is need for ongoing surveillance of occupational psychosocial risk factors and further study of their relationship with injury.

Relationship of Occupational and Non-Occupational Stress with Smoking in Automotive Industry Workers

PubMed Central

Hassani, Somayeh; Yazdanparast, Taraneh; Ghaffari, Mostafa; Attarchi, Mirsaeed; Bahadori, Baharak

2014-01-01

Background Tobacco use is the second cause of death and first cause of preventable mortality worldwide. Smoking in the workplace is particularly concerning. Smoking-free workplaces decrease the risk of exposure of non-smoking personnel to cigarette smoke. Recent studies have mostly focused on the effect of daily or non-occupational stressors (in comparison with occupational stress) on prevalence of smoking. Occupational stress is often evaluated in workplaces for smoking cessation or control programs, but the role of non-occupational stressors is often disregarded in this respect. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in an automobile manufacturing company. The response of automotive industry workers to parts of the validated, reliable, Farsi version of Musculoskeletal Intervention Center (MUSIC)-Norrtalje questionnaire was evaluated. A total of 3,536 factory workers participated in this study. Data were analyzed using SPSS and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The correlation of smoking with demographic factors, occupational stressors and life events was evaluated. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that even after adjusting for the confounding factors, cigarette smoking was significantly correlated with age, sex, level of education, job control and life events (P<0.05). Conclusion The results showed that of occupational and non-occupational stressors, only job control was correlated with cigarette smoking. Non-occupational stressors had greater effect on cigarette smoking. Consideration of both non-occupational and occupational stressors can enhance the success of smoking control programs. On the other hand, a combination of smoking control and stress (occupational and non-occupational) control programs can be more effective than smoking cessation interventions alone. PMID:25506374

Relationship between psychosocial stress and hypertension among Ghanaians in Amsterdam, the Netherlands – the GHAIA study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Hypertension is highly prevalent among recent sub-Saharan African (SSA) migrants in western countries and some tend to associate their hypertension to psychosocial stress. However data on the relationship between hypertension and psychosocial stress among SSA migrants are rare. We assessed the relationship between psychosocial stress and hypertension among the largest SSA migrant population (Ghanaians) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Methods Data were obtained from structured interviews along with medical examination among 212 participants from a cross-sectional study: the GHAIA study in 2010 in Amsterdam. Blood pressure was measured with a validated Oscillometric automated digital blood pressure device. Psychosocial stress was assessed by questionnaires on perceived discrimination, depressive symptoms and financial problems. Binary logistic regression was used to study associations between psychosocial stress and hypertension. Results The overall prevalence of hypertension was 54.7%. About two thirds of the study population experienced a moderate (31%) or high (36%) level of discrimination. 20.0% of the participants had mild depressive symptoms, whilst 9% had moderate depressive symptoms. The prevalence of financial stress was 34.8%. The psychosocial stresses we assessed were not significantly associated with hypertension: adjusted odds ratios comparing those with low levels and those with high levels were 0.99 (95% CI, 0.47–2.08) for perceived discrimination, 0.81 (95% CI, 0.26–2.49) for depressive symptoms and 0.71 (95% CI, 0.37–1.36) for financial stress, respectively. Conclusion We did not find evidence for the association between psychosocial stress and hypertension among recent SSA migrants. More efforts are needed to unravel other potential factors that may underlie the high prevalence of hypertension among these populations. PMID:25001592

Psychosocial work characteristics of personal care and service occupations: a process for developing meaningful measures for a multiethnic workforce.

PubMed

Hoppe, Annekatrin; Heaney, Catherine A; Fujishiro, Kaori; Gong, Fang; Baron, Sherry

2015-01-01

Despite their rapid increase in number, workers in personal care and service occupations are underrepresented in research on psychosocial work characteristics and occupational health. Some of the research challenges stem from the high proportion of immigrants in these occupations. Language barriers, low literacy, and cultural differences as well as their nontraditional work setting (i.e., providing service for one person in his/her home) make generic questionnaire measures inadequate for capturing salient aspects of personal care and service work. This study presents strategies for (1) identifying psychosocial work characteristics of home care workers that may affect their occupational safety and health and (2) creating survey measures that overcome barriers posed by language, low literacy, and cultural differences. We pursued these aims in four phases: (Phase 1) Six focus groups to identify the psychosocial work characteristics affecting the home care workers' occupational safety and health; (Phase 2) Selection of questionnaire items (i.e., questions or statements to assess the target construct) and first round of cognitive interviews (n = 30) to refine the items in an iterative process; (Phase 3) Item revision and second round of cognitive interviews (n = 11); (Phase 4) Quantitative pilot test to ensure the scales' reliability and validity across three language groups (English, Spanish, and Chinese; total n = 404). Analysis of the data from each phase informed the nature of subsequent phases. This iterative process ensured that survey measures not only met the reliability and validity criteria across groups, but were also meaningful to home care workers. This complex process is necessary when conducting research with nontraditional and multilingual worker populations.

Occupational stress in the multicultural workplace.

PubMed

Pasca, Romana; Wagner, Shannon L

2011-08-01

Occupational stress is a well researched topic leading to the development of strong, viable models of workplace stress. However, there is a gap in the literature with respect to the applicability of this research to specific cultural groups, in particular those of immigrant status. The present paper reviews the extant literature regarding occupational stress from a multicultural perspective, evaluates the usefulness for existing models in the multicultural context, and discusses current issues with respect to increasing multiculturalism in the work environment. The authors conclude that workforce diversity is emerging as a pressing issue of organizational life and consequently, that future research needs to continue investigating whether current knowledge regarding workplace stress is fitting with the multicultural diversity of the present-day working population.

Impact of occupational stress on stroke across occupational classes and genders.

PubMed

Tsutsumi, Akizumi; Kayaba, Kazunori; Ishikawa, Shizukiyo

2011-05-01

The aims of the present study were to analyze the association between incident stroke, occupational class and stress and to examine whether the association is found in both men and women in a prospective study of Japanese male and female workers. A total of 3190 male and 3363 female Japanese community-dwelling workers aged 65 or under with no history of cardiovascular disease were followed. Occupational stress was evaluated using a demand-control questionnaire. The impact on stroke was examined in stratified analyses of occupational classes. We identified 147 incident strokes (91 in men and 56 in women) during the 11-year follow-up period. Men with high strain jobs (combination of high job demand and low job control) were nearly three times more likely to suffer from a stroke than men with low strain jobs (combination of low job demand and high job control). Among male workers in low occupational classes (blue-collar and non-managerial work), job strain was associated with a higher risk of stroke. In contrast, there was no association between job strain and incident stroke among male workers in high occupational classes (white-collar and managerial work). No statistically significant differences were found for stroke incidence among the job characteristic categories in all the female participants. However, significant, over five-fold excess risks were found among white-collar and managerial female workers exposed to high job strain, compared with their counterparts with low strain jobs. Our study of Japanese workers provided supportive evidence for vulnerability to occupational stress among lower occupational class workers in males but not in females. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial stress alters the strength of reticulospinal input to the human upper trapezius.

PubMed

Marker, Ryan J; Campeau, Serge; Maluf, Katrina S

2017-01-01

Psychosocial stress has been shown to influence several aspects of human motor control associated with the fight-or-flight response, including augmentation of upper trapezius muscle activity. Given the established role of the reticular formation in arousal, this study investigated the contribution of reticulospinal activation to trapezius muscle activity during exposure to an acute psychosocial stressor. Twenty-five healthy adults were exposed to startling acoustic stimuli (SAS) while performing a motor task during periods of low and high psychosocial stress. Acoustic startle reflexes (ASRs) were recorded in the upper trapezius during low intensity contractions using both surface and intramuscular electromyography. Exposure to the stressor increased subjective and physiological measures of arousal (P < 0.01). The majority of participants demonstrated inhibitory ASRs, whereas a small subgroup with significantly higher trait anxiety (n = 5) demonstrated excitatory ASRs in the low stress condition. Changes in synaptic input for inhibitory ASRs were confirmed by decreases in the discharge rate of single motor units in response to the SAS. ASRs decreased in magnitude for all participants during exposure to the acute psychosocial stressor. These findings suggest that the reticular formation has predominately inhibitory effects on the human upper trapezius during an ongoing motor task and that disinhibition caused by psychosocial stress may contribute to augmentation of trapezius muscle activity. Further research is required to investigate mechanisms underlying the complex ASRs characterized by this study, particularly the phase reversal to excitatory responses observed among more anxious individuals. This study is the first to quantify stress-evoked changes in the acoustic startle reflex in the upper trapezius muscle of humans, and our findings reveal a complex pattern of inhibitory and facilitatory responses consistent with observations in nonhuman primates. We further

Psychosocial stress alters the strength of reticulospinal input to the human upper trapezius

PubMed Central

Marker, Ryan J.; Campeau, Serge

2016-01-01

Psychosocial stress has been shown to influence several aspects of human motor control associated with the fight-or-flight response, including augmentation of upper trapezius muscle activity. Given the established role of the reticular formation in arousal, this study investigated the contribution of reticulospinal activation to trapezius muscle activity during exposure to an acute psychosocial stressor. Twenty-five healthy adults were exposed to startling acoustic stimuli (SAS) while performing a motor task during periods of low and high psychosocial stress. Acoustic startle reflexes (ASRs) were recorded in the upper trapezius during low intensity contractions using both surface and intramuscular electromyography. Exposure to the stressor increased subjective and physiological measures of arousal (P < 0.01). The majority of participants demonstrated inhibitory ASRs, whereas a small subgroup with significantly higher trait anxiety (n = 5) demonstrated excitatory ASRs in the low stress condition. Changes in synaptic input for inhibitory ASRs were confirmed by decreases in the discharge rate of single motor units in response to the SAS. ASRs decreased in magnitude for all participants during exposure to the acute psychosocial stressor. These findings suggest that the reticular formation has predominately inhibitory effects on the human upper trapezius during an ongoing motor task and that disinhibition caused by psychosocial stress may contribute to augmentation of trapezius muscle activity. Further research is required to investigate mechanisms underlying the complex ASRs characterized by this study, particularly the phase reversal to excitatory responses observed among more anxious individuals. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study is the first to quantify stress-evoked changes in the acoustic startle reflex in the upper trapezius muscle of humans, and our findings reveal a complex pattern of inhibitory and facilitatory responses consistent with observations in nonhuman

[Association of occupational stress with quality of working life].

PubMed

Zhang, Qin; Lan, Ya-Jia; Chen, Hong-Mei

2011-07-01

To assess occupational stress and quality of working life (QWL) and their association in workers with different jobs. The Occupational Stress Inventory Revised Edition (OSI-R) and Quality of Working Life Scale (QWL7-32) were administered to 194 workers in the Liaohe Oilfield. The association between occupational stress and quality of working life was analysed by controlling job types and other confounding variables. Office workers had significantly lower scores in occupational role questionnaire (ORQ) and personal strain questionnaire (PSQ) and higher scores in personal resources questionnaire (PRQ) and QWL than physical laborers (P<0.05). The PSQ scores were positively correlated with the ORQ scores and negatively correlated with the PRQ scores. The QWL scores were negatively correlated with the ORQ and PSQ scores, and positively correlated with the PRQ scores (P<0.001). The QWL scores changed with job types. The QWL scores declined with the increase of stress levels (P<0.01). ORQ, role boundary (RB), role insufficiency (RI), physical environment (PE), PSQ, vocational strain (VS), interpersonal strain (IS) and PRQ had a significant impact on quality of working life (P<0.01). Occupational stress is associated with quality of working life. Quality of working life can be improved through control of occupational stress.

Self-perceived stress reactivity is an indicator of psychosocial impairment at the workplace

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Work related stress is associated with a range of debilitating health outcomes. However, no unanimously accepted assessment tool exists for the early identification of individuals suffering from chronic job stress. The psychological concept of self-perceived stress reactivity refers to the individual disposition of a person to answer stressors with immediate as well as long lasting stress reactions, and it could be a valid indicator of current as well as prospective adverse health outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which perceived stress reactivity correlates with various parameters of psychosocial health, cardiovascular risk factors, and parameters of chronic stress and job stress in a sample of middle-aged industrial employees in a so-called "sandwich-position". Methods In this cross-sectional study, a total of 174 industrial employees were assessed for psychosocial and biological stress parameters. Differences between groups with high and low stress reactivity were analysed. Logistic regression models were applied to identify which parameters allow to predict perceived high versus low stress reactivity. Results In our sample various parameters of psychosocial stress like chronic stress and effort-reward imbalance were significantly increased in comparison to the normal population. Compared to employees with perceived low stress reactivity, those with perceived high stress reactivity showed poorer results in health-related complaints, depression, anxiety, sports behaviour, chronic stress, and effort-reward imbalance. The educational status of employees with perceived low stress reactivity is higher. Education, cardiovascular complaints, chronic stress, and effort-reward imbalance were moderate predictors for perceived stress reactivity. However, no relationship was found between stress reactivity and cardiovascular risk factors in our sample. Conclusions Job stress is a major burden in a relevant subgroup of industrial

Re-evaluating occupational heat stress in a changing climate.

PubMed

Spector, June T; Sheffield, Perry E

2014-10-01

The potential consequences of occupational heat stress in a changing climate on workers, workplaces, and global economies are substantial. Occupational heat stress risk is projected to become particularly high in middle- and low-income tropical and subtropical regions, where optimal controls may not be readily available. This commentary presents occupational heat stress in the context of climate change, reviews its impacts, and reflects on implications for heat stress assessment and control. Future efforts should address limitations of existing heat stress assessment methods and generate economical, practical, and universal approaches that can incorporate data of varying levels of detail, depending on resources. Validation of these methods should be performed in a wider variety of environments, and data should be collected and analyzed centrally for both local and large-scale hazard assessments and to guide heat stress adaptation planning. Heat stress standards should take into account variability in worker acclimatization, other vulnerabilities, and workplace resources. The effectiveness of controls that are feasible and acceptable should be evaluated. Exposure scientists are needed, in collaboration with experts in other areas, to effectively prevent and control occupational heat stress in a changing climate. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

Quantifying Multiple Work-Related Psychosocial Risk Factors: Proposal for a Composite Indicator Based on the COPSOQ II.

PubMed

Stauder, Adrienne; Nistor, Katalin; Zakor, Tünde; Szabó, Anita; Nistor, Anikó; Ádám, Szilvia; Konkolÿ Thege, Barna

2017-12-01

To determine national reference values for the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ II) across occupational sectors and develop a composite score to estimate the cumulative effect of multiple work-related stressors, in order to facilitate the implementation of occupational health directives on psychosocial risk assessment. Cross-sectional data was collected via an online questionnaire. The sample included 13,104 individuals and was representative of the general Hungarian adult working population in terms of gender, age, education, and occupation. Mean scores were calculated for 18 scales on work environment and for 5 outcome scales of the COPSOQ II across 18 occupational sectors. We analyzed the association between a composite psychosocial risk score (CPRS), reflecting severity of exposure to multiple risk factors, and high stress, burnout, sleep troubles, and poor self-rated health. We found occupation-related differences in the mean scores on all COPSOQ II scales. Scores on the "Stress" scale ranged from 47.9 to 56.2, with the highest mean score in accommodation and food services sector. Variability was greatest with respect to emotional demands (range 40.3-67.6) and smallest with respect to role clarity (range 70.3-75.7). The prevalence of negative health outcomes increased with the CPRS. Five risk categories were formed, for which the odds ratio of negative outcomes ranged from 1.6 to 56.5. The sector-specific psychosocial risk profiles covering 18 work environmental factors can be used as a reference in organizational surveys and international comparisons. The CPRS proved to be a powerful predictor of self-reported negative health outcomes.

Financial stress response profiles and psychosocial functioning in low-income parents.

PubMed

Perzow, Sarah E D; Bray, Bethany C; Wadsworth, Martha E

2018-06-01

Parenting in the context of poverty is accompanied by heightened stress and heightened stakes. How parents respond to poverty-related stress has important implications for family functioning, but research investigating individual differences in low-income mothers' and fathers' responses to financial stress and their associations with parents' concurrent psychosocial adaptation is lacking. A better understanding of differences in stress responses among low-income parents is required to develop and tailor prevention programs that meet these families' needs. This study applies latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify and describe profiles of financial stress responses (problem solving, emotion regulation, emotion expression, cognitive restructuring, positive thinking, acceptance, distraction, denial, avoidance, wishful thinking, rumination, intrusive thoughts, emotional arousal, physiologic arousal, impulsive action, emotional numbing, cognitive interference, escape, and inaction) and examines associations between profile membership and psychosocial functioning in low-income parents. Five profiles were identified that were distinguished by self-reported voluntary and involuntary financial stress responses: active (32% of sample), low (11%), high (11%), negative cognitive (NC; 17%), and average (29%) responders. Notable differences emerged on measures of life stress, economic hardship, psychopathology, and social support, with individuals in the NC responders profile reporting the most difficulty and members of the active responders profile reporting the greatest adaptation. These findings offer a more nuanced understanding of how mothers and fathers respond to chronic poverty-related stress and have valuable implications for intervention efforts to promote adaptive stress responses and psychosocial functioning in low-income families. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Occupational stress, coping and mental health in Jamaican police officers.

PubMed

Nelson, K V; Smith, A P

2016-08-01

Police are exposed to a wide range of stressors and this is especially true in developing countries such as Jamaica. Exposure to psychosocial stressors and use of maladaptive coping styles can result in mental ill-health. To examine the relationship between work characteristics, coping and mental health in Jamaican police officers and to test whether work characteristics are indirectly associated with mental health outcomes through perceived job stress and job satisfaction. Police officers from the Jamaican police force completed a questionnaire using a cross-sectional design. We analysed the data using hierarchical regression. The study group consisted of 134 police officers; the response rate was 94%. Negative work characteristics, lower levels of positive work factors and work support and emotion-focused coping styles were associated with increased levels of depression (F(8, 125) = 7.465, P < 0.001). Subjective feelings of anxiety were positively associated with negative work characteristics and emotion-focused coping (F(8, 125) = 7.586, P < 0.001). The relationship between work characteristics and mental health outcomes was mediated by perceived stress. Job satisfaction mediated the relationship between positive work characteristics and depression. Stress management and intervention programmes should address modifiable work conditions, monitor stress levels and reduce maladaptive coping. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine.

Causes and Alleviation of Occupational Stress in Child Care Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dillenburger, Karola

2004-01-01

Occupational stress in not a new phenomenon in the working population. However, in the helping professions it has only recently attracted attention. The survey reported here was carried out in order to assess the extent of occupational stress, identify its causes, and suggest ways in which occupational stress can be alleviated. Field social…

The effects of a psychosocial dimension of socioeconomic position on survival: occupational prestige and mortality among US working adults

PubMed Central

Christ, Sharon L.; Fleming, Lora E.; Lee, David J.; Muntaner, Carles; Muennig, Peter A.; Caban-Martinez, Alberto J.

2016-01-01

The association between education or income and mortality has been explored in great detail. These measures capture both the effects of material disadvantage on health and the psychosocial impacts of a low socioeconomic position on health. When explored independently of educational attainment and income, occupational prestige – a purely perceptual measure – serves as a measure of the impact of a psychosocial phenomenon on health. For instance, a fire-fighter, academician or schoolteacher may carry the social benefits of a higher social status without actually having the income (in all cases) or the educational credentials (in the case of the fire-fighter) to match. We explored the independent influence of occupational prestige on mortality. We applied Cox proportional hazards models to a nationally representative sample of over 380,000 US workers who had worked at any time between 1986 and 1994 with mortality follow up through 2002. We found that occupational prestige is associated with a decrease in the risk of all-cause, cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory-related mortality after controlling for household income and educational attainment. We further investigated the question of whether the effects of prestige are moderated by sex and broader occupational groupings. Prestige effects operate in white-collar occupations for men only and within service occupations for all workers. PMID:22443309

Information processing speed as a mediator between psychosocial stress and global cognition in older adults.

PubMed

Foong, Hui F; Hamid, Tengku A; Ibrahim, Rahimah; Haron, Sharifah A

2018-01-01

The link between psychosocial stress and cognitive function is complex, and previous studies have indicated that it may be mediated by processing speed. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to examine whether processing speed mediates the association between psychosocial stress and global cognition in older adults. Moreover, the moderating role of gender in this model is examined as well. The study included 2322 community-dwelling older adults in Malaysia who were randomly selected through a multistage proportional cluster random sampling technique. Global cognition construct was measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination and Montreal Cognitive Assessment; psychosocial stress construct was measured by perceived stress, depression, loneliness, and neuroticism; and processing speed was assessed by the Digit Symbol Substitution Test. Structural equation modelling was used to analyze the mediation and moderation tests. Processing speed was found to partially mediate the relationship between psychosocial stress and global cognition (β in the direct model = -0.15, P < 0.001; β in the full mediation model = -0.11, P < 0.001). Moreover, the relationship between psychosocial stress and global cognition was found to be significant in men only, whereas the association between processing speed and global cognition was significant in men and women. Psychosocial stress may increase the likelihood that older adults will experience poor processing capacity, which could reduce their higher level cognition. Results indicate that there is a need to develop processing capacity intervention programmes for psychologically distressed older adults to prevent them from suffering cognitive decline. © 2018 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.

Heart rate variability and occupational stress-systematic review.

PubMed

Järvelin-Pasanen, Susanna; Sinikallio, Sanna; Tarvainen, Mika P

2018-06-16

The aim of this systematic review was to explore studies regarding association between occupational stress and heart rate variability (HRV) during work. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cinahl and PsycINFO for peer-reviewed articles published in English between January 2005 and September 2017. A total of 10 articles met the inclusion criteria. The included articles were analyzed in terms of study design, study population, assessment of occupational stress and HRV, and the study limitations. Among the studies there were cross-sectional (n=9) studies and one longitudinal study design. Sample size varied from 19 to 653 participants and both females and males were included. The most common assessment methods of occupational stress were the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) and the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) questionnaire. HRV was assessed using 24-hours or longer Holter ECG or HR monitoring and analyzed mostly using standard time-domain and frequency-domain parameters. The main finding was that heightened occupational stress was found associated with lowered HRV, specifically with reduced parasympathetic activation. Reduced parasympathetic activation was seen as decreases in RMSSD and HF power, and increase in LF/HF ratio. The assessment and analysis methods of occupational stress and HRV were diverse.

Endurance- and Resistance-Trained Men Exhibit Lower Cardiovascular Responses to Psychosocial Stress Than Untrained Men.

PubMed

Gröpel, Peter; Urner, Maren; Pruessner, Jens C; Quirin, Markus

2018-01-01

Evidence shows that regular physical exercise reduces physiological reactivity to psychosocial stress. However, previous research mainly focused on the effect of endurance exercise, with only a few studies looking at the effect of resistance exercise. The current study tested whether individuals who regularly participate in either endurance or resistance training differ from untrained individuals in adrenal and cardiovascular reactivity to psychosocial stress. Twelve endurance-trained men, 10 resistance-trained men, and 12 healthy but untrained men were exposed to a standardized psychosocial stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test. Measurements of heart rate, free salivary cortisol levels, and mood were obtained throughout the test and compared among the three groups. Overall, both endurance- and resistance-trained men had lower heart rate levels than untrained men, indicating higher cardiac performance of the trained groups. Trained men also exhibited lower heart rate responses to psychosocial stress compared with untrained men. There were no significant group differences in either cortisol responses or mood responses to the stressor. The heart rate results are consistent with previous studies indicating reduced cardiovascular reactivity to psychosocial stress in trained individuals. These findings suggest that long-term endurance and resistance trainings may be related to the same cardiovascular benefits, without exhibiting strong effects on the cortisol reactivity to stress.

Stressful Segregation Housing and Psychosocial Vulnerability in Prison Suicide Ideators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonner, Ronald L.

2006-01-01

Psychosocially vulnerable prisoners under stressful conditions of confinement are ill prepared to cope and at risk for developing suicide intention. The present study examined the relationships of depression, hopelessness, reasons for living, mental health problem history, suicide attempt lethality history, and stressful segregation housing with…

Aged rats are hypo-responsive to acute restraint: implications for psychosocial stress in aging

PubMed Central

Buechel, Heather M.; Popovic, Jelena; Staggs, Kendra; Anderson, Katie L.; Thibault, Olivier; Blalock, Eric M.

2013-01-01

Cognitive processes associated with prefrontal cortex and hippocampus decline with age and are vulnerable to disruption by stress. The stress/stress hormone/allostatic load hypotheses of brain aging posit that brain aging, at least in part, is the manifestation of life-long stress exposure. In addition, as humans age, there is a profound increase in the incidence of new onset stressors, many of which are psychosocial (e.g., loss of job, death of spouse, social isolation), and aged humans are well-understood to be more vulnerable to the negative consequences of such new-onset chronic psychosocial stress events. However, the mechanistic underpinnings of this age-related shift in chronic psychosocial stress response, or the initial acute phase of that chronic response, have been less well-studied. Here, we separated young (3 month) and aged (21 month) male F344 rats into control and acute restraint (an animal model of psychosocial stress) groups (n = 9–12/group). We then assessed hippocampus-associated behavioral, electrophysiological, and transcriptional outcomes, as well as blood glucocorticoid and sleep architecture changes. Aged rats showed characteristic water maze, deep sleep, transcriptome, and synaptic sensitivity changes compared to young. Young and aged rats showed similar levels of distress during the 3 h restraint, as well as highly significant increases in blood glucocorticoid levels 21 h after restraint. However, young, but not aged, animals responded to stress exposure with water maze deficits, loss of deep sleep and hyperthermia. These results demonstrate that aged subjects are hypo-responsive to new-onset acute psychosocial stress, which may have negative consequences for long-term stress adaptation and suggest that age itself may act as a stressor occluding the influence of new onset stressors. PMID:24575039

Relationship between occupational stress and cardiovascular diseases risk factors in drivers.

PubMed

Biglari, Hamed; Ebrahimi, Mohammad Hossein; Salehi, Maryam; Poursadeghiyan, Mohsen; Ahmadnezhad, Iman; Abbasi, Milad

2016-11-18

Of all work stressors, occupational stress is the leading cause of many disorders among workers. Drivers are classified as a high risk group for work related stress. This study set out to determine the relationship between risk factors of cardiovascular diseases and occupational stress among drivers. Two hundred and twenty two Ilam's intercity drivers were selected for the study. For measuring work stress, the Osipow work stress questionnaire was used. After a 10-h fasting period, systolic and diastolic blood pressure was recorded. Intravenous blood samples were taken to determine cholesterol, triglyceride and blood glucose levels. The independent samples t-test and Pearson's correlation test were used to assess the relationship between variables and occupational stress. Seventy-one percent of the intercity drivers suffered from average to acute stress, and 3.1% of them suffered from acute stress. There was no significant relationship between occupational stress and diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.254) among the drivers. Nevertheless, the Pearson's correlation test demonstrated a strong relationship between work stress and blood glucose (p < 0.01), while no strong correlation was found for blood triglycerides and cholesterol levels. Based on the results, high rates of occupational stress were observed in the Ilam's intercity drivers. Occupational stress may have effect on blood glucose levels but the results did not suggest a considerable relationship between risk factors of cardiovascular diseases and occupational stress among intercity drivers. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2016;29(6):895-901. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Occupational stress and its association with early retirement and subjective need for occupational rehabilitation in cancer patients.

PubMed

Böttcher, Hilke M; Steimann, Monika; Rotsch, Martin; Zurborn, Karl-Heinz; Koch, Uwe; Bergelt, Corinna

2013-08-01

Returning to work often plays an important role for cancer survivors. Occupational stress may hamper a successful return to work, so cancer survivors should be given the opportunity to address occupational stress issues before returning to work. We investigated the amount of occupational stress among cancer patients and whether it is associated with their well-being, their subjective need for occupational rehabilitation and elevations in their risk of early retirement. At the beginning of rehabilitation, we asked cancer patients to respond to occupation-related and health-related questionnaires. We used t-tests, chi-square tests, and logistic regression analyses to address our research questions. A total of 477 patients participated in the study. Of these, 19% were occupationally stressed, and 26% reported subjective need for occupational rehabilitation. Patients who reported work-related stress had a diminished quality of life, were more likely to report subjective need for occupational rehabilitation (OR = 2.16), and had a higher risk of early retirement (OR = 5.44). Furthermore, cancer patients reported deficits in both active coping abilities and mental stability at work. Because occupational stress is associated with a higher risk of early retirement, both patients and physicians should take work-related problems seriously. Screening patients for occupational stress may help physicians identify patients who are at risk of experiencing problematic work re-entries. Furthermore, the results of the study suggest that cancer patients might have problems maintaining confidence in their abilities to solve work-related problems. Therefore, facilitating the development of a perception of self-efficacy might be an important treatment goal. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Acute treatment with cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN55212.2 improves prepulse inhibition in psychosocially stressed mice.

PubMed

Brzózka, Magdalena M; Fischer, André; Falkai, Peter; Havemann-Reinecke, Ursula

2011-04-15

Cannabis, similar to psychosocial stress, is well known to exacerbate psychotic experiences and can precipitate psychotic episodes in vulnerable individuals. Cannabinoid receptors 1 (CB1) are widely expressed in the brain and are particularly important to mediate the effects of cannabis. Chronic cannabis use in patients and chronic cannabinoids treatment in animals is known to cause reduced prepulse inhibition (PPI). Similarly, chronic psychosocial stress in mice impairs PPI. In the present study, we investigated the synergistic effects of substances modulating the CB1-receptors and chronic psychosocial stress on PPI. For this purpose, adult C57Bl/6J mice were exposed to chronic psychosocial stress using the resident-intruder paradigm. The cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN55212.2 served as a surrogate marker for the effects of cannabis in the brain. After exposure to stress mice were acutely injected with WIN55212.2 (3 mg/kg) with or without pre-treatment with Rimonabant (3 mg/kg), a specific CB1-receptor antagonist, and subjected to behavioral testing. Stressed mice displayed a higher vulnerability to WIN55212.2 in the PPI test than control animals. The effects of WIN55212.2 on PPI were antagonized by Rimonabant suggesting an involvement of CB1-receptors in sensorimotor gating. Interestingly, WIN55212.2 increased PPI in psychosocially stressed mice although previous studies in rats showed the opposite effects. It may thus be possible, that depending on the doses of cannabinoids/CB1-receptor agonists applied and environmental conditions (psychosocial stress), opposite effects can be evoked in different experimental animals. Taken together, our data imply that CB1-receptors might play a crucial role in the synergistic effects of psychosocial stress and cannabinoids in brain. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The role of social support on occupational stress among hospital nurses.

PubMed

Yu, Jiegen; Ren, Xiaohua; Wang, Quanhai; He, Lianping; Wang, Jinquan; Jin, Yuelong; Chen, Yan; Wang, Linghong; Nie, Zhonghua; Guo, Daoxia; Yao, Yingshui

2014-01-01

Stress is a nonspecific reaction to everything the body needs. Although occupational stress exists in every occupation, it is seen with more frequency and intensity amongst those occupations related to human health. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between occupational stress and social support (SS) among hospital nurses. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1144 hospital nurse in China. They were investigated with a self-administered questionnaire about socio-demographic characteristics, occupational stress and social support. A validated version of the revised Occupational Stress Inventory (OSI-R) was applied to evaluate occupational stress; SS was measured by nine questions. Logistic regression analysis was used to study the association between occupational stress and SS and adjusted for income, gender, marital status, working years, educational level, and profession. Of 1144 nurses, the majority age group was less than 30 years, and the mean age across participants was 31.8 years. Further correlation analysis indicated that score of ORQ and PSQ had a significant negative correlation with score of SS (P<0.05), and a significant positive correlation was found between Score of PRQ and score of SS (P<0.05). The univariate analysis and multivariate analysis results also revealed that high SS increased significantly with decreasing ORQ score and increasing PRQ score after controlling for income, gender, marital status, working years, educational level and job title. SS significantly influences occupational stress in hospitals nurse. We also should pay more attention to occupational stress of married and long working years nurse.

The role of social support on occupational stress among hospital nurses

PubMed Central

Yu, Jiegen; Ren, Xiaohua; Wang, Quanhai; He, Lianping; Wang, Jinquan; Jin, Yuelong; Chen, Yan; Wang, Linghong; Nie, Zhonghua; Guo, Daoxia; Yao, Yingshui

2014-01-01

Stress is a nonspecific reaction to everything the body needs. Although occupational stress exists in every occupation, it is seen with more frequency and intensity amongst those occupations related to human health. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between occupational stress and social support (SS) among hospital nurses. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1144 hospital nurse in China. They were investigated with a self-administered questionnaire about socio-demographic characteristics, occupational stress and social support. A validated version of the revised Occupational Stress Inventory (OSI-R) was applied to evaluate occupational stress; SS was measured by nine questions. Logistic regression analysis was used to study the association between occupational stress and SS and adjusted for income, gender, marital status, working years, educational level, and profession. Of 1144 nurses, the majority age group was less than 30 years, and the mean age across participants was 31.8 years. Further correlation analysis indicated that score of ORQ and PSQ had a significant negative correlation with score of SS (P<0.05), and a significant positive correlation was found between Score of PRQ and score of SS (P<0.05). The univariate analysis and multivariate analysis results also revealed that high SS increased significantly with decreasing ORQ score and increasing PRQ score after controlling for income, gender, marital status, working years, educational level and job title. SS significantly influences occupational stress in hospitals nurse. We also should pay more attention to occupational stress of married and long working years nurse. PMID:25356174

Rise in plasma lactate concentrations with psychosocial stress: a possible sign of cerebral energy demand.

PubMed

Kubera, Britta; Hubold, Christian; Otte, Saskia; Lindenberg, Ann-Sophie; Zeiss, Irena; Krause, Regina; Steinkamp, Mirja; Klement, Johanna; Entringer, Sonja; Pellerin, Luc; Peters, Achim

2012-01-01

It is known that exogenous lactate given as an i.v. energy infusion is able to counteract a neuroglycopenic state that developed during psychosocial stress. It is unknown, however, whether the brain under stressful conditions can induce a rise in plasma lactate to satisfy its increased needs during stress. Since lactate is i) an alternative cerebral energy substrate to glucose and ii) its plasmatic concentration is influenced by the sympathetic nervous system, the present study aimed at investigating whether plasma lactate concentrations increase with psychosocial stress in humans. 30 healthy young men participated in two sessions (stress induced by the Trier Social Stress Test and a non-stress control session). Blood samples were frequently taken to assess plasma lactate concentrations and stress hormone profiles. Plasma lactate increased 47% during psychosocial stress (from 0.9 ± 0.05 to 1.4 ± 0.1 mmol/l; interaction time × stress intervention: F = 19.7, p < 0.001). This increase in lactate concentrations during stress was associated with an increase in epinephrine (R(2) = 0.221, p = 0.02) and ACTH concentrations (R(2) = 0.460, p < 0.001). Plasma lactate concentrations increase during acute psychosocial stress in humans. This finding suggests the existence of a demand mechanism that functions to allocate an additional source of energy from the body towards the brain, which we refer to as 'cerebral lactate demand'.

Mitochondrial Gene Expression Profiles Are Associated with Maternal Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy and Infant Temperament

PubMed Central

Lambertini, Luca; Chen, Jia; Nomura, Yoko

2015-01-01

Background Gene-environment interactions mediate through the placenta and shape the fetal brain development. Between the environmental determinants of the fetal brain, maternal psychosocial stress in pregnancy has been shown to negatively influence the infant temperament development. This in turn may have adverse consequences on the infant neurodevelopment extending throughout the entire life-span. However little is known about the underlying biological mechanisms of the effects of maternal psychosocial stress in pregnancy on infant temperament. Environmental stressors such as maternal psychosocial stress in pregnancy activate the stress response cascade that in turn drives the increase in the cellular energy demand of vital organs with high metabolic rates such as, in pregnancy, the placenta. Key players of the stress response cascade are the mitochondria. Results Here, we tested the expression of all 13 protein-coding genes encoded by the mitochondria in 108 placenta samples from the Stress in Pregnancy birth cohort, a study that aims at determining the influence of in utero exposure to maternal psychosocial stress in pregnancy on infant temperament. We showed that the expression of the protein-coding mitochondrial-encoded gene MT-ND2 was positively associated with indices of maternal psychosocial stress in pregnancy including Prenatal Perceived Stress (β = 0.259; p-regression = 0.004; r2-regression = 0.120), State Anxiety (β = 0.218; p-regression = 0.003; r2-regression = 0.153), Trait Anxiety (β = 0.262; p-regression = 0.003; r2-regression = 0.129) and Pregnancy Anxiety Total (β = 0.208; p-regression = 0.010; r2-regression = 0.103). In the meantime MT-ND2 was negatively associated with the infant temperament indices of Activity Level (β = -0.257; p-regression = 0.008; r2-regression = 0.165) and Smile and Laughter (β = -0.286; p-regression = 0.036; r2-regression = 0.082). Additionally, MT-ND6 was associated with the maternal psychosocial stress in pregnancy

Maternal Weight Predicts Children's Psychosocial Development via Parenting Stress and Emotional Availability.

PubMed

Bergmann, Sarah; Schlesier-Michel, Andrea; Wendt, Verena; Grube, Matthias; Keitel-Korndörfer, Anja; Gausche, Ruth; von Klitzing, Kai; Klein, Annette M

2016-01-01

Maternal obesity has been shown to be a risk factor for obesity in children and may also affect children's psychosocial outcomes. It is not yet clear whether there are also psycho-emotional mechanisms explaining the effects of maternal weight on young children's weight and psychosocial development. We aimed to evaluate whether maternal body mass index (BMI), mother-child emotional availability (EA), and maternal parenting stress are associated with children's weight and psychosocial development (i.e., internalizing/externalizing symptoms and social competence) and whether these predictors interact with each other. This longitudinal study included three assessment points (~11 months apart). The baseline sample consisted of N = 194 mothers and their children aged 5-47 months (M = 28.18, SD = 8.44, 99 girls). At t 1, we measured maternal weight and height to calculate maternal BMI. We videotaped mother-child interactions, coding them with the EA Scales (fourth edition). We assessed maternal parenting stress with the Parenting Stress Index (PSI) short form. At t 1 to t 3, we measured height and weight of children and calculated BMI-SDS scores. Children's externalizing and internalizing problems (t 1-t 3) and social competence (t 3, N = 118) were assessed using questionnaires: Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL 1.5-5), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ: prosocial behavior), and a checklist for behavioral problems at preschool age (VBV 3-6: social-emotional competence). By applying structural equation modeling (SEM) and a latent regression analysis, we found maternal BMI to predict higher BMI-SDS and a poorer psychosocial development (higher externalizing symptoms, lower social competence) in children. Higher parenting stress predicted higher levels of externalizing and internalizing symptoms and lower social competence. Better maternal EA was associated with higher social competence. We found parenting stress to serve as a mediator in the association between

Prognostic psychosocial factors for disabling low back pain in Japanese hospital workers.

PubMed

Yoshimoto, Takahiko; Oka, Hiroyuki; Katsuhira, Junji; Fujii, Tomoko; Masuda, Katsuhiko; Tanaka, Sakae; Matsudaira, Ko

2017-01-01

Although the occupational health field has identified psychosocial factors as risk factors for low back pain that causes disability, the association between disabling low back pain and psychosocial factors has not been examined adequately in Japanese hospital workers. Therefore, this study examined the association between low back pain, which interfered with work, and psychosocial factors in Japanese hospital workers. This cross-sectional study was conducted at a hospital in Japan. In total, 280 hospital workers were recruited from various occupational settings. Of these, 203 completed a self-administered questionnaire that included items concerning individual characteristics, severity of low back pain, fear-avoidance beliefs (Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire), somatic symptoms (Somatic Symptom Scale-8), psychological distress (K6), workaholism, and work-related psychosocial factors (response rate: 72.5%). Logistic regression was used to explore risk factors associated with disabling low back pain. Of the 203 participants who completed questionnaires, 36 (17.7%) reported low back pain that interfered with their work. Multivariate analyses with individual factors and occupations adjusted for showed statistically significant associations between disabling low back pain and fear-avoidance beliefs (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 2.619, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.003-6.538], somatic symptoms (OR: 4.034, 95% CI: 1.819-9.337), and interpersonal stress at work (OR: 2.619, 95% CI: 1.067-6.224). Psychosocial factors, such as fear-avoidance beliefs, somatic symptoms, and interpersonal relationships at work, were important risk factors in low back pain that interfered with work in Japanese hospital workers. With respect to occupational health, consideration of psychosocial factors is required to reduce disability related to low back pain.

Prognostic psychosocial factors for disabling low back pain in Japanese hospital workers

PubMed Central

Yoshimoto, Takahiko; Oka, Hiroyuki; Katsuhira, Junji; Fujii, Tomoko; Masuda, Katsuhiko; Tanaka, Sakae; Matsudaira, Ko

2017-01-01

Background Although the occupational health field has identified psychosocial factors as risk factors for low back pain that causes disability, the association between disabling low back pain and psychosocial factors has not been examined adequately in Japanese hospital workers. Therefore, this study examined the association between low back pain, which interfered with work, and psychosocial factors in Japanese hospital workers. Method This cross-sectional study was conducted at a hospital in Japan. In total, 280 hospital workers were recruited from various occupational settings. Of these, 203 completed a self-administered questionnaire that included items concerning individual characteristics, severity of low back pain, fear-avoidance beliefs (Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire), somatic symptoms (Somatic Symptom Scale-8), psychological distress (K6), workaholism, and work-related psychosocial factors (response rate: 72.5%). Logistic regression was used to explore risk factors associated with disabling low back pain. Results Of the 203 participants who completed questionnaires, 36 (17.7%) reported low back pain that interfered with their work. Multivariate analyses with individual factors and occupations adjusted for showed statistically significant associations between disabling low back pain and fear-avoidance beliefs (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 2.619, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.003–6.538], somatic symptoms (OR: 4.034, 95% CI: 1.819–9.337), and interpersonal stress at work (OR: 2.619, 95% CI: 1.067–6.224). Conclusions Psychosocial factors, such as fear-avoidance beliefs, somatic symptoms, and interpersonal relationships at work, were important risk factors in low back pain that interfered with work in Japanese hospital workers. With respect to occupational health, consideration of psychosocial factors is required to reduce disability related to low back pain. PMID:28531194

Job stress, achievement motivation and occupational burnout among male nurses.

PubMed

Hsu, Hsiu-Yueh; Chen, Sheng-Hwang; Yu, Hsing-Yi; Lou, Jiunn-Horng

2010-07-01

This paper is a report of an exploration of job stress, achievement motivation and occupational burnout in male nurses and to identify predictors of occupational burnout. Since the Nightingale era, the nursing profession has been recognized as 'women's work'. The data indicate that there are more female nurses than male nurses in Taiwan. However, the turnover rate for male nurses is twice that of female nurses. Understanding the factors that affect occupational burnout of male nurses may help researchers find ways to reduce the likelihood that they will quit. A survey was conducted in Taiwan in 2008 using a cross-sectional design. A total of 121 male nurses participated in the study. Mailed questionnaires were used to collect data, which were analysed using descriptive statistics and stepwise multiple regression. The job stress of male nurses was strongly correlated with occupational burnout (r = 0.64, P < 0.001). Stepwise multiple regression analyses indicated that job stress was the only factor to have a statistically significant direct influence on occupational burnout, accounting for 45.8% of the variance in this. Job stress was comprised of three dimensions, of which role conflict accounted for 40.8% of the variance in occupational burnout. The contribution of job stress to occupational burnout of male nurses was confirmed. As occupational burnout may influence the quality of care by these nurses, nurse managers should strive to decrease male nurses' job stress as this should lead to a reduction of negative outcomes of occupational burnout.

Personality Traits and Occupational Stress among Chinese Academics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Li-Fang

2012-01-01

The primary objective of this study was to examine the predictive power of personality traits for occupational stress among Chinese university academics. Two hundred and forty-six participants responded to the NEO Five-Factor Inventory and the Occupational Stress Inventory-Revised. Results indicated that the strongest predictor for occupational…

[Appraisal of occupational stress and its influential factors in nurses].

PubMed

Yang, Xin-wei; Wang, Zhi-ming; Wang, Mian-zhen; Lan, Ya-jia

2004-04-01

To assess the occupational stress and its influential factors in nurses. A test of occupational stress, its influential factors, work ability were carried out for 248 nurses and 319 controls with revised occupational stress inventory (OSI-R) and work ability index (WAI). The scores of personal cope resource (131.266 +/- 17.176) and work ability index (32.581 +/- 3.158) in nurse group were significantly higher than those in control group (126.931 +/- 19.108, 31.840 +/- 4.069) (P < 0.05). The main occupational stressors scores (role insufficiency, role clash, and responsibility) in nurses were higher than those in controls (P < 0.05). The stress response of interpersonal relationship in nurses was also higher. The items of personal cope resource, such as recreation, self-care and social support of nurses were superior to those of controls (P < 0.05). Stress response was positively correlated with occupational role (r = 0.512, P < 0.01), and negatively correlated with the personal cope resource (r = -0.475, P < 0.01). The primary influential factors of personal stress were recreation, social support, rational conduct, role insufficiency, role clash, responsibility, and poor work environment. To strengthen social support, to improve work condition for nurses, so as to reduce the occupational stress and to enhance the work ability of nurses are important task in occupational health field.

The role of autonomy and social support in the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress in health care workers.

PubMed

Havermans, Bo M; Boot, Cécile R L; Houtman, Irene L D; Brouwers, Evelien P M; Anema, Johannes R; van der Beek, Allard J

2017-06-08

Health care workers are exposed to psychosocial work factors. Autonomy and social support are psychosocial work factors that are related to stress, and are argued to largely result from the psychosocial safety climate within organisations. This study aimed to assess to what extent the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress in health care workers can be explained by autonomy and social support. In a cross-sectional study, psychosocial safety climate, stress, autonomy, co-worker support, and supervisor support were assessed using questionnaires, in a sample of health care workers (N = 277). Linear mixed models analyses were performed to assess to what extent social support and autonomy explained the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress. A lower psychosocial safety climate score was associated with significantly higher stress (B = -0.21, 95% CI = -0.27 - -0.14). Neither co-worker support, supervisor support, nor autonomy explained the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress. Taken together, autonomy and both social support measures diminished the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress by 12% (full model: B = -0.18, 95% CI = -0.25 - -0.11). Autonomy and social support together seemed to bring about a small decrease in the relation between psychosocial safety climate and stress in health care workers. Future research should discern whether other psychosocial work factors explain a larger portion of this relation. This study was registered in the Netherlands National Trial Register, trial code: NTR5527 .

Exposure to Psychosocial Risk Factors at Work and the Incidence of Occupational Injuries: A Cohort Study in Spain.

PubMed

Julià, Mireia; Catalina-Romero, Carlos; Calvo-Bonacho, Eva; Benavides, Fernando G

2016-03-01

The aim of this study is to analyze the association between the exposure to psychosocial risk factors at work and the incidence of occupational injuries (OIs). A prospective dynamic cohort study (n = 16,693) of 1-year follow-up. Psychosocial risk factors at work were assessed with the Spanish version of Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire. Incidence rates of OI per 1000 workers-year were calculated and associations between psychosocial risk factors and OI were estimated by Poisson regression models. Unfavorable levels of esteem in men [rate ratio (RR) = 1.28], and unfavorable levels of social support and quality of leadership (RR = 1.87), psychological demands (RR = 2.20), and active work and possibilities for development (RR = 1.83) among women, were associated with OI incidence. Poor quality of psychosocial work environment increases the incidence of OI. Psychosocial intervention programs could be helpful in order to reduce OI incidence rates and their associated costs.

Occupational Stress and Teaching Approaches among Chinese Academics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Li-fang

2009-01-01

The primary objective of this study was to examine the predictive power of occupational stress for teaching approaches. Participants were 246 faculty members from a large university in Guangzhou in the People's Republic of China, who completed the Approaches to Teaching Inventory, four scales from the Occupational Stress Inventory-Revised…

Social Support and Occupational Stress among University Employees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cosio, Saharay E.

2011-01-01

Occupational stress creates a negative impact both at the microlevel (i.e., individuals) and at the macrolevel (i.e., organization). This study investigated the role of protective factors of social support and religiosity on occupational stress among university employees. The study used data collected from participants ( N = 72) in a private…

Occupational stress is associated with impaired work ability and reduced quality of life in patients with chronic kidney failure.

PubMed

Neri, Luca; Rocca Rey, Luisa A; Gallieni, Maurizio; Brancaccio, Diego; Cozzolino, Mario; Colombi, Antonio; Burroughs, Thomas E

2009-05-01

About 300,000 patients in the United States with Chronic Kidney Failure (CKF) are of working age, but up to 70% lose their job within the first year of renal replacement therapy .No study has examined how work ability and perceived health are influenced by the subjects' adjustment to their job. We assessed the association of occupational stress (Effort-Reward Imbalance, ERI),work ability (WAI) and health-related quality of life (QoL) in hemodialysis. 40 employed hemodialysis patients completed a self-administered questionnaire. Associations between ERI, short Form 12 (sF-12), short Form - 6 Dimensions (sF-6D), Kidney Disease QOL- 36 (KDQOL-36) and WAI were tested with partial Spearman's correlation adjusted for age, income, and comorbidity burden. Study subjects were mainly low-income (82%), african-american (73%), men (75%); 16 were manual laborers and 9 worked in the industrial sector. Study subjects reported low levels of Occupational Stress: ERI scores indicated an imbalance between Job Efforts and Rewards in only 3 subjects. Nevertheless, ERI scores were inversely and strongly associated with WAI (rho=-0.41, p<0.012) and all QoL scales even after adjustment for known confounders. Our study suggests that psychosocial workplace factors may play a substantial role in modulating patients' health perception and ability to continue working. The causal relationship between Occupational stress, perceived health, and work ability should be further investigated. Occupational Health professionals and nephrologists should closely collaborate to meet the needs of occupationally active hemodialysis patients.

Effects of psychosocial characteristics of work on pregnancy outcomes: a critical review.

PubMed

Mutambudzi, Miriam; Meyer, John D; Warren, Nicholas; Reisine, Susan

2011-05-01

Birth outcomes may influence subsequent susceptibility to chronic diseases. With the increased number of women who continue to work during pregnancy, occupational stress has been hypothesized to be a potential contributor to adverse reproductive health outcomes. The Job Demand and Control model has been primarily used in investigating associations between work-related stress and outcomes such as preterm delivery, low birth weight, and spontaneous abortion. A literature review of occupational factors that have been associated with adverse reproductive outcomes was conducted. In studies assessing preterm delivery and low birth weight, some evidence has suggested a modest association with work-related stress but has not been conclusive. In the literature on psychosocial characteristics of work and spontaneous abortion, job strain alone was often not associated with adverse outcomes. However the presence of other risk factors resulted in a synergistic effect which strengthened the odds of an adverse outcome. Future studies should use a prospective design with a large study sample, in which work-related stress exposure data are collected before or in the early stages of the pregnancy. In addition, future research should measure psychosocial characteristics of work both objectively and subjectively.

Occupational stress perception and its potential impact on work ability.

PubMed

Yong, Mei; Nasterlack, Michael; Pluto, Rolf-Peter; Lang, Stefan; Oberlinner, Christoph

2013-01-01

To examine perceived stress across employees with different occupational status, to investigate the impact of stress on work ability and to derive conclusions regarding health promotion activities. A comprehensive survey combining questionnaire and medical examination was offered in one division in BASF Ludwigshafen. Among 867 voluntary participants, 653 returned complete questionnaires. The questions were directed at perception of safety at the workplace, self-rated health status, frequency of stress symptoms, unrealistic job demands, time pressure and maladjustment of work life balance. The outcome of interest was self-estimated health measured by the Work Ability Index (WAI). Occupational stressors were perceived differently across occupational status groups. Frontline operators had more health concerns due to workplace conditions, while professional and managerial staff reported higher frequencies of perceived tension, time pressure, and maladjustment of work life balance. After adjustment for occupational status, demographic and lifestyle factors, perceived stress was associated with a modest to strong decline in WAI scores. While perceived occupational stress had an apparent impact on WAI, and WAI has been demonstrated to be predictive of early retirement, more intensive and employee group-specific stress management interventions are being implemented beyond traditional strategies of routine occupational medical surveillance.

Psychosocial stress and 13-year BMI change among blacks: the Pitt County Study.

PubMed

Fowler-Brown, Angela G; Bennett, Gary G; Goodman, Melody S; Wee, Christina C; Corbie-Smith, Giselle M; James, Sherman A

2009-11-01

Adverse psychosocial exposures may partially drive the high rates of obesity among blacks. The objective of this study was to prospectively examine the relationship between perceived psychosocial stress and percent change in BMI among adult black men and women. We used data from 756 women and 416 men who were participants in the Pitt County Study, a community-based, prospective cohort study of blacks in eastern North Carolina. Participants were aged 25-50 years of age on entry into the study in 1988 and follow-up was obtained in 2001. Using multivariable linear regression, we calculated the adjusted mean percentage change in BMI over the follow-up period for each tertile of baseline measures of the Perceived Stress Scale (low, medium, and high), adjusted for potential confounders. For black women, higher levels of psychosocial stress at baseline predicted higher adjusted percentage increase in BMI over the 13-year follow-up: low stress 12.0% (95% CI 9.6-14.4), medium stress 16.3% (95% CI 13.7-18.9), and high stress 15.5% (95% CI 13.1-17.8). For black men, perceived stress was not associated with percent BMI change. These data suggest that interventions targeting obesity in black women should consider the potential impact of emotional stress on weight change.

[Occupational stress among female police officers].

PubMed

Bezerra, Claudia de Magalhães; Minayo, Maria Cecília de Souza; Constantino, Patrícia

2013-03-01

The scope of this study is occupational stress among female police officers in Rio de Janeiro. A qualitative approach was initially used (interviews, focal groups and observations) to establish their perceptions regarding gender differences in the performance of police work, the relationship between occupational stress and health issues and the strategies used to mitigate this type of stress. A total of 42 participants including female officers and staff and operational and health professionals were involved. The participants link stress to their daily work, cite a number of symptoms and show how family relationships are affected. Stress originates primarily from work management and organizational issues. Gender discrimination and harassment are also perceived as stressors. Psychic suffering is greater among officers in commanding roles, and operational activities are perceived as more stressful due to the risks involved. Physical exercise is seen as the most effective strategy to mitigate the consequences of stress. The conclusions drawn are that, there is a need for organizational and managerial change from the perspective of gender and investment in preventive measures that can reduce the consequences of stress within the Rio de Janeiro police force.

Aerobic Fitness Level Affects Cardiovascular and Salivary Alpha Amylase Responses to Acute Psychosocial Stress.

PubMed

Wyss, Thomas; Boesch, Maria; Roos, Lilian; Tschopp, Céline; Frei, Klaus M; Annen, Hubert; La Marca, Roberto

2016-12-01

Good physical fitness seems to help the individual to buffer the potential harmful impact of psychosocial stress on somatic and mental health. The aim of the present study is to investigate the role of physical fitness levels on the autonomic nervous system (ANS; i.e. heart rate and salivary alpha amylase) responses to acute psychosocial stress, while controlling for established factors influencing individual stress reactions. The Trier Social Stress Test for Groups (TSST-G) was executed with 302 male recruits during their first week of Swiss Army basic training. Heart rate was measured continuously, and salivary alpha amylase was measured twice, before and after the stress intervention. In the same week, all volunteers participated in a physical fitness test and they responded to questionnaires on lifestyle factors and personal traits. A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to determine ANS responses to acute psychosocial stress from physical fitness test performances, controlling for personal traits, behavioural factors, and socioeconomic data. Multiple linear regression revealed three variables predicting 15 % of the variance in heart rate response (area under the individual heart rate response curve during TSST-G) and four variables predicting 12 % of the variance in salivary alpha amylase response (salivary alpha amylase level immediately after the TSST-G) to acute psychosocial stress. A strong performance at the progressive endurance run (high maximal oxygen consumption) was a significant predictor of ANS response in both models: low area under the heart rate response curve during TSST-G as well as low salivary alpha amylase level after TSST-G. Further, high muscle power, non-smoking, high extraversion, and low agreeableness were predictors of a favourable ANS response in either one of the two dependent variables. Good physical fitness, especially good aerobic endurance capacity, is an important protective factor against health

Occupational stress, relaxation therapies, exercise and biofeedback.

PubMed

Stein, Franklin

2001-01-01

Occupational stress is a widespread occurrence in the United States. It is a contributing factor to absenteeism, disease, injury and lowered productivity. In general stress management programs in the work place that include relaxation therapies, exercise, and biofeedback have been shown to reduce the physiological symptoms such as hypertension, and increase job satisfaction and job performance. Strategies to implement a successful stress management program include incorporating the coping activities into one's daily schedule, monitoring one's symptoms and stressors, and being realistic in setting up a schedule that is relevant and attainable. A short form of meditation, daily exercise program and the use of heart rate or thermal biofeedback can be helpful to a worker experiencing occupational stress.

[Appraisal of occupational stress and strain in primary and secondary school teachers].

PubMed

Wang, Z; Lan, Y; Li, J; Wang, M

2001-09-01

This study was conducted to assess occupational stress and strain in primary and secondary school teachers. A test of occupational stress and strain was carried out by using Occupational Stress Inventory Revised Edition (OSI-R) in 1460 primary and secondary school teachers (teacher group) and 319 mental workers in non-educational area (non-teacher group as control). The results showed the level of occupational stress in role overload and physical environment in the teacher group was significantly higher than that in the non-teacher group (P < 0.05). In teacher group the level of occupational stress and strain increased with age; the occupational stress and strain in male teachers were significantly higher than those in female teachers (P < 0.01); the occupational stress and strain in secondary school teachers were significantly higher than those in primary school teachers. These results indicate: to protect and promote primary and secondary school teacher's health, particularly male teachers' health, to mitigate their work pressure and to raise the quality of education are important tasks in the area of occupational health.

Associations of Psychosocial Factors with the Stress of Infertility Treatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider, Myra G.; Forthofer, Melinda S.

2005-01-01

This study investigated psychosocial factors thought to be associated with perceived stress over the course of infertility treatment. The research was based on secondary analysis of data from the Study of Marriage, Family, and Life Quality with a sample of 128 people who completed an infertility-related stress instrument at all three measurement…

Management of work-related stress by Finnish occupational physicians.

PubMed

Kinnunen-Amoroso, M; Liira, J

2013-07-01

Occupational stress is a serious threat to the well-being of employees and organizations and may cause ill-health and loss of productivity. Determining the methods that occupational health (OH) services and employers use to manage work-related stress can help to detect both barriers and facilitating factors for effective stress management. To examine stress management methods used by OH physicians in Finland. Anonymous, self-administered e-mail questionnaire to Finnish OH physicians. A total of 222 OH physicians responded. Neither OH services nor their client organizations used standardized tools to assess or manage work-related stress. Work-related stress was assessed using patient interviews. Physicians reported that the main method used to manage occupational stress was supporting the individual employee. Half of the physicians attempted to involve workplaces in stress management by asking their patients to contact their supervisors regarding stress issues. In order to tackle work-related stress consistently and effectively employers and OH services should have agreed standardized protocols for managing stress in the workplace.

Occupational Heat Stress and Kidney Health: From Farms to Factories.

PubMed

Nerbass, Fabiana B; Pecoits-Filho, Roberto; Clark, William F; Sontrop, Jessica M; McIntyre, Christopher W; Moist, Louise

2017-11-01

Millions of workers around the world are exposed to high temperatures, intense physical activity, and lax labor practices that do not allow for sufficient rehydration breaks. The extent and consequences of heat exposure in different occupational settings, countries, and cultural contexts is not well studied. We conducted an in-depth review to examine the known effects of occupational heat stress on the kidney. We also examined methods of heat-stress assessment, strategies for prevention and mitigation, and the economic consequences of occupational heat stress. Our descriptive review summarizes emerging evidence that extreme occupational heat stress combined with chronic dehydration may contribute to the development of CKD and ultimately kidney failure. Rising global temperatures, coupled with decreasing access to clean drinking water, may exacerbate the effects of heat exposure in both outdoor and indoor workers who are exposed to chronic heat stress and recurrent dehydration. These changes create an urgent need for health researchers and industry to identify work practices that contribute to heat-stress nephropathy, and to test targeted, robust prevention and mitigation strategies. Preventing occupational heat stress presents a great challenge for a concerted multidisciplinary effort from employers, health authorities, engineers, researchers, and governments.

Psychosocial workload and stress in the workers’ representative

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Using a data set of works councils of trade union IG Metal, this paper investigates psychosocial stress and strain on this specific group in comparison to employees working in administration in general (leadership and non-leadership-role) and a national reference value. Methods For assessing psychosocial work factors on works councils within the sector represented by the trade union IG Metal in Germany, a research by using the German standard version of COPSOQ (Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire) was performed. The instrument includes 87 single items forming 25 aspects of strain and stress. Results from the study group of works councils were compared to those from employees working in administration and to the general population mean (COPSOQ database). Statistical analysis included t-tests, analysis of variance and multiple comparisons of means. To be significant in terms of statistics, p<0.05 (two-tailed) and a minimum deviation of 5 or more points between groups′ mean values identify the relevant values. Results All in all, 309 works councils from a national survey of the German chemical and metalworking industries took part in the study. 113 were full-time works council members (exempted from the duty to perform their regular work), 196 were voluntary members (acting as employee representatives on an honorary basis alongside their normal duties). Comparison between works councils and employees working in administration (leadership roles (N=1810) and non-leadership roles (N=2970)) and for employees in general (N=35.000) showed unfavourable values for works councils for most scales. Significantly higher values indicating higher strain and stress were found for the scales: emotional demands, work-privacy conflict, role conflicts, mobbing, cognitive stress symptoms and burnout. Unfavourable results were obtained for the aspects: quality of leadership, social support, sense of community and general health. Favourable findings were found on the scales

Stressful life events and occupational accidents.

PubMed

Cordeiro, Ricardo; Dias, Adriano

2005-10-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between stressful life events and occupational accidents. This was a population-based case-control study, carried out in the city of Botucatu, in southeast Brazil. The cases consisted of 108 workers who had recently experienced occupational accidents. Each case was matched with three controls. The cases and controls answered a questionnaire about recent exposure to stressful life events. Reporting of "environmental problems", "being a victim of assault", "not having enough food at home" and "nonoccupational fatigue" were found to be risk factors for work-related accidents with estimated incidence rate ratios of 1.4 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.1-1.7], 1.3 (95% CI 1.1-1.7), 1.3 (95% CI 1.1-1.6), and 1.4 (95% CI 1.2-1.7) respectively. The findings of the study suggested that nonwork variables contribute to occupational accidents, thus broadening the understanding of these phenomena, which can support new approaches to the prevention of occupational accidents.

Interaction between the RGS6 gene and psychosocial stress on obesity-related traits.

PubMed

Kim, Hyun-Jin; Min, Jin-Young; Min, Kyoung-Bok

2017-03-31

Obesity is a major risk factor for chronic diseases and arises from the interactions between environmental factors and multiple genes. Psychosocial stress may affect the risk for obesity, modifying food intake and choice. A recent study suggested regulator of G-protein signaling 6 (RGS6) as a novel candidate gene for obesity in terms of reward-related feeding under stress. In this study, we tried to verify the unidentified connection between RGS6 and human obesity with psychosocial stress in a Korean population. A total of 1,462 adult subjects, who participated in the Korean Association Resource cohort project, were included for this analysis. Obesity-related traits including waist circumference, body mass index, and visceral adipose tissue were recorded. A total of 4 intronic SNPs for the RGS6 gene were used for this study. We found that interactions between SNP rs2239219 and psychosocial stress are significantly associated with abdominal obesity (p = 0.007). As risk allele of this SNP increased, prevalence of abdominal obesity under high-stress conditions gradually increased (p = 0.013). However, we found no SNPs-by-stress interaction effect on other adiposity phenotypes. This study suggests that RGS6 is closely linked to stress-induced abdominal obesity in Korean adults.

Occupational stress and burnout of judges and procurators.

PubMed

Tsai, Feng-Jen; Chan, Chang-Chuan

2010-02-01

This study aims to examine the associations between occupational stress and burnout among judges and procurators. The Chinese versions of the job content questionnaire (JCQ), Siegrist's effort-reward imbalance questionnaire (ERI), and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) were administered to examine occupational stress and personal, work-related, and client-related burnout among 211 judicial officers, comprising 87 judges and 98 procurators, in Taiwan. Logistic regression was applied to determine the association between burnout and occupational stress among judges and procurators, adjusting for potential confounders of age, gender, marriage, number of children, work experience, working hours, and the significant occupational stress scale of each model for the other. The judicial officers with average age of 36.84 years and work experience of 8.57 years had high averaging scores of job control (70.31), psychological demand (32.23), effort (18.98), reward (48.37), and overcommitment (17.04) as well as personal (49.97), work-related (51.36), and client-related (43.57) burnout. The high psychological demand, effort, and overcommitment were significantly associated with both personal and work-related burnout, while the low workplace social support was significantly associated with client-related burnout among the judicial officers. The judges had a significant higher risk of client-related burnout than the procurators. In general, occupational stress was associated with personal and work-related burnout for both judges and prosecutors. Client-related burnout was more common for judicial officers with low social support and the judges.

Maternal Weight Predicts Children's Psychosocial Development via Parenting Stress and Emotional Availability

PubMed Central

Bergmann, Sarah; Schlesier-Michel, Andrea; Wendt, Verena; Grube, Matthias; Keitel-Korndörfer, Anja; Gausche, Ruth; von Klitzing, Kai; Klein, Annette M.

2016-01-01

Introduction: Maternal obesity has been shown to be a risk factor for obesity in children and may also affect children's psychosocial outcomes. It is not yet clear whether there are also psycho-emotional mechanisms explaining the effects of maternal weight on young children's weight and psychosocial development. We aimed to evaluate whether maternal body mass index (BMI), mother–child emotional availability (EA), and maternal parenting stress are associated with children's weight and psychosocial development (i.e., internalizing/externalizing symptoms and social competence) and whether these predictors interact with each other. Methods: This longitudinal study included three assessment points (~11 months apart). The baseline sample consisted of N = 194 mothers and their children aged 5–47 months (M = 28.18, SD = 8.44, 99 girls). At t1, we measured maternal weight and height to calculate maternal BMI. We videotaped mother–child interactions, coding them with the EA Scales (fourth edition). We assessed maternal parenting stress with the Parenting Stress Index (PSI) short form. At t1 to t3, we measured height and weight of children and calculated BMI–SDS scores. Children's externalizing and internalizing problems (t1–t3) and social competence (t3, N = 118) were assessed using questionnaires: Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL 1.5–5), Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ: prosocial behavior), and a checklist for behavioral problems at preschool age (VBV 3–6: social-emotional competence). Results: By applying structural equation modeling (SEM) and a latent regression analysis, we found maternal BMI to predict higher BMI–SDS and a poorer psychosocial development (higher externalizing symptoms, lower social competence) in children. Higher parenting stress predicted higher levels of externalizing and internalizing symptoms and lower social competence. Better maternal EA was associated with higher social competence. We found parenting stress to serve as

A systematic review of psychosocial interventions for women with postpartum stress.

PubMed

Song, Ju-Eun; Kim, Tiffany; Ahn, Jeong-Ah

2015-01-01

To analyze the effects of psychosocial interventions with the aim of reducing the intensity of stress in mothers during the postpartum period as compared with usual care. Eligible studies were identified by searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and ProQuest dissertations and theses. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) treating stress in postpartum mothers older than age 19 years were included. The suitability of the quality of articles was evaluated using Joanna Briggs Institute's Critical Appraisal Checklist for Experimental Studies. Fourteen articles met the inclusion criteria for data analysis. Authors, country, sample, setting, methods, time period, major content of the intervention, outcome measures, and salient findings were extracted and summarized in a data extraction form for further analysis and synthesis. Standardized mean differences with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for 13 suitable articles using Cochrane Review Manager. Of 1,871 publications, 14 RCTs, conducted between 1994 and 2012, were evaluated in the systematic review and 13 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Studies were categorized into three major types by interventional methods. We found that psychosocial interventions in general (standard mean difference -1.66, 95% confidence interval [-2.74, -0.57], p = .003), and supportive stress management programs in particular (standard mean difference -0.59, 95% confidence interval [-0.94, -0.23], p = .001), were effective for women dealing with postpartum stress. This review indicated that psychosocial interventions including supportive stress management programs are effective for reducing postpartum stress in women, so those interventions should become an essential part of maternity care. © 2015 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

OSO paradigm--A rapid behavioral screening method for acute psychosocial stress reactivity in mice.

PubMed

Brzózka, M M; Unterbarnscheidt, T; Schwab, M H; Rossner, M J

2016-02-09

Chronic psychosocial stress is an important environmental risk factor for the development of psychiatric diseases. However, studying the impact of chronic psychosocial stress in mice is time consuming and thus not optimally suited to 'screen' increasing numbers of genetically manipulated mouse models for psychiatric endophenotypes. Moreover, many studies focus on restraint stress, a strong physical stressor with limited relevance for psychiatric disorders. Here, we describe a simple and a rapid method based on the resident-intruder paradigm to examine acute effects of mild psychosocial stress in mice. The OSO paradigm (open field--social defeat--open field) compares behavioral consequences on locomotor activity, anxiety and curiosity before and after exposure to acute social defeat stress. We first evaluated OSO in male C57Bl/6 wildtype mice where a single episode of social defeat reduced locomotor activity, increased anxiety and diminished exploratory behavior. Subsequently, we applied the OSO paradigm to mouse models of two schizophrenia (SZ) risk genes. Transgenic mice with neuronal overexpression of Neuregulin-1 (Nrg1) type III showed increased risk-taking behavior after acute stress exposure suggesting that NRG1 dysfunction is associated with altered affective behavior. In contrast, Tcf4 transgenic mice displayed a normal stress response which is in line with the postulated predominant contribution of TCF4 to cognitive deficits of SZ. In conclusion, the OSO paradigm allows for rapid screening of selected psychosocial stress-induced behavioral endophenotypes in mouse models of psychiatric diseases. Copyright © 2015 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health check documentation of psychosocial factors using the WAI.

PubMed

Uronen, L; Heimonen, J; Puukka, P; Martimo, K-P; Hartiala, J; Salanterä, S

2017-03-01

Health checks in occupational health (OH) care should prevent deterioration of work ability and promote well-being at work. Documentation of health checks should reflect and support continuity of prevention and practice. To analyse how OH nurses (OHNs) undertaking health checks document psychosocial factors at work and use the Work Ability Index (WAI). Analysis of two consecutive OHN health check records and WAI scores with statistical analyses and annotations of 13 psychosocial factors based on a publicly available standard on psychosocial risk management: British Standards Institution specification PAS 1010, part of European Council Directive 89/391/EEC, with a special focus on work-related stress and workplace violence. We analysed health check records for 196 employees. The most frequently documented psychosocial risk factors were home-work interface, work environment and equipment, job content, workload and work pace and work schedule. The correlations between the number of documented risk and non-risk factors and WAI scores were significant: OHNs documented more risk factors in employees with lower WAI scores. However, documented psychosocial risk factors were not followed up, and the OHNs' most common response to detected psychosocial risks was an appointment with a physician. The number of psychosocial risk factors documented by OHNs correlated with subjects' WAI scores. However, the documentation was not systematic and the interventions were not always relevant. OHNs need a structure to document psychosocial factors and more guidance in how to use the documentation as a tool in their decision making in health checks. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Effectiveness of a Comprehensive Stress Management Program to Reduce Work-Related Stress in a Medium-Sized Enterprise

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Objectives To assess the effectiveness of a comprehensive workplace stress management program consisting of participatory action-oriented training (PAOT) and individual management. Methods A comprehensive workplace stress management program was conducted in a medium-sized enterprise. The baseline survey was conducted in September 2011, using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS) and Worker’s Stress Response Inventory (WSRI). After implementing both organizational and individual level interventions, the follow up evaluation was conducted in November 2011. Results Most of the workers participated in the organizational level PAOT and made Team-based improvement plans. Based on the stress survey, 24 workers were interviewed by a researcher. After the organizational and individual level interventions, there was a reduction of several adverse psychosocial factors and stress responses. In the case of blue-collar workers, psychosocial factors such as the physical environment, job demands, organizational system, lack of rewards, and occupational climate were significantly improved; in the case of white-collar workers, the occupational climate was improved. Conclusions In light of these results, we concluded that the comprehensive stress management program was effective in reducing work-related stress in a short-term period. A persistent long-term follow up is necessary to determine whether the observed effects are maintained over time. Both team-based improvement activities and individual interviews have to be sustainable and complementary to each other under the long-term plan. PMID:24524591

[Occupational stress effects on work ability in chemistry workers].

PubMed

Yang, Huifang; Wang, Mianzhen; Wang, Zhiming; Lan, Yajia

2004-03-01

Investigating the status of work ability and occupational stress in 1030 chemistry workers at levels of chemical materials and explore their relationship and influence factors (481 workers of study group, 549 workers of control group). Work ability and occupational stress were measured with the work ability index (WAI) and occupational stress questionnaire (OSQ). The risk factors of work ability decline were evaluated. WAI and OSQ scores scores are significantly different between study group and control group (P < 0.01), and work ability correlated inversely with occupational stress (P < 0.01). The WAI scores are reducing with a higher of the OSQ. The work ability of chemistry-workers became lower with the increasing of age. Variables that influence work ability included the factors of disorder of musculoskeletal function (OR = 2.884), assessment of the current health (OR = 2.651), the diseases (OR = 2.498), emotion status (OR = 2.407), physical load (OR = 1.254) and lack of exercise (OR = 1.956). The stress levels and stress factors had affected work ability in chemistry-workers, and it was suggested that the findings could be helpful for the measures protecting and promoting of work ability on the health of workers.

Redox balance signalling in occupational stress: modification by nutraceutical intervention.

PubMed

Marotta, F; Naito, Y; Padrini, F; Xuewei, X; Jain, S; Soresi, V; Zhou, L; Catanzaro, R; Zhong, K; Polimeni, A; Chui, D H

2011-01-01

There is increasing evidence that psychosocial stress can be viewed as a system-wide derangement of cellular homeostasis, with heightened oxidative stress and triggered proinflammatory mechanisms. The aim of this study is twofold: a) to replicate findings that psychological stress increases oxidative damage and b) to determine whether a fermented papaya preparation known to exert significant protective antioxidant properties could buffer such increases in nuclear DNA damage while also inducing epigenetic protective mechanisms. Twenty-eight sedentary men and women (age range: 28-52), who reported living a stressful lifestyle but with an overall positive attitude, were recruited for this study. Chronic diseases as well as severe burnout and use of drugs for anxiety constituted exclusion criteria. Subjects were supplemented for 1 month with 9 g/day (4.5 g twice a day) of a certified fermented papaya preparation. All subjects were given a stress and sleep quality questionnaire together with a diet and life style assessment. Blood was collected at 2 and 4 week, erythrocyte and leukocyte were separated to assess redox balance and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) gene expression while bilirubin oxidized metabolites (BOMs) were tested in the urine. Stressed individuals showed a significant abnormality of redox status with increased MDA of erythrocyte and increased level of 8-0HdG in leukocyte and BOMs excretion (p<0.05). Nutraceutical supplementation brought about a normalization of such values already at the 2 week observation (p<0.05) together with a significant upregulation of HO-1 (p<0.01). Taken together, the results of this study confirm that stressful occupational life per se, without any overt psychiatric illness, may be associated to increased oxidative stress. Supplementation with functional food affecting redox regulation may be part of the therapeutic armamentarium to be considered in this clinical setting.

[Occupational stress and job burnout in doctors].

PubMed

Zhu, Wei; Wang, Zhi-Ming; Wang, Mian-Zhen; Lan, Ya-Jia; Wu, Si-Ying

2006-03-01

To investigate the status of job burnout in doctors and its relationship with occupational stress. A total of 561 doctors from three provincial hospitals were randomly selected. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) was used to identify job burnout. The occupation stress inventory revised edition (OSI-R) was used to evaluate the level of occupational stress. Surgeon and doctors working in the internal medicine wards scored significantly higher in job burnout than their colleagues (P < 0.05). The 30-40 years of age group scored highest in exhaustion. The score of professional efficacy decreased with age and increased with educational levels. Role overload, responsibility, physical environment, reaction and self-care were major predictors for exhaustion. Role insufficiency, role overload and responsibility were major predictors for cynicism. Role insufficiency, social support and rational/cognitive were major predictors for professional efficacy. Maintaining moderate professional duty and responsibility, clearly defining job requirements, enriching leisure activities, and improving self-care ability are important measures to preventing job burnout.

Sleep in High Stress Occupations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flynn-Evans, Erin

2014-01-01

High stress occupations are associated with sleep restriction, circadian misalignment and demanding workload. This presentation will provide an overview of sleep duration, circadian misalignment and fatigue countermeasures and performance outcomes during spaceflight and commercial aviation.

Oxidative stress markers, cognitive functions, and psychosocial functioning in bipolar disorder: an empirical cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Aydemir, Ömer; Çubukçuoğlu, Zeynep; Erdin, Soner; Taş, Cumhur; Onur, Ece; Berk, Michael

2014-01-01

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between oxidative stress markers and cognitive functions and domains of psychosocial functioning in bipolar disorder. Oxidative stress markers, cognitive functions, and domains of psychosocial functioning were evaluated in 51 patients with bipolar disorder who were in remission. Correlation analyses between these parameters were calculated with data controlled for duration of illness and number of episodes. There was no statistically significant correlation between oxidative stress markers and cognitive functions. In terms of psychosocial functioning, significant correlations were found between malondialdehyde and sense of stigmatization (r = -0.502); household activities and superoxide dismutase (r = 0.501); participation in social activities and nitric oxide (r = 0.414); hobbies and leisure time activities and total glutathione (r = -0.567), superoxide dismutase (r = 0.667), and neurotrophin 4 (r = 0.450); and taking initiative and self-sufficiency and superoxide dismutase (r = 0.597). There was no correlation between other domains of psychosocial functioning and oxidative stress markers. These results imply that oxidative stress markers do not appear to correlate clearly with cognitive impairment and reduced psychosocial functioning. However, there were some associations between selected oxidative markers and activity-oriented functional markers. This may represent a true negative association, or may be an artifact of oxidative stress being a state rather than a trait marker.

Acute psychosocial stress reduces pain modulation capabilities in healthy men.

PubMed

Geva, Nirit; Pruessner, Jens; Defrin, Ruth

2014-11-01

Anecdotes on the ability of individuals to continue to function under stressful conditions despite injuries causing excruciating pain suggest that acute stress may induce analgesia. However, studies exploring the effect of acute experimental stress on pain perception show inconsistent results, possibly due to methodological differences. Our aim was to systematically study the effect of acute stress on pain perception using static and dynamic, state-of-the-art pain measurements. Participants were 29 healthy men who underwent the measurement of heat-pain threshold, heat-pain intolerance, temporal summation of pain, and conditioned pain modulation (CPM). Testing was conducted before and during exposure to the Montreal Imaging Stress Task (MIST), inducing acute psychosocial stress. Stress levels were evaluated using perceived ratings of stress and anxiety, autonomic variables, and salivary cortisol. The MIST induced a significant stress reaction. Although pain threshold and pain intolerance were unaffected by stress, an increase in temporal summation of pain and a decrease in CPM were observed. These changes were significantly more robust among individuals with stronger reaction to stress ("high responders"), with a significant correlation between the perception of stress and the performance in the pain measurements. We conclude that acute psychosocial stress seems not to affect the sensitivity to pain, however, it significantly reduces the ability to modulate pain in a dose-response manner. Considering the diverse effects of stress in this and other studies, it appears that the type of stress and the magnitude of its appraisal determine its interactions with the pain system. Copyright © 2014 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Occupations, perceived stress, and stress-related disorders among women and men in the public sector in Sweden.

PubMed

Håkansson, Carita; Ahlborg, Gunnar

2017-01-01

Stress-related disorders are a public health problem and represent a significant burden to individuals and society. It is, therefore, of importance to regard stress in a wider context and identify risk factors not only at work but in all occupations in everyday life, to prevent ill health. The aim of this study was to examine potential associations between everyday occupations, perceived stress, and stress-related disorders as well as potential gender differences. A survey was mailed to a random selection of 3481 employees in the public sector in Western Sweden. Cox regressions with constant time at risk were used, in order to calculate prevalence ratios (PR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI). The results showed a clear association between reporting imbalance between different everyday occupations and both perceived stress and stress-related disorders among men and women. Imbalance between different everyday occupations seems to be an important risk factor for perceived stress and stress-related disorder among both women and men. To enable people to achieve balance between different everyday occupations may be a useful way to prevent stress, stress-related disorders, and sick leave, and to promote better health and well-being.

Feminine Discrepancy Stress and Psychosocial Maladjustment Among Adolescent Girls.

PubMed

Reidy, Dennis E; Kernsmith, Poco D; Malone, Carolyn A; Vivolo-Kantor, Alana M; Smith-Darden, Joanne P

2018-04-01

Discrepancy stress, stress about being perceived to not conform to one's gender role (i.e., gender role discrepancy), has demonstrated effects on risky sexual and violent behaviors. However, evidence of these effects has been limited to men and boys, neglecting the impact gender role discrepancy and discrepancy stress may have on girls. In addition, no study to date, has assessed the mental health correlates of gender role discrepancy and discrepancy stress. In the current study, we sought to elucidate the relationship between perceived feminine discrepancy and feminine discrepancy stress and psychosocial maladjustment while controlling for trauma symptoms stemming from the potential repercussions of feminine discrepancy. Maladjustment was measured by creating a second-order latent factor derived from four first-order latent constructs: sexual behavior, substance use, mood disorder symptoms, and hopelessness. Data are drawn from a cross-sectional sample of female students in middle and high school (N = 643) who completed self-report questionnaires. Using structural equation modeling, we found girls reporting feminine discrepancy (i.e., less feminine than the average girl) were more likely to report feminine discrepancy stress and trauma symptomatology. Controlling for feminine discrepancy and trauma symptoms, the relationship between discrepancy stress and maladjustment was positive and significant. Additionally, girls reporting feminine discrepancy scored higher on trauma symptomatology, and trauma demonstrated a strong direct effect on psychosocial maladjustment. These data suggest that developing trauma focused prevention strategies that incorporate social norms around gender socialization may have an impact on multiple behavioral and mental health problems.

[A study of relationship between occupational stress and diseases in secondary school teachers].

PubMed

Zhang, Yang; Zhu, Tao; Tang, Liu; Li, Jian; Lan, Yajia

2015-10-01

To analyze the relationship between occupational stress and diseases in secondary school teachers in a city of Sichuan Province, and to provide a basis for the evaluation of the long-term effects of occupational stress in teachers. With secondary school teachers as the target population, the stratified cluster sampling was adopted to conduct three studies among 780, 119, and 689 secondary school teachers in a city of Sichuan Province in 1999, 2005, and 2009, respectively. The Occupational Stress Inventory-Revised Edition (OSI-R) and working ability index (WAI) were used to investigate occupational stress and diseases in secondary school teachers. The variation of occupational stress in secondary school teachers was compared between different periods and the relationship between the intensity of stress and diseases was evaluated, on the basis of which the variation of the relationship over time was analyzed. There were significant differences in occupational stress in secondary school teachers between different periods (P<0.05). The incidence rates of medium and high physiological stress and psychological stress were significantly higher in 2009 than in 1999 (P<0.05). Compared with the year of 1999, the intensity of occupational stress in 2009 changed with cardiovascular, respiratory, and mental diseases. The incidence of abnormal psychological stress was a risk factor for all chronic, respiratory, and mental diseases (OR: 1.88, 2.25, and 5.91). The time dependence of odds ratio was only found in the risk of respiratory diseases: occupational stress resulted in a significant increase in the risk of respiratory diseases over time (P<0.05). Physiological stress was a risk factor for mental diseases (OR=2.31). The intensity of occupational stress in secondary school teachers changes over time. Occupational stress elevates the risks of certain diseases and has a time-dependent effect on the risk of respiratory diseases. Occupational stress in secondary school teachers

Impact of occupation on stress and anxiety among Indian women.

PubMed

Patel, Pinal A; Patel, Prerna P; Khadilkar, Anuradha V; Chiplonkar, S A; Patel, Ashish D

2017-03-01

The objectives of this study were to: (1) assess the prevalence of anxiety and stress in Indian women; and (2) evaluate the relationship of occupation to the prevalence of anxiety and stress. A cross-sectional study was performed from January 2013 to June 2014, on women (aged 18-50 years) randomly selected from different occupations in Gujarat, India. Anxiety was evaluated using Spielberg's State and Trait Anxiety Inventory scale and stress was assessed using the International Stress Management Association questionnaire. Serum cortisol concentration was measured in a sub-sample. The association of occupation with stress and anxiety was analyzed by a generalized linear model adjusted for age. Among all participants, 26% were the most prone and 66% were somewhat more prone to stress; 35% of women showed high anxiety levels. Homemakers had 1.2 times higher anxiety and 1.3 times higher stress than working women (p < .05). Prevalence of stress (37%, p < .001) and anxiety (40%, p = .068) were also higher in homemakers compared to working women and students. Serum cortisol levels did not differ significantly (p > .05) by occupation. This study revealed high prevalence rates of stress and anxiety in Indian women. Involvement in activities outside the home may help women to reduce stress.

Relationships between Psychosocial Difficulties and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers in Women Subject to Intimate Partner Violence.

PubMed

Kim, Jae Yop; Lee, Ji Hyeon; Song, Hyang Joo; Kim, Dong Goo; Yim, Yeong Shin

2017-02-01

Women subject to violence by their intimate partners often experience a range of psychosocial problems such as depression, excessive alcohol use, and stressful life events that, in turn, lead to health issues. This study examined psychosocial difficulties and oxidative stress levels in abused and non-abused Korean women and analyzed the relationship between psychosocial outcomes and oxidative stress levels. Markers were determined in 16 women (seven abused, nine non-abused). The two groups of women (abused and non-abused) were compared with respect to scores in depression, alcohol use, life stress events, and oxidative stress biomarkers using the Mann-Whitney U test. Correlations between depression, alcohol use, life stress events, and oxidative stress biomarkers were tested by the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. The abused women had significantly higher levels of oxidative stress markers and significantly lower levels of antioxidants than the non-abused women. Life stress events and oxidative biomarker levels were significantly correlated. These findings have implications for both social services providers and medical personnel when assessing abused women to ensure that they receive the most appropriate service. © 2016 National Association of Social Workers.

Physical disability, life stress, and psychosocial adjustment in multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Zeldow, P B; Pavlou, M

1984-02-01

Eighty-one outpatients with diagnosed multiple sclerosis were studied in an effort to examine the relative contributions of physical health status, life stress, duration of illness, age, sex, marital status, and social class on various aspects of personal and interpersonal functioning. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to identify the most significant discriminators of the seven psychosocial measures. Physical health status exerted the broadest influence, affecting personal efficiency and well-being, capacity for independent thought and action, self-confidence, self-reliance, and number of meaningful social contacts. Life stress was associated with lowered personal efficiency and sense of well-being. Duration of illness and the demographic variables had few or no effects on psychosocial adjustment. Discussion contrasts the present findings with others in the rehabilitation literature and specifies certain limitations of the study's design.

[Psychosocial stress environment and health workers in public health: Differences between primary and hospital care].

PubMed

García-Rodríguez, Antonio; Gutiérrez-Bedmar, Mario; Bellón-Saameño, Juan Ángel; Muñoz-Bravo, Carlos; Fernández-Crehuet Navajas, Joaquín

2015-01-01

To describe the psychosocial environment of health professionals in public health in primary and hospital care, and compare it with that of the general Spanish working population, as well as to evaluate the effect of psychosocial risk factors on symptoms related to perceived stress. Cross-sectional study with stratified random sampling. Health care workers in the province of Granada, distributed in 5 hospitals and 4 health districts. A total of 738 employees (medical and nursing staff) of the Andalusian Health Service (SAS) were invited to take part. CopSoQ/Istas21 questionnaire developed for the multidimensional analysis of the psychosocial work environment. Stress symptoms were measured with the Stress Profile questionnaire. The response rate was 67.5%. Compared with the Spanish workforce, our sample showed high cognitive, emotional, and sensory psychological demands, possibilities for development and sense of direction in their work. Primary care physicians were the group with a worse psychosocial work environment. All the groups studied showed high levels of stress symptoms. Multivariate analysis showed that variables associated with high levels of stress symptom were younger and with possibilities for social relations, role conflict, and higher emotional demands, and insecurity at work. Our findings support that the psychosocial work environment of health workers differs from that of the Spanish working population, being more unfavorable in general practitioners. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Register-based data of psychosocial working conditions and occupational groups as predictors of disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnoses: a prospective cohort study of 24 543 Swedish twins

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Occupations and psychosocial working conditions have rarely been investigated as predictors of disability pension in population-based samples. This study investigated how occupational groups and psychosocial working conditions are associated with future disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnoses, accounting for familial factors in the associations. Methods A sample of 24 543 same-sex Swedish twin individuals was followed from 1993 to 2008 using nationwide registries. Baseline data on occupations were categorized into eight sector-defined occupational groups. These were further used to reflect psychosocial working conditions by applying the job strain scores of a Job Exposure Matrix. Cox proportional hazard ratios (HR) were estimated. Results During the 12-year (average) follow-up, 7% of the sample was granted disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnoses. Workers in health care and social work; agriculture, forestry and fishing; transportation; production and mining; and the service and military work sectors were two to three times more likely to receive a disability pension than those in the administration and management sector. Each single unit decrease in job demands and each single unit increase in job control and social support significantly predicted disability pension. Individuals with high work strain or an active job had a lower hazard ratio of disability pension, whereas a passive job predicted a significantly higher hazard ratio. Accounting for familial confounding did not alter these results. Conclusion Occupational groups and psychosocial working conditions seem to be independent of familial confounding, and hence represent risk factors for disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnoses. This means that preventive measures in these sector-defined occupational groups and specific psychosocial working conditions might prevent disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnoses. PMID:24040914

Register-based data of psychosocial working conditions and occupational groups as predictors of disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnoses: a prospective cohort study of 24,543 Swedish twins.

PubMed

Ropponen, Annina; Samuelsson, Åsa; Alexanderson, Kristina; Svedberg, Pia

2013-09-16

Occupations and psychosocial working conditions have rarely been investigated as predictors of disability pension in population-based samples. This study investigated how occupational groups and psychosocial working conditions are associated with future disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnoses, accounting for familial factors in the associations. A sample of 24,543 same-sex Swedish twin individuals was followed from 1993 to 2008 using nationwide registries. Baseline data on occupations were categorized into eight sector-defined occupational groups. These were further used to reflect psychosocial working conditions by applying the job strain scores of a Job Exposure Matrix. Cox proportional hazard ratios (HR) were estimated. During the 12-year (average) follow-up, 7% of the sample was granted disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnoses. Workers in health care and social work; agriculture, forestry and fishing; transportation; production and mining; and the service and military work sectors were two to three times more likely to receive a disability pension than those in the administration and management sector. Each single unit decrease in job demands and each single unit increase in job control and social support significantly predicted disability pension. Individuals with high work strain or an active job had a lower hazard ratio of disability pension, whereas a passive job predicted a significantly higher hazard ratio. Accounting for familial confounding did not alter these results. Occupational groups and psychosocial working conditions seem to be independent of familial confounding, and hence represent risk factors for disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnoses. This means that preventive measures in these sector-defined occupational groups and specific psychosocial working conditions might prevent disability pension due to musculoskeletal diagnoses.

Psychosocial work environment and mental health among construction workers.

PubMed

Boschman, J S; van der Molen, H F; Sluiter, J K; Frings-Dresen, M H W

2013-09-01

We assessed psychosocial work environment, the prevalence of mental health complaints and the association between these two among bricklayers and construction supervisors. For this cross-sectional study a total of 1500 bricklayers and supervisors were selected. Psychosocial work characteristics were measured using the Dutch Questionnaire on the Experience and Evaluation of Work and compared to the general Dutch working population. Mental health effects were measured with scales to assess fatigue during work, need for recovery after work, symptoms of distress, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. The prevalence of self-reported mental health complaints was determined using the cut-off values. Associations between psychosocial work characteristics and self-reported mental health complaints were analysed using logistic regression. Total response rate was 43%. Compared to the general working population, bricklayers experienced statistically significant worse job control, learning opportunities and future perspectives; supervisors experienced statistically significant higher psychological demands and need for recovery. Prevalence of self-reported mental health effects among bricklayers and supervisors, respectively, were as follows: high need for recovery after work (14%; 25%), distress (5%, 7%), depression (18%, 20%) and post-traumatic stress disorder (11%, 7%). Among both occupations, high work speed and quantity were associated with symptoms of depression. Further, among construction supervisors, low participation in decision making and low social support of the direct supervisor was associated with symptoms of depression. The findings in the present study indicate psychosocial risk factors for bricklayers and supervisors. In each occupation a considerable proportion of workers was positively screened for symptoms of common mental disorders. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Occupational Stress, Health, and General Well Being among Soldiers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartone, Paul T.; Hoover, Elizabeth

A soldier's occupation is a very stressful one, especially for junior enlisted soldiers who have little control over their highly-regimented work lives. This prospective study examined the relationship between soldier occupational stress and health and well-being 8 to 10 months later. Through an ongoing, longitudinal study of attitudes, health,…

Stress and the Workplace: A Comparison of Occupational Fields.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Doris B.; Casteel, Jim Frank

Stress in various occupations is of interest to managers, counselors, and personnel workers. A study was undertaken to examine, through the use of self-report scales, stress-related characteristics of workers in occupations which require many and varied human interactions. Subjects were 244 full-time employees in six professions: health services,…

[Occupational differences in exposure to hazardous work conditions].

PubMed

Marinacci, Chiara; d'Errico, A; Cardano, M; Perini, F; Costa, G

2005-01-01

Few studies have been aimed at describing organizational and psychosocial conditions of the Italian workforce by occupational group, and they have been mainly conducted within specific occupations. The present study aimed at identifying specific groups of occupations which have unfavourable profiles from the point of view of exposure to specific organizational factors and psychosocial risks, and to physical, chemical and ergonomic risks, and analyzing their distribution by worker age. The analysis was conducted on a sample of 4,195 workers in the Piedmont Region who were members of the CGIL Trade Union (Italian General Confederation of Labour), who answered a self-administered questionnaire in 2000, aimed at assessing chemical, physical, and ergonomic risks, accidents, and psychosocial factors connected with work organization and work tasks. Psychosocial risks were assessed via three scales aimed at measuring the degree of control, psychophysical demands, and worker satisfaction. The proportion of workers exposed to the above mentioned risks was analysed according to occupational group. This group was then compared with all other groups taken together, according to prevalence of high strain condition (combination of high demand and low control) and HSUR condition (High Strain Unfairly Rewarded; combination of high strain and low satisfaction). Among males aged 25-44 years, restricted to the occupation groups with more than ten workers in high strain condition, significantly higher proportions of stress were observed in leather workers and shoemakers, paper factory workers, rubber workers, crane and bridge crane operators, plastic workers, painters, transport drivers and carpenters. For many of these groups, excesses were confirmed for the HSUR condition. Among subjects aged over 44 years, a higher risk for high strain was confirmed in rubber workers, transport drivers and carpenters. In addition, machine tool operators, assembly line and mechanical workers in this

The Estrous Cycle of the Ewe Is Resistant to Disruption by Repeated, Acute Psychosocial Stress1

PubMed Central

Wagenmaker, Elizabeth R.; Breen, Kellie M.; Oakley, Amy E.; Tilbrook, Alan J.; Karsch, Fred J.

2010-01-01

Five experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that psychosocial stress interferes with the estrous cycle of sheep. In experiment 1, ewes were repeatedly isolated during the follicular phase. Timing, amplitude, and duration of the preovulatory luteinizing hormone (LH) surge were not affected. In experiment 2, follicular-phase ewes were subjected twice to a “layered stress” paradigm consisting of sequential, hourly application of isolation, restraint, blindfold, and predator cues. This reduced the LH pulse amplitude but did not affect the LH surge. In experiment 3, different acute stressors were given sequentially within the follicular phase: food denial plus unfamiliar noises and forced exercise, layered stress, exercise around midnight, and transportation. This, too, did not affect the LH surge. In experiment 4, variable acute psychosocial stress was given every 1–2 days for two entire estrous cycles; this did not disrupt any parameter of the cycle monitored. Lastly, experiment 5 examined whether the psychosocial stress paradigms of experiment 4 would disrupt the cycle and estrous behavior if sheep were metabolically stressed by chronic food restriction. Thirty percent of the food-restricted ewes exhibited deterioration of estrous cycle parameters followed by cessation of cycles and failure to express estrous behavior. However, disruption was not more evident in ewes that also encountered psychosocial stress. Collectively, these findings indicate the estrous cycle of sheep is remarkably resistant to disruption by acute bouts of psychosocial stress applied intermittently during either a single follicular phase or repeatedly over two estrous cycles. PMID:20164438

Psychosocial Hazard Analysis in a Heterogeneous Workforce: Determinants of Work Stress in Blue- and White-Collar Workers of the European Steel Industry

PubMed Central

Metzler, Yannick Arnold; Bellingrath, Silja

2017-01-01

The European steel industry’s workforce is highly heterogeneous and consists of various occupational groups, presumably facing different psychosocial stressors. The few existing studies on the subject mainly focused on physical constraints of blue-collar workers, whereas the supposable psychosocial workload received only little research attention. This is remarkable considering the challenges associated with statutory required risk assessment of psychosocial hazards. Valid measures of hazard analysis must account for various stressors and reliably identify them, also between occupational groups. The present study, based on a sample of blue- and white-collar workers (N = 124) from the European steel industry, aims to provide a first insight into psychosocial stressors and strain at work in this rarely researched industrial sector. Furthermore, two well-known theoretical roadmaps in job analysis are examined regarding their utility for risk assessment in heterogeneous workforces: the German standard version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) and the short version of the effort–reward imbalance questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that the COPSOQ was better suited to predict various strain indices in the present sample. Especially stressors relating to socioemotional aspects, such as work-privacy conflict, revealed a reasonable impact, indicating the need for comprehensive solutions at the organizational level instead of solutions focusing on single workplaces. To conclude, a broadly diversified and validated approach in psychosocial risk assessment is needed to adequately assess the variety of psychosocial factors at work and in different occupational groups. PMID:28861410

Psychosocial Hazard Analysis in a Heterogeneous Workforce: Determinants of Work Stress in Blue- and White-Collar Workers of the European Steel Industry.

PubMed

Metzler, Yannick Arnold; Bellingrath, Silja

2017-01-01

The European steel industry's workforce is highly heterogeneous and consists of various occupational groups, presumably facing different psychosocial stressors. The few existing studies on the subject mainly focused on physical constraints of blue-collar workers, whereas the supposable psychosocial workload received only little research attention. This is remarkable considering the challenges associated with statutory required risk assessment of psychosocial hazards. Valid measures of hazard analysis must account for various stressors and reliably identify them, also between occupational groups. The present study, based on a sample of blue- and white-collar workers ( N  = 124) from the European steel industry, aims to provide a first insight into psychosocial stressors and strain at work in this rarely researched industrial sector. Furthermore, two well-known theoretical roadmaps in job analysis are examined regarding their utility for risk assessment in heterogeneous workforces: the German standard version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) and the short version of the effort-reward imbalance questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that the COPSOQ was better suited to predict various strain indices in the present sample. Especially stressors relating to socioemotional aspects, such as work-privacy conflict, revealed a reasonable impact, indicating the need for comprehensive solutions at the organizational level instead of solutions focusing on single workplaces. To conclude, a broadly diversified and validated approach in psychosocial risk assessment is needed to adequately assess the variety of psychosocial factors at work and in different occupational groups.

[Studies on occupational stress intervention in workplaces abroad: a systematic review].

PubMed

Hua, Yujie; Dai, Junming

2015-10-01

To evaluate the effects of occupational stress intervention in the workplaces abroad by systematic review and to provide a reference for domestic research. The Medline database was searched to collect the literature on occupational stress intervention published from January 1 in 2000 to September 4 in 2014, Using standardized forms, the methods, contents, subjects, study design, result indicator, effectiveness and evidence of the intervention were extracted and analyzed. Thirty studies met the inclusion criteria, with a total sample size of 5699 participants, including 20 randomized trials and 10 non-randomized or self-controlled studies from 12 countries, such as Germany, Japan, and Britain. The course of intervention ranged from 4 to 16 weeks. Six types of intervention were identified, i.e., cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT), relaxation technique, physical activity, organization-focused intervention, combined intervention, and multilevel intervention, among which CBT was used most frequently. The outcome variables mainly included social psychological variable and work-related variable. Occupational stress intervention could significantly improve the occupational stress and depressive symptoms, and also had some effects on the work-related outcomes. The effectiveness of the intervention might vary between the subjects with different occupational stress levels before intervention. The effectiveness of the intervention was better at an organizational level than at an individual level, but the effectiveness at a multiple level was not necessarily better than that at a single level. Occupational stress intervention is an effective method to improve the occupational stress at workplace. However, the occupational stress level before intervention, the duration and frequency of intervention, measures and level of intervention, and follow-up period have certain influence on the effectiveness of intervention. Future research should pay attention to methodology, focus on

Occupational status and job stress in relation to cardiovascular stress reactivity in Japanese workers.

PubMed

Hirokawa, Kumi; Ohira, Tetsuya; Nagayoshi, Mako; Kajiura, Mitsugu; Imano, Hironori; Kitamura, Akihiko; Kiyama, Masahiko; Okada, Takeo; Iso, Hiroyasu

2016-12-01

This study aimed to investigate the effects of occupational status and job stress factors on cardiovascular stress reactivity in Japanese workers. In this baseline assessment between 2001 and 2009 in Osaka, Japan, we examined 928 healthy Japanese employees (330 men, 598 women) from two occupational statuses: managers/professionals and general workers. A brief job stress questionnaire was used to evaluate job stress levels. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), heart rate, heart rate variability (high-frequency [HF], low-frequency [LF], LF/HF], and peripheral blood flow were measured at rest and during two stressful tasks. Changes in stress reactivity were calculated as the difference between the measured variables during the tasks and the rest period. Men showed inverse associations between quantitative job overload and DBP, heart rate, and LF/HF, between physical demands and blood pressure (SBP, DBP), and between a poor physical environment and HF. Men also had positive associations between qualitative job overload and heart rate, and between physical demands and peripheral blood flow (all p < 0.05). Women showed inverse associations between qualitative job overload and SBP, and showed positive associations between qualitative job overload and peripheral blood flow, and between a poor physical environment and SBP (all p < 0.05). When stratified by occupational status, significant associations between job stress and changes in stress reactivity were observed in male managers/professionals and female general workers (p < 0.05). Job stress levels are associated with changes in cardiovascular stress reactivity in men and women. Occupational status may modify these associations.

Occupational stress in nursing: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Clegg, A

2001-03-01

The management and reduction of occupational stress are recognized as key factors in promoting employee well-being. Nursing is one of the many disciplines contributing to a huge body of research into the causes and effect of the ill-defined phenomenon of occupational stress. This literature review considers the ontological contribution of a number of disciplines to a growing body of knowledge on the subject of stress. The paper examines the complex issue of stress management, highlighting the impact of organizational culture and transformational leadership style on staff satisfaction levels.

Depressive symptoms and psychosocial stress at work among older employees in three continents

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background To assess whether an association of psychosocial stress at work with depressive symptoms among older employees is evident in a set of comparable empirical studies from Europe, North America and Asia. Methods Cross-sectional and longitudinal multivariate regression analyses of data from 4 cohort studies with elder workers (2004 and 2006) testing associations of psychosocial stress at work (‘effort-reward imbalance’; ‘low control’) with depressive symptoms. Results Cross-sectional analyses from 17 countries with 14.236 participants reveal elevated odds ratios of depressive symptoms among people experiencing high work stress compared to those with low or no work stress. Adjusted odds ratios vary from 1.64 (95% CI 1.02-2.63) in Japan to 1.97 (95% CI 1.75-2.23) in Europe and 2.28 (95% CI 1.59-3.28) in the USA. Odds ratios from additional longitudinal analyses (in 13 countries) controlling for baseline depression are smaller, but remain in part significant. Conclusion Findings indicate that psychosocial stress at work might be a relevant risk factor for depressive symptoms among older employees across countries and continents. This observation may call for global policy efforts to improve quality of work in view of a rapidly aging workforce, in particular in times of economic globalization. PMID:22818354

Depressive symptoms and psychosocial stress at work among older employees in three continents.

PubMed

Siegrist, Johannes; Lunau, Thorsten; Wahrendorf, Morten; Dragano, Nico

2012-07-20

To assess whether an association of psychosocial stress at work with depressive symptoms among older employees is evident in a set of comparable empirical studies from Europe, North America and Asia. Cross-sectional and longitudinal multivariate regression analyses of data from 4 cohort studies with elder workers (2004 and 2006) testing associations of psychosocial stress at work ('effort-reward imbalance'; 'low control') with depressive symptoms. Cross-sectional analyses from 17 countries with 14.236 participants reveal elevated odds ratios of depressive symptoms among people experiencing high work stress compared to those with low or no work stress. Adjusted odds ratios vary from 1.64 (95% CI 1.02-2.63) in Japan to 1.97 (95% CI 1.75-2.23) in Europe and 2.28 (95% CI 1.59-3.28) in the USA. Odds ratios from additional longitudinal analyses (in 13 countries) controlling for baseline depression are smaller, but remain in part significant. Findings indicate that psychosocial stress at work might be a relevant risk factor for depressive symptoms among older employees across countries and continents. This observation may call for global policy efforts to improve quality of work in view of a rapidly aging workforce, in particular in times of economic globalization.

Occupational Stress, Mental Health Status and Stress Management Behaviors among Secondary School Teachers in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leung, Sharron S. K.; Mak, Yim Wah; Chui, Ying Yu; Chiang, Vico C. L.; Lee, Angel C. K.

2009-01-01

Objective: This study aimed to examine occupational stress and mental health among secondary school teachers in Hong Kong, and to identify the differences between those actively engaged in stress management behaviors and those who were not. Design: Survey design was adopted using validated instruments including Occupational Stress Inventory…

The Contribution of Psychosocial Stress to the Obesity Epidemic

PubMed Central

Siervo, M.; Wells, J. C. K.; Cizza, G.

2009-01-01

The Thrifty Gene hypothesis theorizes that during evolution a set of genes has been selected to ensure survival in environments with limited food supply and marked seasonality. Contemporary environments have predictable and unlimited food availability, an attenuated seasonality due to artificial lighting, indoor heating during the winter and air conditioning during the summer, and promote sedentariness and overeating. In this setting the thrifty genes are constantly activated to enhance energy storage. Psychosocial stress and sleep deprivation are other features of modern societies. Stress-induced hypercortisolemia in the setting of unlimited food supply promotes adiposity. Modern man is becoming obese because these ancient mechanisms are efficiently promoting a positive energy balance. We propose that in today’s plentifully provisioned societies, where sedentariness and mental stress have become typical traits, chronic activation of the neuroendocrine systems may contribute to the increased prevalence of obesity. We suggest that some of the yet unidentified thrifty genes may be linked to highly conserved energy sensing mechanisms (AMP kinase, mTOR kinase). These hypotheses are testable. Rural societies that are becoming rapidly industrialized and are witnessing a dramatic increase in obesity may provide a historical opportunity to conduct epidemiological studies of the thrifty genotype. In experimental settings, the effects of various forms of psychosocial stress in increasing metabolic efficiency and gene expression can be further tested. PMID:19156597

[Psychosocial risks, quality of employment, and workplace stress in Chilean wage-earning workers: a gender perspective].

PubMed

Ansoleaga, Elisa; Díaz, Ximena; Mauro, Amalia

2016-07-21

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of work-related stress in Chile and its association with exposure to workplace psychosocial risks and quality of employment, considering gender differences. The cross-sectional study included a representative probabilistic national sample of 3,010 salaried workers (1,486 women and 1,524 men). Eighteen percent reported work-related stress (23.8% of women and 14.8% of men). People exposed to psychosocial risks had a higher probability of experiencing stress, and women were more likely to suffer stress than men. Women and men in precarious work showed increased likelihood of distress, compared to workers with less precarious jobs. However, women in precarious jobs were more likely to suffer stress than men in the same situation. The study concluded that women had more precarious jobs, experienced greater exposure to psychosocial risks, and suffered more stress than men. This is evidence of double discrimination (social and gender-based) in the Chilean labor market.

Short-term psychosocial stress protects photoreceptors from damage via corticosterone-mediated activation of the AKT pathway.

PubMed

Forkwa, Tembei K; Neumann, Inga D; Tamm, Ernst R; Ohlmann, Andreas; Reber, Stefan O

2014-02-01

Apoptotic death of photoreceptors in hereditary retinal degenerations can be prevented by neuroprotective molecules. Here, we report that adrenal glucocorticoids (GC) released during psychosocial stress protect photoreceptors from apoptosis after light damage. Psychosocial stress is known to be the main type of stressor humans are exposed to and was induced here in mice by 10h of chronic subordinate colony housing (CSC). Photoreceptor damage was generated by subsequent exposure to white light. Short-term psychosocial stress prior to illumination significantly reduced the number of apoptotic photoreceptors, an effect that was absent in adrenalectomized (ADX) mice. The neuroprotective effect was completely restored in ADX mice substituted with GC. Moreover, phosphorylation of retinal AKT increased following CSC or exogenous GC treatment, an effect that was again absent in ADX mice exposed to CSC. Finally, inhibition of AKT signaling with triciribine blocked the stress- and GC-mediated neuroprotective effects on photoreceptors. In summary, we provide evidence that 1) short-term psychosocial stress protects photoreceptors from light-induced damage and 2) the protective effect is most likely mediated by GC-induced activation of the AKT signaling pathway. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Occupational Stress within the Counseling Profession: Implications for Counselor Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sowa, Claudia J., And Others

1994-01-01

Describes investigation examining relationship between perceived levels of occupational stress and personal strain and coping resources among counselors. Results indicate counselors with higher levels of perceived occupational stress report significantly greater personal strain and fewer coping resources than do counselors perceiving lower levels…

Effectiveness of Interventions to Improve Occupational Performance for People With Psychosocial, Behavioral, and Emotional Impairments After Brain Injury: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Wheeler, Steven; Acord-Vira, Amanda; Davis, Diana

2016-01-01

This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of interventions to improve occupational performance for people with psychosocial, behavioral, or emotional impairments after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, OTseeker, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched. Of the 1,512 articles initially identified, 35 met the inclusion criteria. Six types of interventions were identified: (1) education, (2) peer mentoring, (3) goal-directed therapy, (4) physical activity, (5) skills training, and (6) cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Strong evidence from well-conducted research supports the use of CBT in individual and group settings. Moderate evidence supports goal-directed interventions, aquatic exercise, and functional skills training. Limited evidence supports peer mentoring, aerobic exercise, educational interventions, and various skills training. An increasing body of evidence supports specific interventions to improve occupational performance and participation for people with psychosocial, behavioral, or emotional impairments after TBI. Copyright © 2016 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Relationship between psychosocial stress dimensions and salivary cortisol in military police officers.

PubMed

Tavares, Juliana Petri; Lautert, Liana; Magnago, Tânia Solange Bosi de Souza; Consiglio, Angélica Rosat; Pai, Daiane Dal

2017-04-20

to analyze the relationship between psychosocial stress dimensions and salivary cortisol in military police officers. cross-sectional and analytical study with 134 military police officers. The Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) Model scale has been used to assess psychosocial stress. Salivary cortisol was collected in three samples. The following tests were used: Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney, ANOVA, Bonferroni, Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn. Pearson and Spearman correlation methods were used, as well as multiple linear regression. Cortisol at night showed an ascending statistical association with the psychosocial reward (p=0.004) and a descending association with the effort-impairment scores (p=0.017). Being part of the Special Tactical Operations Group (GATE) and the diastolic blood pressure explained 13.5% of the variation in cortisol levels on waking up. The sectors GATE, Special Patrol of the Elite Squad of the Military Police and Motorcyclists explained 21.9% of the variation in cortisol levels 30-minute after awakening. The variables GATE sector and Effort Dimension explained 27.7% of the variation in cortisol levels at night. it was evidenced that salivary cortisol variation was influenced by individual, labor and psychosocial variables.

Gender/Sex Differences in the Relationship between Psychosocial Work Exposures and Work and Life Stress.

PubMed

Padkapayeva, Kathy; Gilbert-Ouimet, Mahée; Bielecky, Amber; Ibrahim, Selahadin; Mustard, Cameron; Brisson, Chantal; Smith, Peter

2018-04-18

Stress is an important factor affecting the health of working population. While work exposures are determinants of levels of work and life stress, we do not know whether similar or different exposures are related to stress levels for men and women. This study aimed to formally examine male/female differences in the relationships between psychosocial work exposures and work and life stress in a representative sample of Canadian labour market participants. We used data from 2012 cycle of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), a representative population-based survey conducted by Statistics Canada. The sample was restricted to employed labour force participants working 15+ hours per week (N = 8328, 48% female). To examine the relationship between work exposures and work and life stress, we conducted path analyses. Psychosocial work exposures included social support, job insecurity, job control, and job strain. Differences between estimates for men and women were explored using multigroup analyses, constraining paths between male and female models to be equivalent and examining the impact on change in model fit. Male/female differences were observed in the relationships between supervisor support and work stress levels as well as between job control, job insecurity, job strain, and life stress levels. Higher levels of supervisor support at work were associated with lower work stress among women, but not among men. Low job control had a direct protective effect on life stress for men but not for women, while high job strain had a direct adverse effect on life stress among women but not among men. Higher job insecurity was more strongly associated with higher life stress among men compared with women. The relationship between work stress and life stress was similar among men and women. The findings of this study suggest that the relationships between psychosocial exposures and work and life stress differ for men and women. Our study also raised important questions

Occupational stress, mental health and coping among information technology professionals.

PubMed

Rao, Jakkula V; Chandraiah, K

2012-01-01

Experience of occupational stress is inevitably involved in the execution of any type of work. Stress has an adaptive value. It motivates the individual to attend to the task and get rid of the tension or demand the unattended task produced. The study was planned to investigate the differences between executives and shop floor workers on occupational stress, mental health, job satisfaction and coping. A random sample of 200 executives and shop floor employees collected from Nuclear Fuel Complex of Hyderabad City. A well developed sub-scales of Occupational Stress indicator like Mental Health, and Coping behavior were used in the present study. The shop floor workers experiencing more job stress and lower mental health. But these two groups did not differ in their coping behaviour. The executives are better with work home balance.

The dynamic interplay between acute psychosocial stress, emotion and autobiographical memory.

PubMed

Sheldon, Signy; Chu, Sonja; Nitschke, Jonas P; Pruessner, Jens C; Bartz, Jennifer A

2018-06-06

Although acute psychosocial stress can impact autobiographical memory retrieval, the nature of this effect is not entirely clear. One reason for this ambiguity is because stress can have opposing effects on the different stages of autobiographical memory retrieval. We addressed this issue by testing how acute stress affects three stages of the autobiographical memory retrieval - accessing, recollecting and reconsolidating a memory. We also investigate the influence of emotion valence on this effect. In a between-subjects design, participants were first exposed to an acute psychosocial stressor or a control task. Next, the participants were shown positive, negative or neutral retrieval cues and asked to access and describe autobiographical memories. After a three to four day delay, participants returned for a second session in which they described these autobiographical memories. During initial retrieval, stressed participants were slower to access memories than were control participants; moreover, cortisol levels were positively associated with response times to access positively-cued memories. There were no effects of stress on the amount of details used to describe memories during initial retrieval, but stress did influence memory detail during session two. During session two, stressed participants recovered significantly more details, particularly emotional ones, from the remembered events than control participants. Our results indicate that the presence of stress impairs the ability to access consolidated autobiographical memories; moreover, although stress has no effect on memory recollection, stress alters how recollected experiences are reconsolidated back into memory traces.

Sex-dependent effects of chronic psychosocial stress on myocardial sensitivity to ischemic injury.

PubMed

Rorabaugh, Boyd R; Krivenko, Anna; Eisenmann, Eric D; Bui, Albert D; Seeley, Sarah; Fry, Megan E; Lawson, Joseph D; Stoner, Lauren E; Johnson, Brandon L; Zoladz, Phillip R

2015-01-01

Individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experience many debilitating symptoms, including intrusive memories, persistent anxiety and avoidance of trauma-related cues. PTSD also results in numerous physiological complications, including increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, characterization of PTSD-induced cardiovascular alterations is lacking, especially in preclinical models of the disorder. Thus, we examined the impact of a psychosocial predator-based animal model of PTSD on myocardial sensitivity to ischemic injury. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to psychosocial stress or control conditions for 31 days. Stressed rats were given two cat exposures, separated by a period of 10 days, and were subjected to daily social instability throughout the paradigm. Control rats were handled daily for the duration of the experiment. Rats were tested on the elevated plus maze (EPM) on day 32, and hearts were isolated on day 33 and subjected to 20 min ischemia and 2 h reperfusion on a Langendorff isolated heart system. Stressed male and female rats gained less body weight relative to controls, but only stressed males exhibited increased anxiety on the EPM. Male, but not female, rats exposed to psychosocial stress exhibited significantly larger infarcts and attenuated post-ischemic recovery of contractile function compared to controls. Our data demonstrate that predator stress combined with daily social instability sex-dependently increases myocardial sensitivity to ischemic injury. Thus, this manipulation may be useful for studying potential mechanisms underlying cardiovascular alterations in PTSD, as well as sex differences in the cardiovascular stress response.

Study of occupational stress among railway engine pilots

PubMed Central

Kumar, Devesh; Singh, Jai Vir; Kharwar, Poonam S.

2011-01-01

Background: Traffic volume and speed is going to be increased in Indian Railways successively, leading to higher stress in staff connected with train operations. The jobs of railway engine pilots come under the category of high-strain jobs, necessitating a need to conduct multicentric study to unfold the factors associated with occupational stress and organizational strategies. Materials and Methods: Present study covered 185 railway engine pilots and office clerks working in various railway zones by incidental method. Occupational Stress Index (OSI) test developed by Srivastva and Singh, questionnaire of specific stressors constructed by authors and laboratory test battery for psychological screening of high-speed train pilots were used as tools. Results: Means of OSI and all the 12 occupational stressors of railway engine pilots were found significantly higher to that of office clerks. Means of OSI and occupational stressors of goods train pilots were significantly higher in comparison to high-speed train pilots and passenger train pilots. Study revealed positive correlation of speed perception and complex reaction time tests and negative correlation of other constituent tests of laboratory test battery to OSI test. Highest subgroup of stressor observedwas role overload followed by role conflict. Conclusions: These findings provide a prima facie evidence of higher occupational stress among railway engine pilots because of identified specific stressors prevalent in their job and explore the possible intervention strategies for its reduction. Significant correlation is noticed between OSI and laboratory test results, indicating its relevant utility in preliminary psychological screening. PMID:21808497

Moderate psychosocial stress appears not to impair recall of words learned 4 weeks prior to stress exposure.

PubMed

Wolf, Oliver T; Schommer, Nicole C; Hellhammer, Dirk H; Reischies, Friedel M; Kirschbaum, Clemens

2002-02-01

Recent studies in humans have reported that recall of previously learned material is especially sensitive to the disruptive effects of pharmacologically induced cortisol elevations. Whether similar effects occur after exposure to psychosocial stress remains to be shown. Moreover it is unknown whether stress before or after the initial learning interacts with the later effects of repeated stress on delayed recall (e.g. state-dependent learning). Forty subjects participated in the present experiment. They learned a word list either one hour before or 10 min after exposure to a psychosocial laboratory stressor. Delayed recall was tested 4 weeks later, again either before or after stress. Salivary cortisol levels increased significantly in response to both stress exposures. Stress had no effects on the initial learning and also did not impair delayed recall. Moreover there was no evidence for state-dependent learning. The current data seem to be in conflict with previous studies demonstrating that delayed recall is especially sensitive to elevated cortisol levels. Several reasons for these discrepancies are discussed. Among them is the small sample size, the moderate cortisol increase in response to the second stress exposure but also the long recall delay, which might lead to memory traces less susceptible to stress.

The stress and underground environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chama, A.

2009-04-01

Currently,the program of prevention in occupational health needs mainly to identify occupational hazards and strategy of their prevention.Among these risks,the stress represents an important psycho-social hazard in mental health,which unfortunately does not spare no occupation.My Paper attempts to highlight and to develop this hazard in its different aspects even its regulatory side in underground environment as occupational environment.In the interest of better prevention ,we consider "the information" about the impact of stress as the second prevention efficient and no expensive to speleologists,hygienists and workers in the underground areas. In this occasion of this event in Vienna,we also highlight the scientific works on the stress of the famous viennese physician and endocrinologist Doctor Hans Selye (1907-1982),nicknamed "the father of stress" and note on relation between biological rhythms in this underground area and psychological troubles (temporal isolation) (Jurgen Aschoff’s works and experiences out-of time).

Occupational stress as it relates to higher education, individuals and organizations.

PubMed

Michailidis, Maria; Asimenos, Andreas

2002-01-01

This study examined through survey research methodology the degree to which, faculty, administrators and program coordinators, working in higher education, experience stress at work. The Occupational Stress Indicator was used, composed of four compound factors: sources of occupational stress, individual characteristics, coping strategies and the effects of stress. Preliminary findings showed that occupational stress has a negative impact on the degree of satisfaction with their achievement, value and growth, being strongest with faculty and coordinators, (dissatisfaction with career opportunities, personal growth, skill utilization). Another significant outcome was the dissatisfaction of faculty with the organizational design, structure and processes (communication, change implementation, motivation, supervision style, participation in decision-making). All possess individual characteristics of the Type A Scale; they all considered major sources of pressure in their jobs to be their relationships with others, home/work interface, their need to achieve personal and corporate success. Occupational stress has affected their state of health.

[Association between occupational psychological stress and metabolic syndrome].

PubMed

Liu, Herong; Song, Hui; Tian, Rulong; Chen, Lijun; Zhang, Wei; Qiang, Yan

2015-02-01

To investigate the association between occupational psychological stress and metabolic syndrome (MS) in Hui and Han populations in Ningxia, China. A 1:1 matched case-control study was performed. A total of 600 unrelated patients aged from 20 to 60 years who were clearly diagnosed with MS in General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University and Wuzhong People's Hospital from October 2011 to October 2012 were collected as the case group (MS group). A total of 600 healthy people who underwent a regular health examination in the same hospital during the same period were selected as the control group with matched gender, nationality, and age (≤ ± 3 years). The self-designed questionnaire was used to investigate the general situations and do the physical examination, and the fasting venous blood samples were collected for laboratory biochemical blood tests. The Occupational Stress Inventory (OSI) was used to investigate the subjects' occupational stress factors and stress levels. With the increase in stress levels, the levels of WC, FPG, TG, AST, and UA were increased, WHR, SBP, and DBP first increased and then decreased, and the level of HDL-C increased. There were statistically significant differences in these parameters between the two groups (P < 0.05 or 0.01). The occupational psychological stress test results showed that the total score of stress factors (t = 6.676, P < 0.05), workload (t = 10.269, P < 0.05), interpersonal relationship (t = 6.569, P < 0.05), family/work balance (t = 2.028, P < 0.05), cognitive load (t = 8.714, P < 0.05), and other scores (t = 2.838, P < 0.05) in the MS group were all significantly higher than those in the control group, but there were no significant differences in the scores of management role, work responsibilities, and organizational climate between the MS group and the control group (P>0.05). There were no significant differences in the total score of stress factors and the score of each factor between Hui and Han groups (P>0

Stress on the Job: How Family Literacy Program Directors Perceive Occupational Stress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandlin, Jennifer A.; Chen, Chia-Yin

2007-01-01

Little research has examined stress among family literacy administrators, although studies in other contexts reveal occupational stress can lead to illness, distress, and organizational problems. This article presents findings from a recent study of stress among family literacy program directors in Texas. Findings reveal family literacy program…

Measuring occupational stress: development of the pressure management indicator.

PubMed

Williams, S; Cooper, C L

1998-10-01

The study of occupational stress is hindered by the lack of compact and comprehensive standardized measurement tools. The Pressure Management Indicator (PMI) is a 120-item self-report questionnaire developed from the Occupational Stress Indicator (OSI). The PMI is more reliable, more comprehensive, and shorter than the OSI. It provides an integrated measure of the major dimensions of occupational stress. The outcome scales measure job satisfaction, organizational satisfaction, organizational security, organizational commitment, anxiety--depression, resilience, worry, physical symptoms, and exhaustion. The stressor scales cover pressure from workload, relationships, career development, managerial responsibility, personal responsibility, home demands, and daily hassles. The moderator variables measure drive, impatience, control, decision latitude, and the coping strategies of problem focus, life work balance, and social support.

[Mediating effect of mental elasticity on occupational stress and depression in female nurses].

PubMed

Wang, Y W; Liu, G Z; Zhou, X T; Sheng, P J; Cui, F F; Shi, T

2017-06-20

Objective: To investigate the interaction between mental elasticityand occupational stress and depressionin female nurses and the mediating effect of mental elasticity, as well as the functioning way of mental elasticity in occupational stress-depression. Methods: From August to October, 2015, cluster sampling was used to select 122 female nurses in a county-level medical institution as study subjects. The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) , Occupational Stress Inventory-Revised Edition (OSI-R) , and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) were used to collect the data on mental elasticity, occupational stress, and depression and analyze their correlation and mediating effect. Results: The 122 female nurses had a mean mental elasticity score of 62.4±15.1, which was significantly lower than the Chinese norm (65.4±13.9) ( P <0.05) ; the mean depression score was 41.0±7.7, which was significantly higher than the Chinese norm (33.5±8.6) ( P <0.01) , and the incidence rate of depression of 52.5%. Mental elasticity was negatively correlated with occupational stress and depression ( r =-0.559 and -0.559, both P <0.01) . Occupational stress and the two subscales mental stress reaction and physical stress reaction were positively correlated with depression ( r =0.774, 0.734, and 0.725, all P <0.01) . After adjustment for confounding factors, occupational stress had a positive predictive effect on depression ( β =0.744, P <0.01) , and mental elasticity had a negative predictive effect on depression ( β =-0.221, P <0.01) . The analysis of mediating effect showed a significant direct effect of occupational stress on depression and a significant mediating effect of mental elasticity ( a =-0.527, b =-0.227, c =0.744, c '=0.627; all P <0.01) , and the mediating effect of mental elasticity accounted for 16.08% of the total effect. Conclusion: As a partial mediating variable, mental elasticity has an indirect effect on the relationship between occupational stress and

[Occupational stress situation analysis of different types of train drivers].

PubMed

Zhou, Wenhui; Gu, Guizhen; Wu, Hui; Yu, Shanfa

2014-11-01

To analyze the status of occupational stress in different types of train drivers. By using cluster sampling method, a cross-sectional study was conducted in 1 339 train drivers (including 289 passenger train drivers, 637 freight trains drivers, 339 passenger shunting train drivers, and 74 high speed rail drivers) from a Railway Bureau depot. The survey included individual factors, occupational stress factors, stress response factors and stress mitigating factors. The occupational stress factors, stress response factors and mitigating factors were measured by the revised effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model questionnaires and occupational stress measurement scale. By using the method of covariance analysized the difference of occupational stress factors of all types train drivers, the method of Stepwise regression was used to analyze the effection (R(2)) of occupational stress factors and stress mitigating factors on stress response factors. Covariance analysis as covariates in age, education level, length of service and marital status showed that the scores of ERI (1.58 ± 0.05), extrinsic effort (19.88 ± 0.44), rewards (23.43 ± 0.43), intrinsic effort (17.86 ± 0.36), physical environment (5.70 ± 0.22), social support (30.51 ± 0.88) and daily tension (10.27 ± 0.38 ) of high speed rail drivers were higher than other drivers (F values were 6.06, 11.32, 7.05, 13.25, 5.20, 9.48 and 6.14 respectively, P < 0.01), but the scores of emotional balance (4.15 ± 0.31) and positive emotion (2.06 ± 0.20) were lower than other drives (P < 0.01);the scores of psychological needs (10.48 ± 0.18), emotional balance (4.88 ± 0.16) and positive emotion (2.63 ± 0.10) of passenger train drivers were higher than other drivers (F values were 4.33 and 5.50 respectively, P < 0.01). The descending rank of the effect value on occupational stress factors and mitigating factors to depressive symptoms of train drivers was high speed rail drivers (R(2) = 0.64), passenger train drivers (R

Occupational stress and suicidality among firefighters: Examining the buffering role of distress tolerance.

PubMed

Stanley, Ian H; Boffa, Joseph W; Smith, Lia J; Tran, Jana K; Schmidt, N Brad; Joiner, Thomas E; Vujanovic, Anka A

2018-05-24

Past research indicates that firefighters are at increased risk for suicide. Firefighter-specific occupational stress may contribute to elevated suicidality. Among a large sample of firefighters, this study examined if occupational stress is associated with multiple indicators of suicide risk, and whether distress tolerance, the perceived and/or actual ability to endure negative emotional or physical states, attenuates these associations. A total of 831 firefighters participated (mean [SD] age = 38.37y[8.53y]; 94.5% male; 75.2% White). The Sources of Occupational Stress-14 (SOOS-14), Distress Tolerance Scale (DTS), and Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R) were utilized to examine firefighter-specific occupational stress, distress tolerance, and suicidality, respectively. Consistent with predictions, occupational stress interacted with distress tolerance, such that the effects of occupational stress on suicide risk, broadly, as well as lifetime suicide threats and current suicidal intent, specifically, were attenuated at high levels of distress tolerance. Distress tolerance may buffer the effects of occupational stress on suicidality among firefighters. Pending replication, findings suggest that distress tolerance may be a viable target for suicide prevention initiatives within the fire service. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Workplace bullying and post-traumatic stress symptoms among family physicians in Lithuania: an occupation and region specific approach.

PubMed

Malinauskiene, Vilija; Einarsen, Staale

2014-12-01

The study investigated associations between workplace bullying and post-traumatic stress symptoms as compared to and controlled for associations between the latter and other psychosocial stress factors at work and in everyday life. The study employed a representative sample of Lithuanian family physicians, hence investigated a particularly resourceful occupational group in a geographical region earlier found to have a high risk context for exposure to bullying at work. With a response rate of 89.2%, a total of 323 family physicians filled in an anonymous questionnaire on workplace bullying, post-traumatic symptomatology (IES-R), other psychosocial stressors at work and in everyday life, personal health resources (sense of coherence), behavioral characteristics and demographic variables. The statistical software SPSS 14.0, Windows was used in the analysis. Associations were tested using a multivariate logistic regression analysis. A high prevalence of bullying was found among family physicians in Lithuania, with 13% of them experiencing severe workplace bullying and 17.3% experiencing more occasional incidents of bullying. The prevalence of post-traumatic stress symptoms was also high with 15.8% scoring above the standardized cut-off thresholds for post-traumatic stress disorder. The odds ratio (OR) of severe bullying for post-traumatic stress after adjustment for age and gender was 8.05 (95% confidence intervals (CI): 3.80-17.04). In the fully adjusted model it increased to 13.88 (95% CI: 4.68-41.13) indicating cumulative effects of all the investigated stressors. Workplace bullying is particularly prevalent among Lithuanian family physicians, as are the symptoms of post-traumatic distress. Strong associations between post-traumatic stress and exposure to severe bullying indicate that bullying is a significant source of mental health.

Minority stress, psychosocial resources, and psychological distress among sexual minority breast cancer survivors

PubMed Central

Kamen, Charles; Jabson, Jennifer M.; Mustian, Karen M.; Boehmer, Ulrike

2017-01-01

Objective Few studies have examined unique factors predicting psychological distress among sexual minority (i.e., lesbian and bisexual) women post breast cancer diagnosis. The present study assessed the association of minority stress and psychosocial resource factors with depression and anxiety symptoms among sexual minority breast cancer survivors. Methods 201 sexual minority women who had ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) or stage I-IV breast cancer participated in this study through the Love/Avon Army of Women (AOW). Self-report questionnaires were used to assess demographic and clinical factors, minority stress factors (discrimination, minority identity development, outness), psychosocial resources (resilience, social support), and psychological distress (anxiety and depression). These factors were included in a structural equation model, testing psychosocial resources as mediators between minority stress and psychological distress. Results There were no significant differences noted between lesbian and bisexual women. The final structural equation model demonstrated acceptable fit across all sexual minority women, χ2 = 27.83, p > 0.05; confirmatory fit index = 0.97, root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.04, Tucker-Lewis Index = 0.93. The model accounted for significant variance in psychological distress (56%). Examination of indirect effects confirmed that exposure to discrimination was associated with distress via association with resilience. Conclusions Factors unique to sexual minority populations, such as minority stress, may be associated with higher rates of psychological distress among sexual minority breast cancer survivors. However, presence of psychosocial resources may mediate relationships with distress in this population; enhancement of resilience, in particular, could be an aim of psychological intervention. PMID:28165265

Minority stress, psychosocial resources, and psychological distress among sexual minority breast cancer survivors.

PubMed

Kamen, Charles; Jabson, Jennifer M; Mustian, Karen M; Boehmer, Ulrike

2017-06-01

Few studies have examined unique factors predicting psychological distress among sexual minority (i.e., lesbian and bisexual) women postbreast cancer diagnosis. The present study assessed the association of minority stress and psychosocial resource factors with depression and anxiety symptoms among sexual minority breast cancer survivors. Two hundred one sexual minority women who had ductal carcinoma in situ or Stage I-IV breast cancer participated in this study through the Love/Avon Army of Women. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess demographic and clinical factors, minority stress factors (discrimination, minority identity development, outness), psychosocial resources (resilience, social support), and psychological distress (anxiety and depression). These factors were included in a structural equation model, testing psychosocial resources as mediators between minority stress and psychological distress. There were no significant differences noted between lesbian and bisexual women. The final structural equation model demonstrated acceptable fit across all sexual minority women, χ2 = 27.83, p > .05; confirmatory fit index = 0.97, root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.04, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.93. The model accounted for significant variance in psychological distress (56%). Examination of indirect effects confirmed that exposure to discrimination was associated with distress via association with resilience. Factors unique to sexual minority populations, such as minority stress, may be associated with higher rates of psychological distress among sexual minority breast cancer survivors. However, presence of psychosocial resources may mediate relationships with distress in this population; enhancement of resilience, in particular, could be an aim of psychological intervention. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Stress, Depression, and Occupational Injury among Migrant Farmworkers in Nebraska.

PubMed

Ramos, Athena K; Carlo, Gustavo; Grant, Kathleen; Trinidad, Natalia; Correa, Antonia

2016-01-01

Agriculture is one of the most dangerous industries in the United States. Farmworkers, including migrant farmworkers, are at risk for work-related injuries. This study explores the association between stress, depression, and occupational injury among migrant farmworkers in Nebraska. Occupational injury was hypothesized to significantly increase the odds of farmworkers being stressed and depressed. Two hundred migrant farmworkers (mean age = 33.5 years, standard deviation (SD) = 12.53; 93.0% men, 92.9% of Mexican descent) were interviewed. In bivariate analyses, results indicated that stress and depression were positively associated with occupational injury. Two logistic regression models were developed. Occupational injury was a significant factor for depression, but not for stress. Participants who had been injured on the job were over seven times more likely to be depressed. These results highlight the interconnection between the work environment and mental health. More must be done to foster well-being in rural, agricultural communities. Improving occupational health and safety information and training, integrating behavioral health services into primary care settings, and strengthening the protections of the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act may improve conditions for migrant farmworkers in the rural Midwest.

It is not just about occupation, but also about where you work.

PubMed

Berthelsen, Hanne; Westerlund, Hugo; Hakanen, Jari J; Kristensen, Tage S

2017-08-01

Dentistry is characterized by a meaningful but also stressful psychosocial working environment. Job satisfaction varies among staff working under different organizational forms. The aim of this study was to identify (i) to what extent crucial psychosocial work environment characteristics differ among occupations in general public dental clinics in Sweden, and (ii) how much of the variation within each occupation is attributable to the organizational level. All staff (N=1782) employed in four public dental organizations received an email with personal log-in to an electronic questionnaire based on the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire. After two reminders, a response rate of 75% was obtained. Responses from 880 nonmanagerial dentists, dental hygienists and dental nurses working in general practices were included in our analyses. First, we compared the three dental occupations. We found that job demands, task resources (eg influence, possibilities for development and role clarity), strain symptoms and attitudes to work differed among occupations, dentists having the least favourable situation. Next, we compared the four organizations for each occupational group, separately. For dentists, a significant and relevant amount of variance (P<.05 and ICC >.05) was explained by the organizational level for 15 of 26 subscales, least pronounced for task resources. By contrast, for dental nurses and hygienists, the corresponding number was 2 subscales of 26. The psychosocial working environment of people working at the organization with the highest levels of strain indicators and the least positive work-related attitudes differed systematically from the organization with the most favourable profile, in particular regarding job demands and leadership aspects. In conclusion, the psychosocial working environment depended to a large degree on occupation and, for dentists in particular, also on their organizational affiliation. The findings suggest a potential for designing

Relationship between stress-related psychosocial work factors and suboptimal health among Chinese medical staff: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Meng, Shi-Jiao; Zhang, Jie; Wu, Li-Juan; Yan, Yu-Xiang

2018-01-01

Objectives The study aimed to develop and validate a model to measure psychosocial factors at work among medical staff in China based on confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The second aim of the current study was to clarify the association between stress-related psychosocial work factors and suboptimal health status. Design The cross-sectional study was conducted using clustered sampling method. Setting Xuanwu Hospital, a 3A grade hospital in Beijing. Participants Nine hundred and fourteen medical staff aged over 40 years were sampled. Seven hundred and ninety-seven valid questionnaires were collected and used for further analyses. The sample included 94% of the Han population. Main outcome measures The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) and the Suboptimal Health Status Questionnaires-25 were used to assess the psychosocial factors at work and suboptimal health status, respectively. CFA was conducted to establish the evaluating method of COPSOQ. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to estimate the relationship between suboptimal health status and stress-related psychosocial work factors among Chinese medical staff. Results There was a strong correlation among the five dimensions of COPSOQ based on the first-order factor model. Then, we established two second-order factors including negative and positive psychosocial work stress factors to evaluate psychosocial factors at work, and the second-order factor model fit well. The high score in negative (OR (95% CI)=1.47 (1.34 to 1.62), P<0.001) and positive (OR (95% CI)=0.96 (0.94 to 0.98), P<0.001) psychosocial work factors increased and decreased the risk of suboptimal health, respectively. This relationship remained statistically significant after adjusting for confounders and when using different cut-offs of suboptimal health status. Conclusions Among medical staff, the second-order factor model was a suitable method to evaluate the COPSOQ. The negative and positive psychosocial work

Association between Occupational Stress and Respiratory Symptoms among Lecturers in Universiti Putra Malaysia

PubMed Central

M. Y., Nur Aqilah; J., Juliana

2012-01-01

There was considerable evidence that a subject’s psychological status may influence respiratory sensations and that some subjects may experience respiratory symptoms regardless of the presence of a respiratory disease. The objective of this study was to determine the association between occupational stress and respiratory symptoms among lecturers. This cross sectional study was conducted in Universiti Putra Malaysia, involved 61 lecturers from various faculties. Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) and questionnaires based on American Thoracic Society were used to collect the data on socio-demography, stress level and respiratory symptoms. High level of occupational stress (high strain) was determined among 16 of the respondents (26.2%). Breathlessness was the common symptom experienced by the respondents. Female lecturers were significantly experienced high stress level compared to male (p=0.035). They were also significantly having more breathlessness symptom compared to male lecturer (p=0.011). Study highlighted in study population, gender plays a significant role that influenced level of occupational stress and also gender has role in resulting occupational stress level and respiratory symptoms. There was no significant association between occupational stress and respiratory symptoms. It can be concluded that this group of lecturers of Universiti Putra Malaysia did not experienced high occupational stress level. Occupational stress level was not statistically significantly associated with all respiratory symptoms being studied. PMID:23121752

Acute psychosocial stress differentially influences salivary endocrine and immune measures in undergraduate students.

PubMed

Campisi, Jay; Bravo, Yesika; Cole, Jennifer; Gobeil, Kyle

2012-10-10

Undergraduate students routinely experience acute psychosocial stress when interviewing for post-collegiate employment. While numerous studies have demonstrated that acute stress can increase release of immune-relevant molecules in blood, fewer studies have examined if acute stress also increases immune-relevant molecules into saliva. Saliva, and the biomolecules found in saliva often serve important immune defense roles and can be used to non-invasively screen for many systemic diseases. Therefore, the current study examined saliva concentrations of endocrine and immune molecules following exposure to an acute psychosocial stressor (mock job interview) in undergraduates. Heart rate, blood pressure, salivary cortisol, salivary immunoglobulin-A (S-IgA), and salivary C-reactive protein (S-CRP) were compared in healthy college undergraduates (n=15) before and after completion of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). The TSST induced significant increases in heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and salivary cortisol. Additional analyses revealed a non-significant (p=0.1) increase in the level of S-IgA following the TSST. A significant decrease in S-IgA was observed during the recovery period. No change in S-CRP was observed following the TSST. These results suggest that acute stress experienced by undergraduates when interviewing for a job activates the sympathetic nervous system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and that cortisol levels increase in saliva. Stress-induced elevations in cortisol might be responsible for the decreased S-IgA observed following the recovery period. Collectively, these data provide further insight into the interaction between psychosocial stress, endocrine, and immune functioning. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Elevated Psychosocial Stress at Work in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

PubMed

Richter, Jutta G; Muth, Thomas; Li, Jian; Brinks, Ralph; Chehab, Gamal; Koch, Tobias; Siegrist, Johannes; Angerer, Peter; Huscher, Dörte; Schneider, Matthias

2018-02-01

Psychosocial stress at work not only affects the healthy working population, but also workers with chronic diseases. We aimed to investigate the psychosocial work stress levels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A cross-sectional study applied the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) questionnaire - an internationally established instrument that measures work stress - to patients with SLE and RA who were capable of work and to a group of controls without these diseases. Participants were recruited through rheumatologists in private practices, hospitals, and from self-help groups by personal communication, paper-based flyers, and online advertisements. Because very few studies tested the ERI's applicability in patient groups, with a lack of evidence in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases, internal consistency and construct validity of the ERI measure were evaluated. Data came from 270 patients with RA and 247 with SLE, and 178 controls. Patients showed elevated psychosocial stress at work compared to controls. Across the total sample and all groups, satisfactory internal consistencies of the scales effort, reward, and overcommitment were obtained (Cronbach's alpha coefficients > 0.70), and confirmatory factor analysis replicated the theoretical structure of the ERI model (goodness-of-fit index > 0.80). We found elevated psychosocial stress at work in patients with SLE and RA compared to controls by applying the ERI model. Despite some heterogeneity in the sample, we achieved satisfactory psychometric properties of the ERI questionnaire. Our results suggest that the ERI questionnaire is a psychometrically useful tool to be implemented in epidemiological studies of employed patients with SLE and RA.

The Effect of Stress Management on Occupational Stress and Satisfaction among Midwives in Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital Wards in Iran

PubMed Central

Jahromi, Mahdi Karimyar; Minaei, Shahnaz; Abdollahifard, Sareh; Maddahfar, Majid

2016-01-01

Introduction: Occupational stress is one of the major problems of health care staff, substantially affecting their professional and personal performance. This research has been conducted with the aim of determining the effect of stress management on occupational stress and satisfaction among the Midwives in Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital wards at Motahari Hospital in Jahrom, Iran 2013-2014. Methods: This is a Quasi-experimental study of the pre- and post-clinical trials type. The study population included midwives employed in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital wards selected trough census. The samples were categorized into two groups randomly. The intervention group participated in the short-term training workshop of stress management. The studied samples were measured in terms of occupational stress and satisfaction before, right after, and one month after the workshop. Occupational stress measurement was measured by Toft-Anderson occupational stress questionnaire (1981). Similarly, the occupational satisfaction was measured by JDI checklist developed by Stephen Robins (1994). In order to analyze the information, SPSS 16 together with descriptive statistics tests (frequency, percentile, mean, and standard deviation), independent sample t-tests, iterative measurement and Spearman correlation coefficient were used. Results: A total of 70 people (two 35-person groups) of midwives participated in this study. The findings revealed that there was a significant difference between the mean of scores of occupational stress between the two groups before and after the workshop (p=0.001). There was, however, no significant difference between the scores of satisfactions across the two groups. Discussion: Training of skills of coping with stress including stress management can be effective in diminishing level of occupational stress. Mitigation of stress without catering for professional, occupational, organizational, and environmental factors would not lead to

The Effect of Stress Management on Occupational Stress and Satisfaction among Midwives in Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital Wards in Iran.

PubMed

Karimyar Jahromi, Mahdi; Minaei, Shahnaz; Abdollahifard, Sareh; Maddahfar, Majid

2016-09-01

Occupational stress is one of the major problems of health care staff, substantially affecting their professional and personal performance. This research has been conducted with the aim of determining the effect of stress management on occupational stress and satisfaction among the Midwives in Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital wards at Motahari Hospital in Jahrom, Iran 2013-2014. This is a Quasi-experimental study of the pre- and post-clinical trials type. The study population included midwives employed in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital wards selected trough census. The samples were categorized into two groups randomly. The intervention group participated in the short-term training workshop of stress management. The studied samples were measured in terms of occupational stress and satisfaction before, right after, and one month after the workshop. Occupational stress measurement was measured by Toft-Anderson occupational stress questionnaire (1981). Similarly, the occupational satisfaction was measured by JDI checklist developed by Stephen Robins (1994). In order to analyze the information, SPSS 16 together with descriptive statistics tests (frequency, percentile, mean, and standard deviation), independent sample t-tests, iterative measurement and Spearman correlation coefficient were used.  A total of 70 people (two 35-person groups) of midwives participated in this study. The findings revealed that there was a significant difference between the mean of scores of occupational stress between the two groups before and after the workshop (p=0.001). There was, however, no significant difference between the scores of satisfactions across the two groups. Training of skills of coping with stress including stress management can be effective in diminishing level of occupational stress. Mitigation of stress without catering for professional, occupational, organizational, and environmental factors would not lead to development of job satisfaction.

[An investigation of occupational stress, social support, and happiness of junior civil servants].

PubMed

Wang, Lingfeng

2015-10-01

To investigate the current status of occupational stress, social support, and happiness in junior civil servants in northern Zhejiang Province, China, and to investigate the relationship between occupational stress, social support and happiness. A total of 360 junior civil servants from below-county-level administrative organizations in Huzhou, Jiaxing, and Hangzhou were surveyed using the job stress questionnaire and social support rating scale for civil servants. The total average score of occupational stress in junior civil servants was 2.52 ± 0.48, indicating a moderate level of occupational stress; career prospects topped the rank list of sources of occupational stress with a score of 2.90 ± 0.60; different generations showed significant differences in the sources and total average scores of occupational stress, with the scores of the 1980s, 1990s, 1970s, 1950s, and 1960s groups decreasing in the same order (P<0.01); the occupational stress of males was significantly greater than that of the females (P<0.01). The levels of social support and happiness among the junior civil servants were relatively low, with scores of 38.43 ± 8.38 and 76.88 ± 12.77, respectively; different generations also showed significant differences, with the scores of 1980s, 1990s, 1970s, 1950s, and 1960s groups increasing in the same order (P<0.01); females experienced significantly more social support and happiness than males (P<0.01). Sources of occupational stress like superior leaders, work task, tendency to perfection, and career prospects, objective and subjective support, and utilization of the support were significantly related to the happiness of junior civil servants (r=0.405~0.571, P<0.01; β=0.090~0.210, P <0.01). Occupational stress and social support are significantly related to the happiness of junior civil servants.

Occupational stress and subclinical atherosclerosis: a systematic review.

PubMed

Wilson, Mark D; Conroy, Lorraine M; Dorevitch, Samuel

2014-10-01

Stress is a common hazard in the work environment and is associated with multiple adverse health effects. The association between work-related stress (WRS) and cardiovascular disease has been established in a number of epidemiological studies. A systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA statement of the English literature involving WRS and carotid artery intima media thickness (CIMT). Four cohorts and six cross-sectional studies of occupational stress and CIMT were identified. All cohorts and five of the cross-sectional studies reported a significant positive association, while one reported an inverse association of WRS and CIMT. The weight of the evidence that we were able to identify suggests that occupational stress results in an increased risk of atherosclerosis, assessed via CIMT. Studies that include longitudinal measures of stress and intermediate cardiac endpoints, with adequate accounting for confounders, are needed. Interventional studies should also be conducted to determine whether CIMT progression can be prevented with workplace stress reduction.

Occupational stress and coping strategies among emergency department nurses of China.

PubMed

Lu, Dong-Mei; Sun, Ning; Hong, Su; Fan, Yu-ying; Kong, Fan-ying; Li, Qiu-jie

2015-08-01

Emergency department(ED) nurses work in a rapidly changing environment with patients that have wide variety of conditions. Occupational stress in emergency department nurses is a common problem. The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between coping strategies and occupational stress among ED nurses in China. A correlational, cross-sectional design was adopted. Two questionnaires were given to a random sample of 127 ED nurses registered at the Heilongjiang Nurses' Association. Data were collected from the nurses that worked in the ED of five general hospitals in Harbin China. Occupational stress and coping strategies were measured by two questionnaires. A multiple regression model was applied to analyze the relationship between stress and coping strategies. The stressors of ED nurses mainly come from the ED specialty of nursing (2.97±0.55), workload and time distribution (2.97±0.58). The mean score of positive coping strategies was 2.19±0.35, higher than the norm (1.78±0.52). The mean score of negative coping strategies was 1.20±0.61, lower than the norm (1.59±0.66), both had significant statistical difference (P<0.001). Too much documents work, criticism, instrument equipment shortage, night shift, rank of professional were the influence factors about occupational stress to positive coping styles. Too much documents work, and medical insurance for ED nurses were the influential factors on occupational stress to negative coping styles. This study identified several factors associated with occupational stress in ED nurses. These results could be used to guide nurse managers of ED nurses to reduce work stress. The managers could pay more attention to the ED nurse's coping strategies which can further influence their health state and quality of nursing care. Reducing occupational stress and enhancing coping strategies are vital not only for encouraging nurses but also for the future of nursing development. Copyright © 2015. Published by

Early life stress and physical and psychosocial functioning in late adulthood.

PubMed

Alastalo, Hanna; von Bonsdorff, Mikaela B; Räikkönen, Katri; Pesonen, Anu-Katriina; Osmond, Clive; Barker, David J P; Heinonen, Kati; Kajantie, Eero; Eriksson, Johan G

2013-01-01

Severe stress experienced in early life may have long-term effects on adult physiological and psychological health and well-being. We studied physical and psychosocial functioning in late adulthood in subjects separated temporarily from their parents in childhood during World War II. The 1803 participants belong to the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study, born 1934-44. Of them, 267 (14.8%) had been evacuated abroad in childhood during WWII and the remaining subjects served as controls. Physical and psychosocial functioning was assessed with the Short Form 36 scale (SF-36) between 2001 and 2004. A test for trends was based on linear regression. All analyses were adjusted for age at clinical examination, social class in childhood and adulthood, smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity, body mass index, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Physical functioning in late adulthood was lower among the separated men compared to non-separated men (b = -0.40, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: -0.71 to -0.08). Those men separated in school age (>7 years) and who were separated for a duration over 2 years had the highest risk for lower physical functioning (b = -0.89, 95% CI: -1.58 to -0.20) and (b = -0.65, 95% CI: -1.25 to -0.05), respectively). Men separated for a duration over 2 years also had lower psychosocial functioning (b = -0.70, 95% CI: -1.35 to -0.06). These differences in physical and psychosocial functioning were not observed among women. Early life stress may increase the risk for impaired physical functioning in late adulthood among men. Timing and duration of the separation influenced the physical and psychosocial functioning in late adulthood.

The Relationship Between Burnout and Occupational Stress in Genetic Counselors.

PubMed

Johnstone, Brittney; Kaiser, Amy; Injeyan, Marie C; Sappleton, Karen; Chitayat, David; Stephens, Derek; Shuman, Cheryl

2016-08-01

Burnout represents a critical disruption in an individual's relationship with work, resulting in a state of exhaustion in which one's occupational value and capacity to perform are questioned. Burnout can negatively affect an individual's personal life, as well as employers in terms of decreased work quality, patient/client satisfaction, and employee retention. Occupational stress is a known contributor to burnout and occurs as a result of employment requirements and factors intrinsic to the work environment. Empirical research examining genetic counselor-specific burnout is limited; however, existing data suggests that genetic counselors are at increased risk for burnout. To investigate the relationship between occupational stress and burnout in genetic counselors, we administered an online survey to members of three genetic counselor professional organizations. Validated measures included the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (an instrument measuring burnout on three subscales: exhaustion, cynicism, and professional efficacy) and the Occupational Stress Inventory-Revised (an instrument measuring occupational stress on 14 subscales). Of the 353 respondents, more than 40 % had either considered leaving or left their job role due to burnout. Multiple regression analysis yielded significant predictors for burnout risk. The identified sets of predictors account for approximately 59 % of the variance in exhaustion, 58 % of the variance in cynicism, and 43 % of the variance in professional efficacy. Our data confirm that a significant number of genetic counselors experience burnout and that burnout is correlated with specific aspects of occupational stress. Based on these findings, practice and research recommendations are presented.

Relationship at work as a cause of occupational stress: the case of academic women in Vietnam.

PubMed

Van Thanh, Le

2016-01-01

The present research paper aims to bring deeper understanding and insight to perceptions and experiences of occupational stress from relationships at work in the cultural context of Vietnam. The paper also examines differences in perceptions, experiences of occupational stress from this problem and makes a comparison with perspectives in other cultures. Grounded theory approach is used to study occupational stress by collecting data from in-depth interviews with 42 academic women employed at Vietnamese higher education institutions to understand the meaning, the nature and source of the occupational stress from relationships at work they experience and the impact of occupational stress on their lives. Cultural factors play an important role in occupational stress. Cultural factors such as power distance and hierarchy influence perception, experiences of occupational stress and the ways occupational stress is responded to. The Vietnamese context differs from other cultural contexts in the range of factors perceived as stressors for Vietnamese women. This paper is the first grounded theory study of occupational stress among women academics in Vietnam that determines that the natural of the relationship at work play an important role in how women understand and respond to occupational stress and supports the growing evidence that occupational stress is common, global but different in other cultures.

Does office space occupation matter? The role of the number of persons per enclosed office space, psychosocial work characteristics, and environmental satisfaction in the physical and mental health of employees.

PubMed

Herbig, B; Schneider, A; Nowak, D

2016-10-01

The study examined the effects of office space occupation, psychosocial work characteristics, and environmental satisfaction on physical and mental health of office workers in small-sized and open-plan offices as well as possible underlying mechanisms. Office space occupation was characterized as number of persons per one enclosed office space. A total of 207 office employees with similar jobs in offices with different space occupation were surveyed regarding their work situation (psychosocial work characteristics, satisfaction with privacy, acoustics, and control) and health (psychosomatic complaints, irritation, mental well-being, and work ability). Binary logistic and linear regression analyses as well as bootstrapped mediation analyses were used to determine associations and underlying mechanisms. Employee health was significantly associated with all work characteristics. Psychosocial work stressors had the strongest relation to physical and mental health (OR range: 1.66-3.72). The effect of office space occupation on employee health was mediated by stressors and environmental satisfaction, but not by psychosocial work resources. As assumed by sociotechnical approaches, a higher number of persons per enclosed office space was associated with adverse health effects. However, the strongest associations were found with psychosocial work stressors. When revising office design, a holistic approach to work (re)design is needed. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Discrimination, Psychosocial Stress, and Health among Latin American Immigrants in Oregon

PubMed Central

McClure, Heather H.; Snodgrass, J. Josh; Martinez, Charles R.; Eddy, J. Mark; Jiménez, Roberto A.; Isiordia, Laura E.

2009-01-01

Chronic psychosocial stress related to discrimination has been shown to be associated with biological measures such as elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP), increased body fat, and higher fasting glucose levels. Few studies have examined this relationship in immigrant populations. The present study recruited a sample of 132 Oregon Latino immigrant adults in order to investigate the relationships between perceived discrimination and several health measures (blood pressure, body mass index [BMI], and fasting glucose). Results indicate that perceived discrimination stress predicted elevated SBP among men but not among women. Perceived discrimination was significantly higher among obese women than among women of normal BMI. The same pattern was not observed for men. Further, a strong trend relationship was detected: the higher women’s reported discrimination stress, the higher their fasting glucose levels. Again, this pattern was not observed for men. These results suggest that chronic psychosocial stress plays an important role in disease risk among Latin American immigrants, and that male and female immigrants may have distinctive physiological responses. If confirmed, these findings may have important clinical and public health implications for chronic disease prevention among Latinos. PMID:19844904

A cross-sectional study of psychosocial work environment and stress in the Danish symphony orchestras.

PubMed

Holst, Gitte Juel; Paarup, Helene M; Baelum, Jesper

2012-08-01

To investigate psychosocial work environment and stress in Danish symphony orchestra musicians. This was a cross-sectional questionnaire survey of psychosocial work factors and stress symptoms among 441 musicians in six Danish symphony orchestras. The response rate was 78% (n = 342). The questions were from COPSOQ (Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire). Mean values of 19 COPSOQ-scales were compared by gender and instrument group. The results for the musicians were compared with results for the general Danish work force (COPSOQ database). Female musicians reported higher work demands and higher stress symptoms than their male colleagues. Between instrument groups, 2nd violinists seemed to be of particular risk compared with the other instrumental groups in aspects of work pace, work organization, and content, whereas 1st violinists perceived higher emotional stress compared with 2nd violinists. The musicians' experience of increased work demands as well as deteriorated, work organization and job content, interpersonal relations and leadership, and work-individual interface was significantly associated with increasing stress symptoms. Compared to the general workforce independently of gender, Danish symphony orchestra musicians reported higher emotional demands, lower influence, lower social support, lower sense of community, and lower job satisfaction. However, the musicians reported a higher commitment to the workplace. The findings indicate a more demanding psychosocial work environment exposure among symphony orchestra musicians than among Danish workers in general. Critical results are the relatively high work demands, low influence, and low social support, females being of higher risk than males.

Maternal psychosocial stress and children's ADHD diagnosis: a prospective birth cohort study.

PubMed

Okano, Lauren; Ji, Yuelong; Riley, Anne W; Wang, Xiaobin

2018-05-23

Examine the association of mothers' psychosocial stressors before and during pregnancy with their children's diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study included 2140 mother-child pairs who had at least one postnatal pediatric visit at the Boston Medical Center between 2003 and 2015. Child ADHD was determined via International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes documented in electronic medical records. Latent factors of maternal stress and social support and measures of the physical home environment and psychosocial adversities were constructed using exploratory factor analysis. The association between the latent factors and child ADHD diagnosis was examined using multiple logistic regression, controlling for known risk factors for ADHD. Children were 1.45 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.99) and 3.03 (95% CI: 2.19, 4.20) times more likely to receive an ADHD diagnosis if their mother experienced a major stressful event during pregnancy or reported a high level of perceived stress, respectively. The number of family adversities increases the risk of ADHD diagnosis [second quartile: OR = 1.90; CI (1.31, 2.77); third quartile: OR = 1.96 CI (1.34, 2.88); fourth quartile: OR = 2.89 CI (2.01, 4.16)] compared to first quartile. In this prospective, predominantly urban, low-income, minority birth cohort, mothers' psychosocial stress before and during pregnancy appears to be an independent risk factor for the development of ADHD in their children.

Systematic Review of Occupational Therapy and Adult Cancer Rehabilitation: Part 2. Impact of Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation and Psychosocial, Sexuality, and Return-to-Work Interventions.

PubMed

Hunter, Elizabeth G; Gibson, Robert W; Arbesman, Marian; D'Amico, Mariana

This article is the second part of a systematic review of evidence for the effectiveness of cancer rehabilitation interventions within the scope of occupational therapy that address the activity and participation needs of adult cancer survivors. This article focuses on the use of multidisciplinary rehabilitation and interventions that address psychosocial outcomes, sexuality, and return to work. Strong evidence indicates that multidisciplinary rehabilitation benefits cancer survivors and that psychosocial strategies can reduce anxiety and depression. Moderate evidence indicates that interventions can support survivors in returning to the level of sexuality desired and help with return to work. Part 1 of the review also appears in this issue. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

[Occupational stress and early health effects in migrant workers in an electronics manufacturing service enterprise].

PubMed

Liu, X M; Li, S; Zhang, Q Y; Wang, C; Ji, Y Q; Wang, J; Shi, J

2016-10-20

Objective: To investigate occupational stress in migrant workers in an electronics manufacturing service enterprise and the association between occupational stress and early health effects, such as job burnout, depressive tendency, and insomnia. Methods: In August 2015, stratified random cluster sampling was used to select 1 097 migrant workers in an electronics manufacturing service enterprise. The Job Demand-Autonomy Questionnaire and effort-reward imbalance questionnaire were used to investigate occupational stress with the types of high workload and effort-reward imbalance, and Burnout Inventory, depression scale, and self-management sleep questionnaire were used to investigate the early health effects of occupational stress. Results: In these migrant workers, the detection rates of occupational stress with the types of high workload and effort-reward imbalance were 69.8%(766/1 097) and 11.9%(131/1 097). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the workers who had occupational stress with the types of high workload and effort-reward imbalance had significantly higher risks of job burnout and depressive tendencies than those who did not have these two types of occupational stress ( P <0.01). The workers who had occupational stress with the type of effort-reward imbalance had a significantly higher ability to predict the risks of job burnout and depressive tendencies than those who had occupational stress with the type of high workload ( P <0.01) , as well as a significantly higher risk of insomnia than those who did not have this type of occupational stress ( P <0.01). Conclusion: Occupational stress is the major influencing factor for early health effects, such as job burnout, depressive tendency, and insomnia, in the migrant workers in this electronics manufacturing service enterprise. The workers who have occupational stress with the type of effort-reward imbalance have higher risks of job burnout and depressive tendencies than those who have

Impact of psychosocial factors on the prevalence of headaches in the industrial setting. A case-control approach.

PubMed

Tobiasz-Adamczyk, B; Flak, E; Jedrychowski, W A

1985-01-01

A sociomedical survey of 975 workers employed in an electronic instrument factory was carried out by standardized interview and aimed at defining the relationship between some psychosocial working conditions and the occurrence of headaches. The findings showed different patterns of headaches in specific occupational categories with workers exposed to different psychosocial stresses. Headaches were more frequent in those who became nervous during their work, those who were often in conflict with their co-workers, and those holding managerial posts.

Relationship between psychosocial stress dimensions and salivary cortisol in military police officers 1

PubMed Central

Tavares, Juliana Petri; Lautert, Liana; Magnago, Tânia Solange Bosi de Souza; Consiglio, Angélica Rosat; Pai, Daiane Dal

2017-01-01

Abstract Objective: to analyze the relationship between psychosocial stress dimensions and salivary cortisol in military police officers. Method: cross-sectional and analytical study with 134 military police officers. The Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) Model scale has been used to assess psychosocial stress. Salivary cortisol was collected in three samples. The following tests were used: Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney, ANOVA, Bonferroni, Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn. Pearson and Spearman correlation methods were used, as well as multiple linear regression. Cortisol at night showed an ascending statistical association with the psychosocial reward (p=0.004) and a descending association with the effort-impairment scores (p=0.017). Being part of the Special Tactical Operations Group (GATE) and the diastolic blood pressure explained 13.5% of the variation in cortisol levels on waking up. The sectors GATE, Special Patrol of the Elite Squad of the Military Police and Motorcyclists explained 21.9% of the variation in cortisol levels 30-minute after awakening. The variables GATE sector and Effort Dimension explained 27.7% of the variation in cortisol levels at night. Conclusion: it was evidenced that salivary cortisol variation was influenced by individual, labor and psychosocial variables. PMID:28443994

Dose-response relations between occupational exposures to physical and psychosocial factors and the risk of low back pain

PubMed Central

Jansen, J; Morgenstern, H; Burdorf, A

2004-01-01

Aims: To assess dose-response relations between occupational exposures to physical and psychosocial factors and the risk of low back pain. Methods: A cohort of 523 subjects, working in nursing homes and homes for the elderly, was followed prospectively for one year. Physical load for different occupations was assessed by quantitative observations at the workplace. Information on low back pain and other factors was gathered with questionnaires administered at baseline and at one year. Two outcome measures of low back pain incidence were used: any new episode of pain lasting for at least a few hours during follow up (LBP); and any new episode of disabling pain that interfered with daily activities during follow up (LBP/D). Hierarchical regression analysis with a spline function was used to estimate dose-response relations. Results: The risk of LBP was not associated with physical factors, controlling for confounders; but this outcome was inversely associated with age and weakly, though imprecisely, associated with two psychosocial factors—low decision authority and high work demands. In contrast, the risk of LBP/D was positively associated with age and not associated with the psychosocial factors. Trunk flexion over 45 degrees was monotonically associated with the risk of LBP/D; the estimated relative risk was 3.18 (95% CI 1.13 to 9.00) for 1 hour and 45 minutes of bending per week (90th centile), relative to 30 minutes per week. The hierarchical estimates of effect were more stable than were the maximum likelihood estimates. Conclusion: Occupational exposure to trunk flexion over 45 degrees appears to be a risk factor for low back pain with disability among persons employed in nursing homes and homes for the elderly in the Netherlands. PMID:15550602

[Personality and occupation stress of workers in processing line in Guangzhou].

PubMed

Lin, Qiu-hong; Zhang, Wei-sen; Zhou, Jing-dong; Fan, Yuan-yu; Liu, Li-fen; Li, Jian-lin; Liu, Wei-wei

2009-12-01

To study relationships between personality and occupational stress of workers in processing line in Guangzhou. 452 workers in processing line in Guangzhou were investigated by the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) and Occupational Stress Indicator (OSI). N scores and P scores of EPQ were positively correlated with the occupational stress and the poor physical fitness status (r value was 0.196, 0.128, 0.202, 0.218, respectively) (P < 0.01). N scores of EPQ were positively correlated with the type A behavior (r = 0.164) and negatively correlated with the mental well-being level (r = -0.196, P < 0.01). P scores of EPQ were negative correlated with the sense of job satisfaction and the stress coping ability(r value was -0.146, -0.140, respectively) (P < 0.01). E scores and L scores of EPQ were negatively correlated with the type A behavior (r value was -0.159, -0.138, respectively) (P < 0.01). E scores of EPQ were positively correlated with the stress coping ability (r = 0.176, P < 0.01). L scores of EPQ were negatively correlated with the occupational stress, the poor physical fitness status and the explanation to vicinity event (r value was -0.139, -0.140, -0.111, respectively) (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The personality of neuroticism, psychoticism and introversion may be related to the occupational stress, the sense of job satisfaction and unhealthy mental reaction.

Psychosocial Stress Predicts Future Symptom Severities in Children and Adolescents with Tourette Syndrome and/or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Haiqun; Katsovich, Liliya; Ghebremichael, Musie; Findley, Diane B.; Grantz, Heidi; Lombroso, Paul J.; King, Robert A.; Zhang, Heping; Leckman, James F.

2007-01-01

Background: The goals of this prospective longitudinal study were to monitor levels of psychosocial stress in children and adolescents with Tourette syndrome (TS) and/or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) compared to healthy control subjects and to examine the relationship between measures of psychosocial stress and fluctuations in tic,…

Depression, Somatization, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Children Born of Occupation After World War II in Comparison With a General Population.

PubMed

Kaiser, Marie; Kuwert, Philipp; Braehler, Elmar; Glaesmer, Heide

2015-10-01

At the end of World War II and during the first decade after the war, roughly 200,000 children were fathered in intimate contacts between German women and foreign soldiers. The experiences of these German occupation children (GOC) have been so far described in case reports and from historical perspective only. Research on psychosocial consequences of growing up as a GOC has been missing so far. This study examined traumatic experiences, posttraumatic stress disorder, somatization, and depression in GOC (N = 146) using self-report instruments: Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale and Patient Health Questionnaire. Findings have then been compared with a representative birth cohort-matched sample from the German general population (N = 977). German occupation children showed significantly higher prevalence rates of most traumatic experiences, higher point prevalence rates of full and partial posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and somatization than the control group. In summary, GOC often grew up under difficult conditions (e.g., poverty, single mothers, and stigmatization). Even decades later, they showed higher rates of different mental disorders and higher comorbidity. These findings underline the complex and long-term impact of their burdened social, financial, and familial conditions. The results underpin the importance of conceptualizing occupation children as a vulnerable group in postconflict settings.

Cortisol reactivity and emotional memory after psychosocial stress in oral contraceptive users.

PubMed

Mordecai, Kristen L; Rubin, Leah H; Eatough, Erin; Sundermann, Erin; Drogos, Lauren; Savarese, Antonia; Maki, Pauline M

2017-01-02

Oral contraceptive (OC) users typically show a blunted or no cortisol response to psychosocial stress. Although most OC regimens include both an inactive (dummy) and active pill phase, studies have not systematically investigated cortisol responses during these pill phases. Further, high levels of cortisol following a stressor diminish retrieval of emotional material, but the effects of stress on memory among OC users are poorly understood. We examined the effects of a psychosocial stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test, vs. a control condition on cortisol responsivity and emotional memory retrieval in women tested either during their active (n = 18) or inactive pill phase (n = 21). In secondary analyses, we quantitatively compared OC users with normally cycling women and showed a significant lack of cortisol response during both active and inactive pill phase. Emotional recall did not differ between active and inactive pill phases. Stress differentially diminished recall of negative words compared with positive or neutral words, but cortisol levels were unrelated to memory performance. These findings indicate that OC users have distinct cortisol and memory responses to stress that are similar between the active and inactive pill phases. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Analysis of the occupational stress of Korean surgeons: a pilot study

PubMed Central

Kang, Sang-Hee; Lee, Ji-Sung; Ji, Woong-Bae; Yoo, Byoung-Eun; You, Ji-Young

2013-01-01

Purpose Surgeons serve one of the most challenging and stressful professions. Ineffective control of occupational stress leads to burnout of the surgeon. The aim of this study was to obtain preliminary data on the sources and the degree of stress of surgeons and to determine the feasibility of the survey. Methods A total of 63 surgeons in our three affiliated hospitals were enrolled in this study. Fifty-five questions were used to assess the demographics, characteristics and Korean occupational stress scale (KOSS), which were prepared and validated by the National Study for Development and Standardization of Occupational Stress. Results Forty-seven of the 63 surgeons participated in this study (74.6%). The mean KOSS score of the survey was 50.9 ± 8.55, which was significantly higher than that of other professions (P < 0.01). Drinking and smoking habits were not related to the KOSS score. Doing exercise was related to a low KOSS score in terms of low KOSS total score (P < 0.01). Average duty hours (P < 0.01) and night duty days per week (P = 0.01) were strongly related to higher KOSS in the linear regression analysis. Conclusion This is the first study to evaluate job stress of surgeons in Korea. This study showed that Korean Surgeons had higher occupational stress than other Korean professions. A larger study based on this pilot study will help generate objective data for occupational stress of Korean Surgeons by performing a survey of the members of the Korean Surgical Society. PMID:23646310

Influence of occupational stress on mental health among Chinese off-shore oil workers.

PubMed

Chen, Wei-Qing; Wong, Tze-Wai; Yu, Tak-Sun

2009-09-01

To explore the influence of occupational stress on mental health in off-shore oil production. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 561 Chinese off-shore oil workers. The workers were invited to fill in a self-administered questionnaire exploring their socio-demographic characteristics, occupational stress levels, and 12-item general health questionnaire. A hierarchical multiple regression procedure was used to assess the effects of occupational stress on mental health. After controlling for age, educational level, marital status and years of off-shore work, poor mental health was found to have a significant positive association with seven of the nine identified sources of occupational stress. They were: conflict between job and family/social life, poor development of career and achievement at work, safety problems at work, management problems and poor relationship with others at work, poor physical environment of the work place, uncomfortable ergonomic factors at work, and poor organizational structure at work. All of these occupational stress sources together explained 19.9% of the total variance. The results confirmed that occupational stress was a major risk factor for poor mental health among Chinese off-shore oil workers. Reducing or eliminating occupational stressors at work would benefit workers' mental health.

Relationship between stress-related psychosocial work factors and suboptimal health among Chinese medical staff: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Liang, Ying-Zhi; Chu, Xi; Meng, Shi-Jiao; Zhang, Jie; Wu, Li-Juan; Yan, Yu-Xiang

2018-03-06

The study aimed to develop and validate a model to measure psychosocial factors at work among medical staff in China based on confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The second aim of the current study was to clarify the association between stress-related psychosocial work factors and suboptimal health status. The cross-sectional study was conducted using clustered sampling method. Xuanwu Hospital, a 3A grade hospital in Beijing. Nine hundred and fourteen medical staff aged over 40 years were sampled. Seven hundred and ninety-seven valid questionnaires were collected and used for further analyses. The sample included 94% of the Han population. The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) and the Suboptimal Health Status Questionnaires-25 were used to assess the psychosocial factors at work and suboptimal health status, respectively. CFA was conducted to establish the evaluating method of COPSOQ. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to estimate the relationship between suboptimal health status and stress-related psychosocial work factors among Chinese medical staff. There was a strong correlation among the five dimensions of COPSOQ based on the first-order factor model. Then, we established two second-order factors including negative and positive psychosocial work stress factors to evaluate psychosocial factors at work, and the second-order factor model fit well. The high score in negative (OR (95% CI)=1.47 (1.34 to 1.62), P<0.001) and positive (OR (95% CI)=0.96 (0.94 to 0.98), P<0.001) psychosocial work factors increased and decreased the risk of suboptimal health, respectively. This relationship remained statistically significant after adjusting for confounders and when using different cut-offs of suboptimal health status. Among medical staff, the second-order factor model was a suitable method to evaluate the COPSOQ. The negative and positive psychosocial work stress factors might be the risk and protective factors of suboptimal health

Stress, Social Support, and Psychosocial Functioning of Ethnically Diverse Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farrell, Michelle; Langrehr, Kimberly J.

2017-01-01

This study examined the stress-buffering role of social support on indicators of psychosocial functioning among a combined and split sample of ethnically diverse college students. Although high social support significantly moderated 2 relationships in the combined sample, high and low levels of social support significantly reduced the effect of…

[The Effect of Social-Psychological Factors on the Development of Occupational Stress].

PubMed

Kalinina, S A; Yushkova, O I

2015-01-01

The article presents data on social-psychological factors which cause the occupational stress. The results showed that there is a link between the level of work motivation and the physiological cost of work. We observed a number of peculiarities of occupational stress development caused by psychoemotional tension depending on the class of intensity of intellectual labor; we also studied biological age of the subjects. The speed of ageing of the employees who work under conditions of emotional stress (direct or indirect responsibility for the safety of other people) was found to increase. The study suggested promising directions of occupational stress prevention.

Psychosocial Work Conditions and Burnout Among Brazilian Bank Employees: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Valente, Maria do Socorro da Silva; Lopes, Cláudia S; Pastor-Valero, Maria; Menezes, Paulo Rossi

2016-06-01

Changes in the modern economy have affected the financial sector. Time pressures, excessive work demands, and job stress are frequent concerns among bank employees, which might predispose them to burnout symptoms. The objective of the present study was to investigate the association between burnout symptoms and exposure to psychosocial work conditions in bank employees. A cross-sectional study of 1046 bank employees was carried out in Pará and Amapá, northern Brazil. We applied a self-administered questionnaire evaluating socio-demographic characteristics, burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory), and two job stress models (Demand-Control-Support and Effort-Reward Imbalance). Two levels of burnout symptoms were analysed: moderate level of burnout (MLB) and high level of burnout (HLB). Logistic regression models were used to estimate associations between the two levels of burnout and the two stress models, controlling for relevant covariates. The overall prevalence of burnout was 71.8% (31.1% for HLB; 40.7% for MLB), regardless of gender. Exposure to adverse psychosocial conditions in the workplace, such as high strain, low social support at work, high effort/low reward, and over commitment showed strong association with HLB and MLB, and these associations were independent of age, gender, and other occupational characteristics. We found that psychosocial conditions in the financial sector involving high strain, low social support at work, high effort/low reward, and over commitment represent possible risk factors for moderate and HLB symptoms in bank employees. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

Psychosocial needs of burns nurses: a descriptive phenomenological inquiry.

PubMed

Kornhaber, Rachel Anne; Wilson, Anne

2011-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the psychosocial needs of nurses who care for patients with severe burn injuries. Burns nurses work in an emotionally challenging and confronting environment, for which they are in need of emotional and clinical support. Exposure to such high levels of stress in this occupational environment has implications for nurses' health and psychosocial well-being. Seven burns nurses were recruited in 2009 from a severe burn injury unit in New South Wales, Australia. A qualitative phenomenological methodology was used to construct themes depicting nurses' experiences. Participants were selected through purposeful sampling, and data were collected through in-depth individual semistructured interviews using open-ended questions. Data were analyzed with Colaizzi's phenomenological method of data analysis. The psychosocial needs of burns nurses were identified and organized into five categories: peer nursing support, informal support, lack of support, multidisciplinary team collaboration, and professional support. The findings clearly demonstrate that support and unity within the workplace are fundamental factors for the psychosocial well-being of nurses caring for patients who have sustained a severe burn injury. Support for nurses in the form of regular professional or collegial debriefing sessions and utilization of employee assistance programs could ease the impact of the stressful environment in which they operate, and could influence staff retention. However, a supportive workplace culture is necessary to encourage nurses to access these services.

Occupational Stress, Organisational Commitment, and Ill-Health of Educators in the North West Province

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Leon; Rothmann, Sebastiaan

2006-01-01

The objectives were to analyse the occupational stress of educators, to determine the differences between occupational stress and strain of educators in different biographical groups, and to assess the relationship between occupational stress, organisational commitment and ill-health. A cross-sectional survey design was used. A stratified random…

Journalists' Occupational Stress: A Comparative Study between Reporting Critical Events and Domestic News.

PubMed

Monteiro, Susana; Marques-Pinto, Alexandra

2017-07-27

Nowadays, journalism is considered a stressful occupation, not only due to the stress perceived in journalists' daily work but also due to the critical, potentially traumatic events they report. However, research on journalists' occupational stress in both these professional settings is still scarce. This study aims to characterize and compare occupational stress variables perceived by journalists in their daily work and in critical scenarios. Taking the Holistic Model of Occupational Stress by Nelson and Simmons (2003) as a framework, 25 Portuguese journalists, all with experience in reporting critical events, were interviewed on their perceptions of some core variables of the model: occupational stressors, distress and eustress emotional reactions, and the consequences of these experiences on their well-being. Differences among these core variables, according to the number of deployments to a critical event, were statistically analysed in order to ascertain whether repeated exposure to trauma influenced journalists' occupational stress perceptions. The data content analysis showed that occupational stressors and emotional reactions differed across settings, while the consequences associated with journalists' experiences were perceived as being mainly negative in both occupational contexts. Significant differences were identified in some of these variables according to the number of deployments to a critical event (p < .05). These findings may contribute to a reflection on the role of media organizations in preparing and supporting journalists in their work performance, and on the promotion of occupational health within the scope of journalists' daily work and critical events. The article closes with considerations for future studies.

Increased risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease with occupational stress in Chinese policemen

PubMed Central

Li, Chen; Xing, Jing-Jing; Shan, An-Qi; Leng, Ling; Liu, Jin-Chuan; Yue, Song; Yu, Hao; Chen, Xi; Tian, Feng-Shi; Tang, Nai-Jun

2016-01-01

Abstract Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and occupational stress have been recognized as major public health concerns. We aimed to explore whether occupational stress was associated with NAFLD in a police population. A total of 6559 male police officers were recruited for this prospective study in April 2007. Among them, 2367 eligible subjects participated in follow-up from 2008 to 2011. NAFLD was diagnosed based on standard criteria. Occupational stress was evaluated by Occupational Stress Inventory-Revised scores. The incidence of NAFLD was 31.2% in the entire police. After adjusting for traditional risk factors, moderate occupational stress (MOS), high occupational stress (HOS), and high personal strain (HPS) were risk factors (MOS: hazard ratio [HR] = 1.237, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.049–1.460; HOS: HR = 1.727, 95% CI = 1.405–2.124; HPS: HR = 3.602, 95% CI = 1.912–6.787); and low occupational stress (LOS) and low personal strain (LPS) were protective factors (LOS: HR = 0.366, 95% CI = 0.173–0.776; LPS: HR = 0.490, 95% CI = 0.262–0.919) for NAFLD in the entire police cohort. HOS and HPS remained robust among traffic police. HOS and HPS were independent predictors for the development of NAFLD in a Chinese police population. Additional future prospective investigations are warranted to validate our findings. PMID:27861366

An epidemiologic study of occupational stress factors in Mumbai police personnel.

PubMed

Almale, Balaji D; Vankudre, Ashok J; Bansode-Gokhe, Seema S; Pawar, Vrushali K

2014-01-01

Occupational stress is common to each and every organization at various levels of hierarchy. The police organization is no exception to this. Rather policing is widely recognized as more stressful than any other occupation, nature of work, irregular duty hours, and many more factors, which can trigger stress. The present study was done to highlight some of these stressful factors in Mumbai police. Simple as well as systematic random sampling technique was adopted to get equal representation from each zone as well as region from Mumbai police. Occupational stress index (OSI) questionnaire was prepared, pilot tested, and validated for screening stress. We screened 276 policemen for occupational stress. Seventy-three percent of them were in the 30-50 years age group, and most of them (49%) studied up to H.S.C. Ninety-one percent were married and 56% had reported duty hours 12-16 h/day. Seventy-one percent were addicted to any of the substance. After screening we found 73% moderately stressed, whereas 18% highly stressed policemen. Sociodemographic factors which were age group (50-58 years), duration of service in years (>25 years), duration of duty hours (>16 h/day), addiction habits, and number of monthly holidays (no holiday). We found role ambiguity, under participation, role overload, strenuous working condition, and unprofitability as predominant scales in OSI. So prevention as well as management of stress in policemen is the necessity of the current situation. This stress can be managed at organizational level by adopting right techniques, whereas at individual level by habituating right behavior and attitude.

Psychosocial stress and obesity among children residing in Kaunas City.

PubMed

Grazuleviciene, Regina; Petraviciene, Inga; Andrusaityte, Sandra; Balseviciene, Birute

2017-08-01

An unfavorable psychosocial environment has been associated with an increased prevalence of obesity among children. However, the available evidence on the association of low socioeconomic status and parent-child relationships with childhood obesity is scarce. The aim of our study was to conduct a simultaneous evaluation of the risks associated with pathological mother-child relationships, education level, and overweight/obesity among 4-6 year-old children. This cross-sectional study included 1489 mother-child pairs living in Kaunas city, Lithuania. The Parenting Stress Index was measured using the Parent-Child Dysfunctional Interaction subscale. Children's overweight/obesity was defined as the body mass index ≥18kg/m 2 . Logistic regression models as well as crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to indicate the strength of the associations between childhood overweight/obesity, maternal education level, and psychosocial stress. The percentage of children with overweight/obesity rose with an increasing Parenting Stress Index score. The percentage of children with overweight/obesity in the group of parents with better education and normal mother-child relations was 6.0%, while in the group of less educated parents and pathological mother-child relations, this percentage reached 13.9%. The stratified multivariable model showed that, with reference to the group of better educated parents and normal mother-child relations, lower education level and pathological mother-child relations were statistically significant risk factors for overweight/obesity in 4-6 year-old children, increasing the OR of overweight/obesity (aOR: 2.43; 95% CI: 1.31-4.51). Pathological mother-child relations and maternal smoking mediated the effect of low maternal education level on children's BMI z-scores. Pathological mother-child relations, lower parental education levels, and smoking may be predictors of children's overweight/obesity. Measures

Occupational health issues affecting the pharmaceutical sales force.

PubMed

Harris, G; Mayho, G; Page, L

2003-09-01

The sales force forms a significant sub-population in the pharmaceutical industry workforce. Role and organizational characteristics, such as isolation, peripatetic working and car travel and the psychosocial and ergonomic hazards related to work tasks, present particular occupational health risks. To review the occupational risks associated with peripatetic sales force work and evidence for the effectiveness of preventive interventions. We carried out a review of the available literature between 1990 and 2003. The following hazards were identified as significant and worthy of further investigation for this occupational group: driving on company business; violence in the workplace; stress; ergonomic issues; and mobile phone use. To ensure effective prevention and management of employee health problems, specific health management strategies and interventions must be developed to meet the occupational health needs of this group.

Occupational Stress and Hypertension among Railway Loco Pilots and Section Controllers.

PubMed

Jayakumar, Devasigamoney

2017-01-01

A cross-sectional study on occupational stress was conducted on loco pilots in 2008, in view of loco pilots being one of the high strain jobs in Indian Railways. Subsequently, a comparative cross-sectional study on occupational stress was conducted among section controllers in 2011, which is another high strain job of Indian Railways. The studies were conducted to analyze and compare occupational stress and hypertension. A cross-sectional study on occupational stress and hypertension was conducted among 230 loco pilots in 2008, and subsequently, a comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 82 section controllers in 2011. A closed end 24 item questionnaire on occupational stress was administered. Systolic blood pressure above 140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure above 90 mmHg were considered as hypertension as per the VII Joint National Committee. Chi-square test and t -test were used for testing significance at P < 0.05. The mean stress score was 8.56 in loco pilots and 7.32 in section controllers. The number of loco pilots with more than 12 stress factors was 49 (21.3%) and the number of section controllers with more than 12 stress factors was 7 (8.5%). The number employees with more than 12 stress factors in different categories of loco pilots were 30 (32%) in the goods category, 12 (12%) in the mail/passenger category, and 7 (19%) in the shunter category, and 3 (11%) in the supervisory category and 4 (7%) in the on-board category of section controllers. The prevalence of hypertension in loco pilots was 36.52% (84) and in the section controllers was 53.66% (44). The prevalence of hypertension in the category with more than 12 stress factors was 30.61% (15) in the loco pilots and 28.57% (2) in the section controllers. The prevalence of hypertension in the both the study groups were higher in the older age, with a family history of hypertension, and with a body mass index of more than 25 kg/m 2 . The mean occupational stress and employees with more than

Occupational Stress and Hypertension among Railway Loco Pilots and Section Controllers

PubMed Central

Jayakumar, Devasigamoney

2017-01-01

Introduction: A cross-sectional study on occupational stress was conducted on loco pilots in 2008, in view of loco pilots being one of the high strain jobs in Indian Railways. Subsequently, a comparative cross-sectional study on occupational stress was conducted among section controllers in 2011, which is another high strain job of Indian Railways. Objective: The studies were conducted to analyze and compare occupational stress and hypertension. Setting and Design: A cross-sectional study on occupational stress and hypertension was conducted among 230 loco pilots in 2008, and subsequently, a comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 82 section controllers in 2011. Materials and Methods: A closed end 24 item questionnaire on occupational stress was administered. Systolic blood pressure above 140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure above 90 mmHg were considered as hypertension as per the VII Joint National Committee. Chi-square test and t-test were used for testing significance at P < 0.05. Results: The mean stress score was 8.56 in loco pilots and 7.32 in section controllers. The number of loco pilots with more than 12 stress factors was 49 (21.3%) and the number of section controllers with more than 12 stress factors was 7 (8.5%). The number employees with more than 12 stress factors in different categories of loco pilots were 30 (32%) in the goods category, 12 (12%) in the mail/passenger category, and 7 (19%) in the shunter category, and 3 (11%) in the supervisory category and 4 (7%) in the on-board category of section controllers. The prevalence of hypertension in loco pilots was 36.52% (84) and in the section controllers was 53.66% (44). The prevalence of hypertension in the category with more than 12 stress factors was 30.61% (15) in the loco pilots and 28.57% (2) in the section controllers. The prevalence of hypertension in the both the study groups were higher in the older age, with a family history of hypertension, and with a body mass index of

The role of psychosocial stress at work for the development of cardiovascular diseases: a systematic review.

PubMed

Backé, Eva-Maria; Seidler, Andreas; Latza, Ute; Rossnagel, Karin; Schumann, Barbara

2012-01-01

A systematic review was carried out to assess evidence for the association between different models of stress at work, and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. A literature search was conducted using five databases (MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PSYNDEX and PsycINFO). Inclusion criteria for studies were the following: self-reported stress for individual workplaces, prospective study design and incident disease (myocardial infarction, stroke, angina pectoris, high blood pressure). Evaluation, according to the criteria of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, was done by two readers. In case of disagreement, a third reader was involved. Twenty-six publications were included, describing 40 analyses out of 20 cohorts. The risk estimates for work stress were associated with a statistically significant increased risk of cardiovascular disease in 13 out of the 20 cohorts. Associations were significant for 7 out of 13 cohorts applying the demand-control model, all three cohorts using the effort-reward model and 3 out of 6 cohorts investigating other models. Most significant results came from analyses considering only men. Results for the association between job stress and cardiovascular diseases in women were not clear. Associations were weaker in participants above the age of 55. In accordance with other systematic reviews, this review stresses the importance of psychosocial factors at work in the aetiology of cardiovascular diseases. Besides individual measures to manage stress and to cope with demanding work situations, organisational changes at the workplace need to be considered to find options to reduce occupational risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.

[Association between occupational stress and aminotransferase activity in patients with metabolic syndrome].

PubMed

Zhao, H; Song, L; Qiang, Y; Liu, H R; Qiu, F Y; Li, X Z; Song, H

2016-12-20

Objective: To investigate the association between occupational stress and activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in patients with metabolic syndrome. Methods: A case-control study was performed. According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, among the staff members of enterprises and public institutions aged 20~60 years who underwent physical examination in The Affiliated Hospital of Ningxia Medical University and The People's Hospital of Wuzhong from October 2011 to October 2012, 622 patients with metabolic syndrome who did not have a blood relationship with each other were enrolled as case group, and 600 healthy staff members who also did not have a blood relationshipwith each otherwere enrolled as control group. Questionnaire investigation, chronic occupational stress investigation, physical examination, and laboratory tests were performed for all subjects. Results: Compared with the control group, the case group had significantly higher serum levels and abnormal rates of AST and ALT ( t =-4.338 and-5.485, χ(2)=11.168 and 34.302, all P <0.05) . There were no significantdifferences in the serum level and abnormal rate of AST between the subgroups with different occupational stresses in both groups ( F =2.192 and 2.567, χ(2)=2.694 and 5.402, all P >0.05) , but there were significant differencesbetween the subgroups in all subjects ( F =5.005, χ(2)=6.398, all P <0.05) . There were no significant differences in the serum level and abnormal rate of ALT between thesubgroups with different occupational stresses in the case group, the control group, and all subjects ( F =0.845, 0.450, and 1.416, χ(2)=2.564, 1.344, and 3.147, all P >0.05) . The partial correlation analysis showed that the total score of occupational stress was positively correlated withthe serum level of AST ( r =0.071, P <0.05) and was not correlated with the serum level of ALT ( r =-0.044, P >0.05) , and that the serum level of AST was positively correlated

Stress-Preventive Management Competencies, Psychosocial Work Environments, and Affective Well-Being: A Multilevel, Multisource Investigation.

PubMed

Toderi, Stefano; Balducci, Cristian

2018-02-26

The Management Competencies for Preventing and Reducing Stress at Work framework represents one of the few tailored models of leadership for work stress prevention purposes, but it has never been empirically evaluated. The aim of this study was to investigate whether supervisors' stress-preventive management competencies, as measured by the Stress Management Competencies Indicator Tool (SMCIT), are related to employees' affective well-being through psychosocial work environmental factors. To this end, multilevel structural equation modelling (MSEM) was developed and tested, including data provided by both supervisors and employees. Supervisors ( n = 84) self-assessed their stress-preventive management competencies (i.e., being respectful and responsible, managing and communicating existing and future work, reasoning and managing difficult situations, and managing the individual within the team) with a previously validated reduced version of the SMCIT. The supervised employees ( n = 584) rated job content (e.g., job demands) and work context (e.g., role clarity) psychosocial factors and their job-related affective well-being. Supervisors' job-related affective well-being was also included in the tested model. The results revealed that the stress-preventive competencies factor was related to employees' affective well-being through the psychosocial work environment only when the latter was operationalized by means of contextual work factors. Supervisors' affective well-being was related to their stress-preventive competencies, but it was not related to employees' affective well-being. We discuss the implications of the results obtained.

Relationship between quality of life and occupational stress among teachers.

PubMed

Yang, X; Ge, C; Hu, B; Chi, T; Wang, L

2009-11-01

With major changes in the education system and limited resources supplied by the Government, Chinese teachers have been suffering from greater occupational stress in recent years, which is believed to affect their physical and mental health. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between quality of life and occupational stress in primary and middle school teachers. Originals. A cross-sectional study was conducted using cluster sampling. The study population was composed of 3570 school teachers working in 64 primary and middle schools in Heping District in Shenyang, China. A demographic questionnaire, the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Occupational Stress Inventory Revised Edition were employed to collect demographic variables and assess quality of life and occupational stress. Multivariate stepwise linear regression analyses were performed to study the relationship between quality of life and occupational stress. The mean scores for both male and female teachers in this study were significantly lower than those for the Chinese general population for all dimensions of quality of life, except mental health and vitality (P<0.05). Male teachers scored significantly higher than female teachers for physical functioning, bodily pain, vitality and physical health (P<0.05). Age, role overload, role insufficiency, vocational strain, psychological strain, physical strain, recreation and rational coping were significantly associated with both the physical and mental component summaries of the SF-36 (P<0.05). Gender, physical environment and self-care appeared to be robust indicators of physical health (P<0.05), while role insufficiency, interpersonal strain and social support were strong indicators of mental health (P<0.05). In China, teachers have a lower health status than the general population. The quality of life of female teachers is worse than that of male teachers, and deteriorates with age. Occupational stress and strain induce

Occupational stress and cardiovascular risk factors in high-ranking government officials and office workers.

PubMed

Mirmohammadi, Seyyed Jalil; Taheri, Mahmoud; Mehrparvar, Amir Houshang; Heydari, Mohammad; Saadati Kanafi, Ali; Mostaghaci, Mehrdad

2014-08-01

Cardiovascular diseases are among the most important sources of mortality and morbidity, and have a high disease burden. There are some major well-known risk factors, which contribute to the development of these diseases. Occupational stress is caused due to imbalance between job demands and individual's ability, and it has been implicated as an etiology for cardiovascular diseases. This study was conducted to evaluate the cardiovascular risk factors and different dimensions of occupational stress in high-ranking government officials, comparing an age and sex-matched group of office workers with them. We invited 90 high-ranking officials who managed the main governmental offices in a city, and 90 age and sex-matched office workers. The subjects were required to fill the occupational role questionnaire (Osipow) which evaluated their personal and medical history as well as occupational stress. Then, we performed physical examination and laboratory tests to check for cardiovascular risk factors. Finally, the frequency of cardiovascular risk factors and occupational stress of two groups were compared. High-ranking officials in our study had less work experience in their current jobs and smoked fewer pack-years of cigarette, but they had higher waist and hip circumference, higher triglyceride level, more stress from role overload and responsibility, and higher total stress score. Our group of office workers had more occupational stress because of role ambiguity and insufficiency, but their overall job stress was less than officials. The officials have higher scores in some dimensions of occupational stress and higher overall stress score. Some cardiovascular risk factors were also more frequent in managers.

Depression as a psychosocial consequence of occupational injury in the US working population: findings from the medical expenditure panel survey

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Empirical evidence describing the psychosocial consequences of occupational injury is still limited. The effect of occupational injury on depression might pose unique challenges in workers compared with other kinds of injury. This study aimed to assess the differential impact of workplace injury compared with non-workplace injury on depression over time, and to identify the potential risk factors associated with post-injury depression in the US working population. Methods Using pooled panel data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 2000–2006, a total of 35,155 workers aged 18–64 years who had been followed for about 18 months in each panel were analyzed. Injuries in the 4–5 months before baseline, and subsequent depression incidence during follow-up, were identified using ICD-9 codes for the medical conditions captured in personal interviews. A discrete time-proportional odds model was used. Results A total of 5.5% of workers with occupational injury at baseline reported depression at follow-up, compared with 4.7% of workers with non-occupational injury and 3.1% of workers without injuries. Those with occupational injuries had more severe injuries and required longer treatment, compared with those with non-occupational injuries. Only 39% of workers with workplace injuries were paid Workers’ Compensation (WC). The association between injury and depression appeared to be stronger for workplace injury, and the adjusted odds ratio for depression was 1.72 for those with occupational injury (95% CI: 1.27–2.32), and 1.36 for those with non-occupational injury (95% CI: 1.07–1.65) compared with the no-injury group, after controlling for relevant covariates. Occupational injury was associated with higher odds of developing depression over time. WC as a source of medical payment was associated with 33% higher odds of developing depression (95% CI: 1.01–1.74). Part-time work, shorter job tenure, and long working hours were independently

The hippocampal response to psychosocial stress varies with salivary uric acid level

PubMed Central

Goodman, Adam M.; Wheelock, Muriah D.; Harnett, Nathaniel G.; Mrug, Sylvie; Granger, Douglas A.; Knight, David C.

2016-01-01

Uric acid is a naturally occurring, endogenous compound that impacts mental health. In particular, uric acid levels are associated with emotion-related psychopathology (e.g., anxiety and depression). Therefore, understanding uric acid’s impact on the brain would provide valuable new knowledge regarding neural mechanisms that mediate the relationship between uric acid and mental health. Brain regions including the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus underlie stress reactivity and emotion regulation. Thus, uric acid may impact emotion by modifying the function of these brain regions. The present study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a psychosocial stress task to investigate the relationship between baseline uric acid levels (in saliva) and brain function. Results demonstrate that activity within the bilateral hippocampal complex varied with uric acid concentrations. Specifically, activity within the hippocampus and surrounding cortex increased as a function of uric acid level. The current findings suggest that uric acid levels modulate stress-related hippocampal activity. Given that the hippocampus has been implicated in emotion regulation during psychosocial stress, the present findings offer a potential mechanism by which uric acid impacts mental health. PMID:27725214

A structural model for stress, coping, and psychosocial adjustment: A multi-group analysis by stages of survivorship in Korean women with breast cancer.

PubMed

Jang, Miyoung; Kim, Jiyoung

2018-04-01

Prospective studies have examined factors directly affecting psychosocial adjustment during breast cancer treatment. Survivorship stage may moderate a direct effect of stress on psychosocial adjustment. This study aimed to examine relationships between stress, social support, self-efficacy, coping, and psychosocial adjustment to construct a model of the effect pathways between those factors, and determine if survivorship stage moderates those effects. Six hundred people with breast cancer completed questionnaires. Examined stages of survivorship after treatment were as follows: acute (i.e., <2 years), extended (2-5 years), and lasting (>5 years). Stress (Perceived Stress Scale), social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support), self-efficacy (New General Self Efficacy Scale), coping (Ways of Coping Checklist), and psychosocial adjustment (Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale-Self-Report-Korean Version) were measured. Self-efficacy significantly correlated with psychosocial adjustment in the acute survival stage (γ = -0.37, P < .001). Stress inversely correlated with coping only in the extended survival stage (γ = -0.56, P < .001). Social support's benefit to psychosocial adjustment was greater in the acute (γ = -0.42, P < .001) and extended survival stages (γ = -0.56, P < .001) than in the lasting survival stage. Stress's negative correlation with psychosocial adjustment was stronger in the lasting survival stage (β = 0.42, P < .001) than in the acute survival stage. Based on these results, it is necessary to improve self-efficacy, social support, and manage stress according to survival stage for psychosocial adjustment of female breast cancer patients. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bridging the gap: evaluation of a pilot project to facilitate use of psychosocial strategies across an occupational therapy curriculum.

PubMed

Nielsen, Sarah K; Stube, Jan; Bass, Gail

2015-04-01

 The integration of psychosocial strategies into pediatric and physical disabilities coursework presents an issue of importance to advancing the outcomes for both occupational therapy education and practice. After curriculum mapping and modification to course content, a retrospective student survey and review of educational outcomes were undertaken in one curriculum. The programmatic formative evaluation results demonstrated that all students felt moderately prepared to use cognitive-behavioral strategies in their future practices, preferring behavioral strategies over cognitive strategies for changing client thinking. Implications for the importance of integration of psychosocial content across curricula and for future study of effective teaching methods within classroom learning activities and fieldwork are included.

An epidemiologic study of occupational stress factors in Mumbai police personnel

PubMed Central

Almale, Balaji D; Vankudre, Ashok J.; Bansode-Gokhe, Seema S.; Pawar, Vrushali K.

2014-01-01

Introduction: Occupational stress is common to each and every organization at various levels of hierarchy. The police organization is no exception to this. Rather policing is widely recognized as more stressful than any other occupation, nature of work, irregular duty hours, and many more factors, which can trigger stress. The present study was done to highlight some of these stressful factors in Mumbai police. Materials and Methods: Simple as well as systematic random sampling technique was adopted to get equal representation from each zone as well as region from Mumbai police. Occupational stress index (OSI) questionnaire was prepared, pilot tested, and validated for screening stress. Result: We screened 276 policemen for occupational stress. Seventy-three percent of them were in the 30–50 years age group, and most of them (49%) studied up to H.S.C. Ninety-one percent were married and 56% had reported duty hours 12–16 h/day. Seventy-one percent were addicted to any of the substance. After screening we found 73% moderately stressed, whereas 18% highly stressed policemen. Sociodemographic factors which were age group (50–58 years), duration of service in years (>25 years), duration of duty hours (>16 h/day), addiction habits, and number of monthly holidays (no holiday). We found role ambiguity, under participation, role overload, strenuous working condition, and unprofitability as predominant scales in OSI. So prevention as well as management of stress in policemen is the necessity of the current situation. This stress can be managed at organizational level by adopting right techniques, whereas at individual level by habituating right behavior and attitude. PMID:25598614

The relationship between psychosocial work factors, work stress and computer-related musculoskeletal discomforts among computer users in Malaysia.

PubMed

Zakerian, Seyed Abolfazl; Subramaniam, Indra Devi

2009-01-01

Increasing numbers of workers use computer for work. So, especially among office workers, there is a high risk of musculoskeletal discomforts. This study examined the associations among 3 factors, psychosocial work factors, work stress and musculoskeletal discomforts. These associations were examined via a questionnaire survey on 30 office workers (at a university in Malaysia), whose jobs required an extensive use of computers. The questionnaire was distributed and collected daily for 20 days. While the results indicated a significant relationship among psychosocial work factors, work stress and musculoskeletal discomfort, 3 psychosocial work factors were found to be more important than others in both work stress and musculoskeletal discomfort: job demands, negative social interaction and computer-related problems. To further develop study design, it is necessary to investigate industrial and other workers who have experienced musculoskeletal discomforts and work stress.

Structural changes of the brain in relation to occupational stress.

PubMed

Savic, Ivanka

2015-06-01

Despite mounting reports about the negative effects of chronic occupational stress on cognitive functions, it is still uncertain whether and how this type of stress is associated with cerebral changes. This issue was addressed in the present MRI study, in which cortical thickness (Cth) and subcortical volumes were compared between 40 subjects reporting symptoms of chronic occupational stress (38 ± 6 years) and 40 matched controls (36 ± 6 years). The degree of perceived stress was measured with Maslach Burnout Inventory. In stressed subjects, there was a significant thinning of the mesial frontal cortex. When investigating the correlation between age and Cth, the thinning effect of age was more pronounced in the stressed group in the frontal cortex. Furthermore, their amygdala volumes were bilaterally increased (P = 0.020 and P = 0.003), whereas their caudate volumes were reduced (P = 0.040), and accompanied by impaired fine motor function. The perceived stress correlated positively with the amygdala volumes (r = 0.44, P = 0.04; r = 0.43, P = 04). Occupational stress was found to be associated with cortical thinning as well as with selective changes of subcortical volumes, with behavioral correlates. The findings support the hypothesis that stress-related excitotoxicity might be an underlying mechanism, and that the described condition is a stress related illness. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The relationship between premenstrual symptoms, menstrual pain, irregular menstrual cycles, and psychosocial stress among Japanese college students.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Kazuhiko; Okazaki, Ai; Sakamoto, Yoko; Funatsu, Michiko

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between menses-associated health problems of women, such as premenstrual symptoms, menstrual pain and irregular menstrual cycles, and psychosocial stress. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Japanese college students, measuring psychosocial stress levels by means of IMPS (The Inventory to Measure Psychosocial Stress). A total of 264 female students (mean age 19.4 years), who were invited to participate in the study in October 2007, completed the questionnaire, which dealt with anthropometric data, lifestyle, menstrual history, and menstrual health status. Forty-three students were excluded due to missing data, and the remaining 221 were analyzed. The proportions of students who reported premenstrual symptoms, menstrual pain, and the experience of irregular menstrual cycles were 79%, 79%, and 63%, respectively. Students who reported premenstrual symptoms, menstrual pain, and the experience of irregular menstrual cycles had higher stress scores than those who did not. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent factors associated with having premenstrual symptoms, menstrual pain, and the experience of irregular menstrual cycles. Stress score, heavy menstrual flow, and menstrual pain were significant predictors for premenstrual symptoms, while age at menarche and having premenstrual symptoms were significant predictors for menstrual pain. Both stress score and body mass index were found to be significant predictors for having experienced irregular menstrual cycles. The results suggest that psychosocial stress is independently associated with premenstrual symptoms and the experience of irregular menstrual cycles among college students, implying that changes in the functional potentiality of women as a result of stress are related with changes in their menstrual function.

Examining the sources of occupational stress in an emergency department.

PubMed

Basu, S; Yap, C; Mason, S

2016-12-01

Previous work has established that health care staff, in particular emergency department (ED) personnel, experience significant occupational stress but the underlying stressors have not been well quantified. Such data inform interventions that can reduce cases of occupational mental illness, burnout, staff turnover and early retirement associated with cumulative stress. To develop, implement and evaluate a questionnaire examining the origins of occupational stress in the ED. A questionnaire co-designed by an occupational health practitioner and ED management administered to nursing, medical and support staff in the ED of a large English teaching hospital in 2015. The questionnaire assessed participants' demographic characteristics and perceptions of stress across three dimensions (demand-control-support, effort-reward and organizational justice). Work-related stressors in ED staff were compared with those of an unmatched control group from the acute ear, nose and throat (ENT) and neurology directorate. A total of 104 (59%) ED staff returned questionnaires compared to 72 staff (67%) from the acute ENT/neurology directorate. The ED respondents indicated lower levels of job autonomy, management support and involvement in organizational change, but not work demand. High levels of effort-reward imbalance and organizational injustice were reported by both groups. Our findings suggest that internal ED interventions to improve workers' job control, increase support from management and involvement in organizational change may reduce work stress. The high levels of effort-reward imbalance and organizational injustice reported by both groups may indicate that wider interventions beyond the ED are also needed to address these issues. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Primary School Principals' Job Satisfaction and Occupational Stress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darmody, Merike; Smyth, Emer

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors associated with occupational stress and job satisfaction among Irish primary school principals. A principal's job has become increasingly demanding and complex in recent decades. However, there is little current research into their levels of stress and job satisfaction, particularly…

Psychosocial stress but not exercise increases cortisol and reduces state anxiety levels in school classes - results from a stressor applicable in large group settings.

PubMed

Wegner, Mirko; Müller-Alcazar, Anett; Jäger, Anika; Machado, Sergio; Arias-Carrión, Oscar; Budde, Henning

2014-01-01

Both, psychosocial stress and exercise in the past have been used as stressors to elevate saliva cortisol and change state anxiety levels. In the present study, high-school students at the age of 14 were randomly assigned to three experimental groups: (1) an exercise group (n = 18), that was running 15 minutes at a medium intensity level of 65-75% HRmax, (2) a psychosocial stress group (n = 19), and (3) a control group (n = 18). The psychosocial stress was induced to the students by completing a standardized intelligence test under the assumption that their IQ scores would be made public in class. Results display that only psychosocial stress but not exercise was able to significantly increase cortisol levels but decreased cognitive state anxiety in adolescents. The psychosocial stress protocol applied here is proposed for use in future stress studies with children or adolescents in group settings, e.g., in school.

Occupational Stress and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in High-Ranking Government Officials and Office Workers

PubMed Central

Mirmohammadi, Seyyed Jalil; Taheri, Mahmoud; Mehrparvar, Amir Houshang; Heydari, Mohammad; Saadati Kanafi, Ali; Mostaghaci, Mehrdad

2014-01-01

Background: Cardiovascular diseases are among the most important sources of mortality and morbidity, and have a high disease burden. There are some major well-known risk factors, which contribute to the development of these diseases. Occupational stress is caused due to imbalance between job demands and individual’s ability, and it has been implicated as an etiology for cardiovascular diseases. Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the cardiovascular risk factors and different dimensions of occupational stress in high-ranking government officials, comparing an age and sex-matched group of office workers with them. Patients and Methods: We invited 90 high-ranking officials who managed the main governmental offices in a city, and 90 age and sex-matched office workers. The subjects were required to fill the occupational role questionnaire (Osipow) which evaluated their personal and medical history as well as occupational stress. Then, we performed physical examination and laboratory tests to check for cardiovascular risk factors. Finally, the frequency of cardiovascular risk factors and occupational stress of two groups were compared. Results: High-ranking officials in our study had less work experience in their current jobs and smoked fewer pack-years of cigarette, but they had higher waist and hip circumference, higher triglyceride level, more stress from role overload and responsibility, and higher total stress score. Our group of office workers had more occupational stress because of role ambiguity and insufficiency, but their overall job stress was less than officials. Conclusions: The officials have higher scores in some dimensions of occupational stress and higher overall stress score. Some cardiovascular risk factors were also more frequent in managers. PMID:25389469

Relationship between occupational stress and depressive mood among interns and residents in a tertiary hospital, Seoul, Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Keon; Lee, Sunhwa; Choi, Yoon Hee

2015-06-01

Occupational stress can have a harmful effect on the individual both physically and psychologically. In Korea, occupational stress of physician is rarely demonstrated. Although it is well reported that physicians tend to have a high incidence of minor psychiatric disorders, the magnitude of the problem remains unclear. Interns and residents are thought to be under substantial amount of stress, and tend to have psychiatric disorder. In this paper, we aimed to evaluate the relationship between the occupational stress and depression of residents. The participants of this study were surgical and medical residents in a tertiary hospital in Korea. For measurement of occupational stress, we used an occupational stress scale. In addition, to evaluate the prevalence of depression, we used the Beck Depression Inventory. Female doctors showed higher degree of occupational stress than the males. The interns and chief residents showed higher degree of occupational stress than the other residents. Interestingly, in this study, most of the participants experienced a depressive mood. Compared with the general population, job demand and culture of workplace were high. Occupational stress was the only significant predictor of a depressive mood. Hospital residents experience a high degree of occupational stress leading to a depressed mood due to various risk factors. Therefore, it is essential to recognize the occupational stress of residents early, to encourage positive competition and peer and social support, and to help improve the residents' ability to cope with stress.

[Norm study of occupational stress on the professionals in Chengdu and Chongqing area].

PubMed

Zeng, Fan-Hua; Wang, Zhi-Ming; Wang, Mian-Zhen; Lan, Ya-Jia

2004-12-01

To establish the norm of occupational stress on the professionals in Chengdu and Chongqing area. According to the "Occupation Sorting Canon in the People's Republic of China", the professionals of the above-mentioned area were sorted out and randomly stratified. The normative data were derived from a sample of 2 064 participants. The modified Occupation Stress Inventory Revised Edition (OSI-R) was used to test the targets' occupational stress level (including stressors, strain and coping resources). (1) In these professionals, the sex ratio was about 1:1, average age (36.4 +/- 9.4) years, average length of service (15.9 +/- 10.0) years, 63.07% people were college educated and over 80% married. (2) Descriptive statistics for OSI-R scale scores for the total normative sample, for gender samples and for occupational group samples were modulated. (3) The gender norm showed that there were heavier role overload and stronger occupational strains in males than those in females (P < 0.01). The score of personal resources in the males was not different from that in females (P > 0.05). (4) In terms of different occupations, the scores of occupational role and personal strain among various groups indicated significant differences (P < 0.01). The score of personal resources did not manifest difference (P > 0.05). (5) The major factors influencing OSI-R were sex, occupation and length of service. The norm established can basically represent the occupational stress on professionals in Chengdu and Chongqing area.

The Effect of Emotion Regulation Training on Occupational Stress of Critical Care Nurses

PubMed Central

Saedpanah, Darya; Moghaddam, Ladan Fattah

2016-01-01

Introduction Occupational stress is a common, serious and costly health problem in work environment. Nursing is a very stressful job high level of stress in this job affects nurses’ physical and mental health. Aim To investigate the effect of emotion regulation training of occupational stress on critical care nurses in two teaching hospitals in Sanandaj, Iran. Materials and Methods This interventional study was conducted on 60 nurses working in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Critical Care Unit (CCU) in two teaching hospitals in Sanandaj, Iran. Data were collected using Expanded Nursing Stress Scale (ENSS) questionnaire. The questionnaire in both intervention and control groups before and after the training sessions of emotion regulation training were completed. Data were analysed using SPSS Version 20. Statistical indices such as frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation and also t-test, Chi-square test and paired t-test were used. Results Mean occupation stress score in the intervention group before emotion regulation training was 136.6±24.6 and after training was 113.02±16.2 (p = 0.001). Occupational stress dimensions including; conflict with physicians, problems with peers, workload, uncertainty concerning treatment and problems related to patients and their families in the intervention group compared with the control group was statistically significant (p <0.05). Conclusion Emotion regulation training is effective in reducing occupation stress of critical care nurses. PMID:28208981

Methylation of OPRL1 mediates the effect of psychosocial stress on binge drinking in adolescents.

PubMed

Ruggeri, Barbara; Macare, Christine; Stopponi, Serena; Jia, Tianye; Carvalho, Fabiana M; Robert, Gabriel; Banaschewski, Tobias; Bokde, Arun L W; Bromberg, Uli; Büchel, Christian; Cattrell, Anna; Conrod, Patricia J; Desrivières, Sylvane; Flor, Herta; Frouin, Vincent; Gallinat, Jürgen; Garavan, Hugh; Gowland, Penny; Heinz, Andreas; Ittermann, Bernd; Martinot, Jean Luc; Martinot, Marie-Laure Paillère; Nees, Frauke; Papadopoulos-Orfanos, Dimitri; Paus, Tomáš; Poustka, Luise; Smolka, Michael N; Vetter, Nora C; Walter, Henrik; Whelan, Robert; Sommer, Wolfgang H; Bakalkin, Georgy; Ciccocioppo, Roberto; Schumann, Gunter

2018-06-01

Nociceptin is a key regulator linking environmental stress and alcohol drinking. In a genome-wide methylation analysis, we recently identified an association of a methylated region in the OPRL1 gene with alcohol-use disorders. Here, we investigate the biological basis of this observation by analysing psychosocial stressors, methylation of the OPRL1 gene, brain response during reward anticipation and alcohol drinking in 660 fourteen-year-old adolescents of the IMAGEN study. We validate our findings in marchigian sardinian (msP) alcohol-preferring rats that are genetically selected for increased alcohol drinking and stress sensitivity. We found that low methylation levels in intron 1 of OPRL1 are associated with higher psychosocial stress and higher frequency of binge drinking, an effect mediated by OPRL1 methylation. In individuals with low methylation of OPRL1, frequency of binge drinking is associated with stronger BOLD response in the ventral striatum during reward anticipation. In msP rats, we found that stress results in increased alcohol intake and decreased methylation of OPRL1 in the nucleus accumbens. Our findings describe an epigenetic mechanism that helps to explain how psychosocial stress influences risky alcohol consumption and reward processing, thus contributing to the elucidation of biological mechanisms underlying risk for substance abuse. © 2017 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Does psychosocial competency training for junior physicians working in pediatric medicine improve individual skills and perceived job stress.

PubMed

Bernburg, Monika; Baresi, Lisa; Groneberg, David; Mache, Stefanie

2016-12-01

Pediatricians' job performance, work engagement, and job satisfaction are essential for both the individual physician and quality of care for their little patients and parents. Therefore, it is important to maintain or possibly augment pediatricians' individual and professional competencies. In this study, we developed and implemented a psychosocial competency training (PCT) teaching different psychosocial competencies and stress coping techniques. We investigated (1) the influence of the PCT on work-related characteristics: stress perception, work engagement, job satisfaction and (2) explored pediatricians' outcomes and satisfaction with PCT. Fifty-four junior physicians working in pediatric hospital departments participated in the training and were randomized in an intervention (n = 26) or a control group (n = 28). In the beginning, at follow-up 1 and 2, both groups answered a self-rated questionnaire on perceived training outcomes and work-related factors. The intervention group showed that their job satisfaction significantly increased while perceived stress scores decreased after taking part in the PCT. No substantial changes were observed with regard to pediatricians' work engagement. Participating physicians evaluated PCT with high scores for training design, content, received outcome, and overall satisfaction with the training. Professional psychosocial competency training could improve junior pediatricians' professional skills, reduce stress perception, increase their job satisfaction, and psychosocial skills. In addition, this study indicates that the PCT is beneficial to be implemented as a group training program for junior pediatricians at work. What is Known: • Junior pediatricians often report experiencing high levels of job strain and little supervisory support. • High levels of job demands make pediatricians vulnerable for mental health problems and decreased work ability. What is New: • Development, implementation, and evaluation of a

[Motivations and obstacles to occupational disease claims in lung cancer patients: an exploratory psychosocial study].

PubMed

Britel, Manon; Pérol, Olivia; Blois Da Conceiçao, Stéphanie; Ficty, Manon; Brunet, Houria; Avrillon, Virginie; Charbotel, Barbara; Fervers, Béatrice

2017-10-02

The proportion of lung cancers with an occupational origin has been estimated to be between 10 and 20%. They are largely under-reported, as 60% are not compensated as occupational disease. Although most patients are not familiar with the process of compensation, other factors could explain this under-reporting. The aim of this study was to identify psychosocial factors that could impact patients with occupational lung cancer to claim for compensation. We conducted a case study involving semi-structured interviews with eight lung cancer patients enrolled in a cohort designed to systematically screen occupational exposures and propose claims for compensation to work-related cancer patients. Seven interviewed patients were familiar with occupational cancers, but most of them did not believe that past exposure could be related to their current disease. Patients associated compensation claims with a long and complex procedure for an abstract purpose. Several patients expressed a certain attachment to their employers. Interviewed patients often considered compensation claims to be a grievance procedure against the employers whom they did not consider to be responsible for their disease. Lung cancer is itself an obstacle to compensation considering the aggressive treatments and related adverse events, the poor medium-term prognosis and the predominant role of smoking in the etiology of the disease. Patients mentioned the financial compensation and the role of healthcare professionals as key elements to motivate them to claim for compensation.

Relationships between temperaments, occupational stress, and insomnia among Japanese workers.

PubMed

Deguchi, Yasuhiko; Iwasaki, Shinichi; Ishimoto, Hideyuki; Ogawa, Koichiro; Fukuda, Yuichi; Nitta, Tomoko; Mitake, Tomoe; Nogi, Yukako; Inoue, Koki

2017-01-01

Insomnia among workers reduces the quality of life, contributes toward the economic burden of healthcare costs and losses in work performance. The relationship between occupational stress and insomnia has been reported in previous studies, but there has been little attention to temperament in occupational safety and health research. The aim of this study was to clarify the relationships between temperament, occupational stress, and insomnia. The subjects were 133 Japanese daytime local government employees. Temperament was assessed using the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego-Auto questionnaire (TEMPS-A). Occupational stress was assessed using the Generic Job Stress Questionnaire (GJSQ). Insomnia was assessed using the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS). Stepwise multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted. In a stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis, it was found that the higher subdivided stress group by "role conflict" (OR = 5.29, 95% CI, 1.61-17.32) and anxious temperament score (OR = 1.33; 95% CI, 1.19-1.49) was associated with the presence of insomnia using an adjusted model, whereas other factors were excluded from the model. The study limitations were the sample size and the fact that only Japanese local government employees were surveyed. This study demonstrated the relationships between workers' anxious temperament, role conflict, and insomnia. Recognizing one's own anxious temperament would lead to self-insight, and the recognition of anxious temperament and reduction of role conflict by their supervisors or coworkers would reduce the prevalence of insomnia among workers in the workplace.

Free adrenaline and noradrenaline excretion related to occupational stress.

PubMed Central

Timio, M; Gentili, S; Pede, S

1979-01-01

Urinary levels of free adrenaline and noradrenaline were measured in two groups of healthy male industrial workers exposed to alternate four-day periods of working conditions with and without time stress, to test the hypothesis that the sympathetic nervous system is overactivated by occupational stress. Thirty confectionary workers alternated piece-work (payment by results) and work with a fixed daily wage while 30 metal workers alternated work on an assembly line with work off it. Under time stress urinary free adrenaline was 450 per cent and noradrenaline 230 per cent of the levels for similar work without time stress but involving equal oxygen consumption. These differences were statistically highly significant and they persisted on retesting after six months of alternating work regimens. They support the concept that occupational stress in industrial workers influences the adrenosympathetic system and they indicate a possible method for assessing the effects of high levels of sympathetic activity on the aetiology of ischaemic heart disease. PMID:508478

Occupational heat stress in Australian workplaces

PubMed Central

Jay, Ollie; Brotherhood, John R.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT The aim of this review was to summarize the current state of knowledge on heat stress risk within typical Australian occupational settings. We assessed identified occupations (mining, agriculture, construction, emergency services) for heat production and heat loss potential, and resultant levels of physiological heat strain. A total of 29 reports were identified that assessed in-situ work settings in Northern Territory, South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, that measured physiological responses and characterized the thermal environment. Despite workers across all industries being regularly exposed to high ambient temperatures (32–42°C) often coupled with high absolute humidity (max: 33 hPa), physiological strain is generally low in terms of core temperature (<38°C) and dehydration (<1 % reduction in mass) by virtue of the low energy demands of many tasks, and self-regulated pacing of work possible in most jobs. Heat stress risk is higher in specific jobs in agriculture (e.g. sheep shearing), deep underground mining, and emergency services (e.g., search/rescue and bushfire fighting). Heat strain was greatest in military-related activities, particularly externally-paced marching with carried loads which resulted in core temperatures often exceeding 39.5°C despite being carried out in cooler environments. The principal driver of core temperature elevations in most jobs is the rate of metabolic heat production. A standardized approach to evaluating the risk of occupational heat strain in Australian workplaces is recommended defining the individual parameters that alter human heat balance. Future research should also more closely examine female workers and occupational activities within the forestry and agriculture/horticulture sector. PMID:28349081

Sickness absence in relation to psychosocial work factors among daytime workers in an electric equipment manufacturing company.

PubMed

Otsuka, Yasumasa; Takahashi, Masaya; Nakata, Akinori; Haratani, Takashi; Kaida, Kosuke; Fukasawa, Kenji; Hanada, Takanobu; Ito, Akiko

2007-04-01

Associations between psychosocial work factors and sickness absence were investigated in a cross-sectional study of 833 daytime workers. Participants completed a questionnaire regarding psychosocial work factors using the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Generic Job Stress Questionnaire (job control, quantitative workload, cognitive demands, variance in workload, intragroup conflict, intergroup conflict, supervisor support, coworker support, family support, job satisfaction and depressive symptoms) and the number of days of sickness absence within the previous year. Multivariate analyses of covariance with age and occupation as covariates (MANCOVA) were used to test the relationships between psychosocial work factors and sickness absence stratified by sex. In men, the age-adjusted MANCOVA showed that, quantitative workload was highest in the 0.5-4.5 d of sickness absence group (p<0.001). However, the levels of stress reactions (job satisfaction and depressive symptoms) in this group were almost identical to the levels recorded in the no sickness absence group. In contrast, low levels of job control (p<0.01), supervisor support (p<0.05), and job satisfaction (p<0.01) and higher symptoms of depression (p<0.001) were associated with 5 d or more sickness absence. In women, only high job satisfaction was associated with 5 d or more sickness absence (p<0.10). This study suggests that appropriate use of sickness absence at times of being exposed to high quantitative workload may help male workers to recover from stressful situations.

Occupational stress among staff nurses: Controlling the risk to health

PubMed Central

Sharma, Parul; Davey, Anuradha; Davey, Sanjeev; Shukla, Arvind; Shrivastava, Kajal; Bansal, Rahul

2014-01-01

Introduction: Nursing has been identified as an occupation that has high levels of stress. Job stress brought about hazardous impacts not only on nurses’ health but also on their abilities to cope with job demands. Objectives: This study aimed at finding out the degree of work-related stress among the staff nurses and various determinants, which have a impact on it. Materials and Methods: Institutional-based cross-sectional study conducted on GNM qualified nurses. Predesigned and pre-tested questionnaire covering their sociodemographic variables in part I and professional life stress scale by David Fontana in part II. Analysis used was Chi-square test and logistic regression for various factors. Results: Risk for professional stress due to poor and satisfactory doctor's attitude was found about 3 and 4 times more than with excellent attitude of doctors toward the staff nurses. A statistically significant association (P < 0.024) between department of posting and level of stress. Nurses reported that they had no time for rest, of whom 42% were suffering from moderate-to-severe stress. The nurses who felt that the job was not tiring were found to be less stressed as those who perceived job as tiring (OR = 0.43). Conclusion: The main nurses’ occupational stressors were poor doctor's attitude, posting in busy departments (emergency/ICU), inadequate pay, too much work, and so on. Thus, hospital managers should initiate strategies to reduce the amount of occupational stress and should provide more support to the nurses to deal with the stress. PMID:25568598

[Tool for measuring occupational stress: a nurses' stress inventory].

PubMed

Stacciarini, J M; Tróccoli, B T

2000-12-01

We present an exploratory study aiming at constructing an inventory to measure occupational stress in nurses ("Inventário de Estresse em Enfermeiros"--IEE). A set of items was initially constructed from previously defined categories based on interviews with nurses and then improved through semantic analysis by referees and a pilot-test with nursing students. A sample of 461 nurses--workers from the public services of the Federal District--who answered the IEE was used in the study. Factorial analysis indicated the presence of a second-order global factor and three first-order factors: Interpersonal Relationships, Stressful Career Roles and Intrinsic Job Factors.

Psychosocial Risks Generated By Assets Specific Design Software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Remus, Furtună; Angela, Domnariu; Petru, Lazăr

2015-07-01

The human activity concerning an occupation is resultant from the interaction between the psycho-biological, socio-cultural and organizational-occupational factors. Tehnological development, automation and computerization that are to be found in all the branches of activity, the level of speed in which things develop, as well as reaching their complexity, require less and less physical aptitudes and more cognitive qualifications. The person included in the work process is bound in most of the cases to come in line with the organizational-occupational situations that are specific to the demands of the job. The role of the programmer is essencial in the process of execution of ordered softwares, thus the truly brilliant ideas can only come from well-rested minds, concentrated on their tasks. The actual requirements of the jobs, besides the high number of benefits and opportunities, also create a series of psycho-social risks, which can increase the level of stress during work activity, especially for those who work under pressure.

Work-related stress and Type 2 diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Cosgrove, M P; Sargeant, L A; Caleyachetty, R; Griffin, S J

2012-04-01

Work-related psychosocial stress has been hypothesized to increase the individual risk of Type 2 diabetes; however, observational epidemiological studies investigating the association between work-related psychosocial stress and Type 2 diabetes have provided an inconsistent picture. To evaluate whether work-related psychosocial stress (defined by a work-related stress model or by long work hours) is associated with the risk of Type 2 diabetes. A systematic review of the literature was conducted until March 2010. Studies eligible for inclusion were published observational epidemiological studies of adult participants in community or occupational settings if they had a measure of work-related stress on a validated scale or a measure of work hours or overtime assessed prior to, or at the same time as, assessment of Type 2 diabetes status. Where possible, meta-analysis was conducted to obtain summary odds ratios of the association. We located nine studies (four prospective, one case-control and four cross-sectional). The meta-analyses did not show any statistically significant associations between any individual aspect of work-related psychosocial stress or job strain and risk of Type 2 diabetes. The specific hypothesis that a working environment characterized by high psychosocial stress is directly associated with increased risk of Type 2 diabetes could not be supported from the meta-analysis.

Chromogranin A: Novel biomarker between periodontal disease and psychosocial stress

PubMed Central

Reshma, Arunima Padmakumar; Arunachalam, Rajeev; Pillai, Jayakumar Kochu; Kurra, Sarath Babu; Varkey, Vini K.; Prince, Mohanraj J.

2013-01-01

Context: The psychosocial stress has long been regarded as a significant pre-disposing factor for periodontal disease. The association between the periodontal disease and the neuroendocrine hormones has been observed. Chromogranin A (CgA) is supposed to link the activity of the neuroendocrine system to local and systemic immune functions and to be related to periodontitis. Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the CgA levels in saliva and plasma in periodontal health and disease and to assess their potential relationship to periodontitis. Settings and Designs: In this case-control study, the association between periodontal disease and stress marker has been assessed. Materials and Methods: Sixty subjects were chosen for this study: With case group comprising of 30 subjects with chronic periodontitis and control group comprising of 30 healthy subjects. Salivary and plasma CgA levels were determined by ELISA technique. Clinical parameters included were plaque index, papillary bleeding index and clinical attachment loss and probing depth. Correlation analysis was calculated by independent sample t-test. Results: Significantly higher CgA levels were found in saliva and plasma of patients with chronic periodontitis compared with healthy individuals (P < 0.05). No significant difference were observed between salivary and plasma CgA levels. Conclusions: The elevated level CgA in the plasma and saliva of subjects with stress induced chronic periodontitis has yielded insights into biological plausible association between the psychosocial stress and chronic periodontitis. Thus, our results suggest that CgA is a useful biomarker for evaluating at least in part the etiopathogenesis of periodontitis. PMID:23869129

[A study on occupational stress in commercial workers of a supermarket in Yinchuan].

PubMed

Song, Hui; Zhu, Ling-qin; Liu, He-rong; Wang, Ling; Zhang, Zhen-xiang

2004-05-01

To study difference in occupational stress between men and women commercial workers in a supermarket in Yinchuan, Ningxia. Totally, 679 commercial workers in a supermarket were investigated with questionnaire of occupational stress indicator (OSI), matched on age, length of service, educational level, marital status and type of work. Score of occupational stress factors, relationships, home/work balance and organizational atmosphere in women commercial workers was 143.48, 30.86, 20.82 and 15.16, respectively, obviously higher than that in men, with 134.89, 28.61, 18.75 and 13.93, respectively. Score of psychological health and satisfaction in women was 39.86 and 14.82, respectively, lower than that in men, with 43.84 and 17.66, respectively, which indicate that occupational stress in women was more severe with a more stressful psychological reaction than in men. Stepwise regression analysis showed that the main predicting factor for job satisfaction was personal relationships in women, and organizational atmosphere, managerial role and workload in men. Those for psychological health was control strategy and organizational atmosphere in women, and organizational atmosphere and recognition in men, those for physical illness was workload in women and support strategy and physical exercises in men, and those for stress level was support strategy in women and coping strategy in men. Women commercial workers experienced much more stress, with more severe stress reaction in their work, than men did. The main factors affecting occupational stress reaction and level of stress in women and men were not quite similar.

Effects of dark chocolate consumption on the prothrombotic response to acute psychosocial stress in healthy men.

PubMed

von Känel, R; Meister, R E; Stutz, M; Kummer, P; Arpagaus, A; Huber, S; Ehlert, U; Wirtz, P H

2014-12-01

Flavanoid-rich dark chocolate consumption benefits cardiovascular health, but underlying mechanisms are elusive. We investigated the acute effect of dark chocolate on the reactivity of prothrombotic measures to psychosocial stress. Healthy men aged 20-50 years (mean ± SD: 35.7 ± 8.8) were assigned to a single serving of either 50 g of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate (n=31) or 50 g of optically identical flavonoid-free placebo chocolate (n=34). Two hours after chocolate consumption, both groups underwent an acute standardised psychosocial stress task combining public speaking and mental arithmetic. We determined plasma levels of four stress-responsive prothrombotic measures (i. e., fibrinogen, clotting factor VIII activity, von Willebrand Factor antigen, fibrin D-dimer) prior to chocolate consumption, immediately before and after stress, and at 10 minutes and 20 minutes after stress cessation. We also measured the flavonoid epicatechin, and the catecholamines epinephrine and norepinephrine in plasma. The dark chocolate group showed a significantly attenuated stress reactivity of the hypercoagulability marker D-dimer (F=3.87, p=0.017) relative to the placebo chocolate group. Moreover, the blunted D-dimer stress reactivity related to higher plasma levels of the flavonoid epicatechin assessed before stress (F=3.32, p = 0.031) but not to stress-induced changes in catecholamines (p's=0.35). There were no significant group differences in the other coagulation measures (p's≥0.87). Adjustments for covariates did not alter these findings. In conclusion, our findings indicate that a single consumption of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate blunted the acute prothrombotic response to psychosocial stress, thereby perhaps mitigating the risk of acute coronary syndromes triggered by emotional stress.

Employee Uncertainty as a Factor in Occupational Stress.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beehr, Terry A.; O'Driscoll, Michael P.

Job stress is an area of research in which the relationships among job stressors (characteristics of the workplace) and individual strains (responses of the individual worker) are explored. The uncertainty model of occupational stress proposes that the two uncertainties (of effort-to-performance or E-->P and performance-to-outcome or P--0>)…

Mental stress and psychosocial factors at work in relation to multiple-site musculoskeletal pain: a longitudinal study of kitchen workers.

PubMed

Haukka, Eija; Leino-Arjas, Päivi; Ojajärvi, Anneli; Takala, Esa-Pekka; Viikari-Juntura, Eira; Riihimäki, Hilkka

2011-04-01

Among 385 female kitchen workers, we examined (1) whether mental stress and psychosocial factors at work (job control, skill discretion, supervisor support, co-worker relationships, and hurry) predict multiple-site musculoskeletal pain (MSP; defined as pain at ≥ 3 of seven sites) and (2) reversedly, whether MSP predicts these psychosocial factors. Data were collected by questionnaire at 3-month intervals during 2 years. Trajectory analysis was applied. Four trajectories of MSP prevalence emerged: Low, Descending, Ascending, and High. For the psychosocial factors, a two-trajectory model (Ascending or High vs. Low) yielded the best fit. In logistic regression analysis, with the Low MSP trajectory as reference, poor co-worker relationships (odds ratio [OR] 3.9), mental stress (3.1) and hurry (2.1) at baseline predicted belonging to the High MSP trajectory. Also MSP at baseline predicted the trajectories (Ascending vs. Low) of low job control (2.2) and mental stress (3.2). Adverse changes in most psychosocial factors were associated with belonging to the High (ORs between 2.3 and 8.6) and Ascending (2.7-5.5) MSP trajectories. In generalized estimating equations, time-lagged by 3 months, all psychosocial factors but two predicted MSP (1.4-2.1), allowing, e.g. for MSP at baseline, and vice versa, MSP predicted low job control, low supervisor support, and mental stress (1.4-2.0), after adjustment for e.g. the relevant psychosocial factor at baseline. In conclusion, we found that several psychosocial factors predicted MSP and that MSP predicted several psychosocial factors. The results suggest a cumulative process in which adverse psychosocial factors and MSP influence each other. Copyright © 2010 European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain Chapters. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Occupational stress among Swedish audiologists in clinical practice: Reasons for being stressed.

PubMed

Brännström, K Jonas; Holm, Lucas; Larsson, Josefina; Lood, Sofie; Notsten, Margareta; Turunen Taheri, Satu

2016-08-01

The present study reports on the application of a Swedish translation of the audiologist occupational stress questionnaire (AOSQ) on audiologists working in Sweden. The relations between AOSQ scores and perceived effort, perceived rewards, coping strategies at work, demographic variables such as salary, education length, practise length, and practice type were tested. A cross-sectional e-mail survey using the AOSQ, effort-reward imbalance questionnaire, and demographic questions. Four-hundred and four Swedish licensed audiologists working with clients. The Swedish AOSQ translation demonstrated high inter-item correlations and high internal consistency. Several stress factors were identified: time spent at work, accountability, leadership at the workplace, paperwork and practice demands, equipment and clinical protocols, own health concerns, and job control. The outcome on the complete AOSQ questionnaire was related to perceived effort, perceived rewards, coping strategies at work, and age. The Swedish AOSQ translation seems to provide a valid measure of occupational stress among audiologists.

[Psychosocial interventions in dementia].

PubMed

Kurz, A

2013-01-01

Psychosocial interventions improve cognitive abilities (cognitive stimulation, cognitive training), enhance emotional well-being (activity planning, reminiscence), reduce behavioral symptoms (aromatherapy, music therapy) and promote everyday functioning (occupational therapy). Through these effects they reinforce and augment pharmacological treatments for dementia. In addition, psychosocial interventions complement the treatment of patients by supporting family caregivers (educational groups, support programs). The potential of psychosocial interventions in dementia needs to be explored further in studies using improved methodology to determine effective components, clinical relevance and duration of effects, predictors of individual treatment response and health-economic implications.

Job stress models for predicting burnout syndrome: a review.

PubMed

Chirico, Francesco

2016-01-01

In Europe, the Council Directive 89/391 for improvement of workers' safety and health has emphasized the importance of addressing all occupational risk factors, and hence also psychosocial and organizational risk factors. Nevertheless, the construct of "work-related stress" elaborated from EU-OSHA is not totally corresponding with the "psychosocial" risk, that is a broader category of risk, comprising various and different psychosocial risk factors. The term "burnout", without any binding definition, tries to integrate symptoms as well as cause of the burnout process. In Europe, the most important methods developed for the work related stress risk assessment are based on the Cox's transactional model of job stress. Nevertheless, there are more specific models for predicting burnout syndrome. This literature review provides an overview of job burnout, highlighting the most important models of job burnout, such as the Job Strain, the Effort/Reward Imbalance and the Job Demands-Resources models. The difference between these models and the Cox's model of job stress is explored.

Occupational position, work stress and depressive symptoms: a pathway analysis of longitudinal SHARE data

PubMed Central

Hoven, H; Wahrendorf, M; Siegrist, J

2015-01-01

Background Several studies tested whether stressful work mediates the association between socioeconomic position (SEP) and health. Although providing moderate support, evidence is still inconclusive, partly due to a lack of theory-based measures of SEP and work stress, and because of methodological limitations. This contribution aims at overcoming these limitations. Methods We conduct pathway analysis and investigate indirect effects of SEP on mental health via stressful work. Data are derived from the first two waves of the ‘Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe’ (SHARE) with information from employed men and women aged 50–64 across 11 European countries (N=2798). SEP is measured according to two alternative measures of occupational position: occupational class (focus on employment relations) and occupational status (focus on prestige). We assess work stress according to the effort-reward imbalance and the demand-control model (wave 1), and we use newly occurring depressive symptoms as health outcome (wave 2). Results Effort-reward imbalance and, less consistently, low control mediate the effect of occupational class and occupational status on depressive symptoms. Conclusions Our findings point to two important aspects of work stress (effort-reward imbalance and low control) in explaining socioeconomic differences in health. Further, we illustrate the significance of two alternative dimensions of occupational position, occupational class and occupational status. PMID:25648992

[Association between sense of coherence and occupational stress of workers in modern service industry in Shanghai, China].

PubMed

Lu, X Y; Dai, J M; Wu, N; Shu, C; Gao, J L; Fu, H

2016-10-20

Objective: To investigate understand the current status of the sense of coherence and occupational stress in modern service workers, and to analyze the association between occupational stress and the sense of coherence. Methods: From March to April, 2016, 834 modern service workers from 3 companies in Shanghai, China (in air transportation industry, marketing industry, and travel industry) were surveyed by non-ran-dom sampling. The self-completion questionnaires were filled out anonymously given the informed consent of the workers. The occupational stress questionnaire was used to evaluate occupational stress, and the Chinese version of the Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-13) was used to assess the mental health. Results: The mean score for the sense of coherence of the respondents was 61.54±10.46, and 50.1% of them were self-rated as having occupational stress. There were significant differences in SOC score between groups with different ages, marital status, positions, lengths of service, family per capita monthly income, and weekly work hours ( P <0.05). The occupational stress score differed significantly across groups with different marital status, lengths of service, and weekly work hours ( P <0.05). The scores for working autonomy, social support, and occupational stress differed significantly between groups with different SOC levels ( P< 0.05). There were significant differences in SOC score and the distribution of low-SOC respondents between groups with different levels of working autonomy, social support, and occupational stress. High SOC is a protective factor for occupational stress ( OR =0.39, 95% CI 0.26~ 0.59). Conclusion: Modern service workers in Shanghai have high SOC and moderate occupational stress. Therefore, improving SOC may reduce occupational stress.

Occupational stress among senior police officers.

PubMed

Brown, J; Cooper, C; Kirkcaldy, B

1996-02-01

From a survey of over 500 senior UK police officers completing the occupational stress inventory, it was observed that those serving in England and Wales exhibited the highest job stress related to structure and climate, co-worker relationships and their managerial role. There were no inter-regional differences on the individual difference variables, Type A behaviour, locus of control, or on physical health measures. Superintendents in Scotland used coping methods least frequently including domestic/home support, time management and social support, the latter strategy being most used by Northern Ireland officers. Findings relating job stress to job satisfaction were inconsistent with other police populations. Results are discussed in the context of organizational reform in the police service.

Does Psychosocial Work Environment Factors Predict Stress and Mean Arterial Pressure in the Malaysian Industry Workers?

PubMed

Javaid, Muhammad Umair; Isha, Ahmad Shahrul Nizam; Sabir, Asrar Ahmed; Ghazali, Zulkipli; Nübling, Matthias

2018-01-01

Psychosocial risks are considered as a burning issue in the Asia-Pacific region. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of psychosocial work environment factors on health of petrochemical industry workers of Malaysia. In lieu to job demands-resources theory, significant positive associations were found between quantitative demands, work-family conflict, and job insecurity with stress, while a significant negative association of role clarity as a resource factor with stress was detected. We also found that quantitative demands were significantly associated with the mean arterial pressure (MAP). Multistage sampling procedure was used to collect study sample. Structural Equation Modeling was used to identify relationship between the endogenous and exogenous variables. Finally, the empirically tested psychosocial work environment model will further help in providing a better risk assessment in different industries and enterprises.

Occupational stress and its related factors among university teachers in China.

PubMed

Sun, Wei; Wu, Hui; Wang, Lie

2011-01-01

University teachers in China are expected to suffer serious occupational stress due to the expanding enrollment in universities without a proportional increase in teacher resources and the fact that all promotions for university teachers are determined based on not only teaching but also the outcome of scientific research. This study was designed to assess the occupational stress among university teachers in China and clarify its risk factors. A cross-sectional study was performed in Liaoning Province, the centralized area of higher education in Northeast China. Eight universities (2 multidiscipline and 6 specialized) and 10% of academic staff each were randomly sampled. Questionnaires pertaining to occupational stress indicated by the Chinese Version Personal Strain Questionnaire (PSQ) and demographic characteristics, health status, work situations, and personal and social resources were distributed in October 2008. A total of 827 effective respondents (response rate 76.4%) became our participants. The average raw score of PSQ was 91.0 among the university teachers. General linear model analysis showed that the factors significantly associated with the PSQ score were, in standardized estimate (β) sequence, mental health, role overload, role insufficiency, social support, monthly income, role limitations due to physical problems, research finance and self-rated disease with adjustment for age and sex. We concluded that, in comparison to work-related factors and social support, mental health is a prominent risk factor for occupational stress in university teachers in China. Improvement of mental health and organizational climate should be considered to lessen the occupational stress of university teachers.

[Effects of occupational stress on serum tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukins].

PubMed

Zhou, Wen-Hui; Yu, Shan-Fa; Jiang, Kai-You

2010-12-01

To explore the effect of occupational stress on serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2 and IL-4. A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted in 200 workers from the refrigerator assembly line in Henan province in China. Psychosocial work conditions were measured by using the job demand-control model, the effort-reward imbalance model questionnaires and occupational stress measurement scale. Serum TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-2, and IL-4 concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay or immunoradiometric assay method respectively. Serum TNF-α concentration was statistically significantly different between workers with higher affective balance level and control groups [(1.947 ± 0.173) and (2.029 ± 0.240) fmol/ml] (P < 0.05). Serum IL-1β concentration was statistically significantly different between workers with higher effort level and control groups [(0.133 ± 0.034) and (0.118 ± 0.031) ng/ml] (P < 0.05). Serum IL-2 concentration was statistically significantly different between workers with higher role ambiguity level [(1.658 ± 0.376) and (1.491 ± 0.033) ng/ml] and control groups (P < 0.05), as well as between workers with higher role conflict level and control groups [(1.774 ± 0.311) and (1.589 ± 0.380) ng/ml] (P < 0.05), between workers with higher daily life stress level and control groups [(1.759 ± 0.361) and (1.606 ± 0.381) ng/ml] (P < 0.05). Serum IL-4 concentration was statistically significantly different between workers with higher reward level and control groups [(1.449 ± 0.025) and (1.466 ± 0.041) pg/ml] (P < 0.05). Stepwise regression analysis indicated that affective balance was the predictor of serum TNF-α (R(2) = 0.029). Effort and mental health were the predictors of serum IL-1β (R(2) was 0.029 and 0.055, respectively). Role conflict, daily life stress and role ambiguity were the predictors of serum IL-2 (R(2) was 0.040, 0.078 and 0.104, respectively). Reward was the predictor of serum IL-4 (R(2) = 0

Empirical research on the influencing factors of the occupational stress for construction workers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LV, Xing; WU, Xiang; CI, Huipeng; LIU, Qing; YAO, Yongzheng

2017-04-01

Employee’s occupational stress and safety performance are highly related, which has been generally recognized by the researchers. We did this research to understand the status of the stress for construction workers, and explore the influence factors of pressure source with characteristics of construction industry. Based on the results of previous studies, we designed questionnaire to collect the influence factors on occupational stressors. The study selected workers from certain construction units at the grass-roots level as sample source. According to the results of the questionnaire, we redesigned the interview outline, and did the semi-structured interviews on workers randomly selected. Finally, we developed a scale which combined the characteristics of construction projects in China. Using SPSS software for factor analysis, reliability analysis, and descriptive statistical analysis, the results show that there are six factors affecting the workers’ occupational stress, including The Work Itself, Family-Work, Career Development, Organization Style, Interpersonal Relationship and Role Management Style. The work itself is the main sources of occupational stress. The results can be used by the construction company to provide guidance for workers to control and manage occupational stress.

Developmental Regression, Depression, and Psychosocial Stress in an Adolescent with Down Syndrome

PubMed Central

Stein, David S.; Munir, Kerim M.; Karweck, Andrea J.; Davidson, Emily J.; Stein, Martin T.

2013-01-01

CASE: Kristen is a 13-year-old girl with Down syndrome (DS) who was seen urgently with concerns of cognitive and developmental regression including loss of language, social, and toileting skills. The evaluation in the DS clinic focused on potential medical diagnoses including atlantoaxial joint instability, vitamin deficiency, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and seizures. A comprehensive medical evaluation yielded only a finding of moderate OSA. A reactive depression was considered in association with several psychosocial factors including moving homes, entering puberty/onset of menses, and classroom change from an integrated setting to a self-contained classroom comprising unfamiliar peers with behavior challenges. Urgent referrals for psychological and psychiatric evaluations were initiated. Neuropsychological testing did not suggest true regression in cognitive, language, and academic skills, although decreases in motivation and performance were noted with a reaction to stress and multiple environmental changes as a potential causative factor. Psychiatry consultation supported this finding in that psychosocial stress temporally correlated with Kristen’s regression in skills. Working collaboratively, the team determined that Kristen’s presentation was consistent with a reactive form of depression (DSM-IV-TR: depressive disorder, not otherwise specified). Kristen’s presentation was exacerbated by salient environmental stress and sleep apnea, rather than a cognitive regression associated with a medical cause. Treatment consisted of an antidepressant medication, continuous positive airway pressure for OSA, and increased psychosocial supports. Her school initiated a change in classroom placement. With this multimodal approach to evaluation and intervention, Kristen steadily improved and she returned to her baseline function. PMID:23572173

Developmental Regression, Depression, and Psychosocial Stress in an Adolescent with Down Syndrome

PubMed Central

Stein, David S.; Munir, Kerim M.; Karweck, Andrea J.; Davidson, Emily J.; Stein, Martin T.

2017-01-01

CASE Kristen is a 13-year-old girl with Down syndrome (DS) who was seen urgently with concerns of cognitive and developmental regression including loss of language, social, and toileting skills. The evaluation in the DS clinic focused on potential medical diagnoses including atlantoaxial joint instability, vitamin deficiency, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and seizures. A comprehensive medical evaluation yielded only a finding of moderate OSA. A reactive depression was considered in association with several psychosocial factors including moving homes, entering puberty/onset of menses, and classroom change from an integrated setting to a self- contained classroom comprising unfamiliar peers with behavior challenges. Urgent referrals for psychological and psychiatric evaluations were initiated. Neuropsychological testing did not suggest true regression in cognitive, language, and academic skills, although decreases in motivation and performance were noted with a reaction to stress and multiple environmental changes as a potential causative factor. Psychiatry consultation supported this finding in that psychosocial stress temporally correlated with Kristen’s regression in skills. Working collaboratively, the team determined that Kristen’s presentation was consistent with a reactive form of depression (DSM-IV-TR: depressive disorder, not otherwise specified). Kristen’s presentation was exacerbated by salient environmental stress and sleep apnea, rather than a cognitive regression associated with a medical cause. Treatment consisted of an antidepressant medication, continuous positive airway pressure for OSA, and increased psychosocial supports. Her school initiated a change in classroom placement. With this multimodal approach to evaluation and intervention, Kristen steadily improved and she returned to her baseline function. PMID:28141713

[The role of psychosocial work factors in the development of musculoskeletal disorders in workers].

PubMed

Bugajska, Joanna; Zołnierczyk-Zreda, Dorota; Jedryka-Góral, Anna

2011-01-01

The aim of the study was to determine the role of psychosocial work factors in the development of musculoskeletal disorders in workers. It should be stressed that over a decade these disorders have been the subject of studies because of complaints reported not only by workers performing heavy physical work or working in awkward, forced body posture. It has also been acknowledged that stress at work caused by various psychosocial work factors can significantly influence their development. One of the models, most popular nowadays, was used in the study. It takes into account various risk factors in the etiology of cervical spine disorders. Based on this model it was shown that certain psychosocial and cultural variables (e.g., work demands and control, individual variables, individual values, work group's culture) may constitute occupational stressors and, when combined with physical load factors, may lead to stress and musculoskeletal disorders. It was also indicated that such psychosocial work factors as excessive work demands (quantitative or qualitative), inadequate control at work or lack of social support are the most frequent sources of work-related stress. The article presents the results of some prospective studies in which the role of these factors in the development of musculoskeletal disorders has been considered. Apart from work properties (factors), the role of other psychological variables was shown; these include: work involvement, perfectionism, negative affectivity or work style, which in numerous studies turned out to be important risk factors in the development of musculoskeletal disorders. Finally, potential mechanisms underlying the relationships between psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal disorders were indicated. However, it was stressed that the majority of them still require to be confirmed in future descriptive or experimental studies.

Sources of occupational stress in the police personnel of North India: An exploratory study

PubMed Central

Singh, Shweta; Kar, Sujita Kumar

2015-01-01

Background: Police personnel in India are subjected to several distinct occupational stressors which impact their mental health and their work performance negatively. Aim: The study aimed to explore various sources of stress among police personnel. Method: In this study, 100 constables, 100 inspectors and 100 police officers of Uttar Pradesh, were evaluated using the occupational stress questionnaire. This was subjected to the quantitative as well as the qualitative analysis. Result: Occupational stress was commonly perceived among all police personnel, but the major attributes of stress in various groups were diverse. PMID:26023272

Psychosocial Stress During First Pregnancy Predicts Infant Health Outcomes in the First Postnatal Year.

PubMed

Phelan, A L; DiBenedetto, M R; Paul, I M; Zhu, J; Kjerulff, K H

2015-12-01

To evaluate the impact of psychosocial stress during pregnancy on infant health outcomes in the first postnatal year. A sample of 3000 women completed a stress inventory (the Psychosocial Hassles Scale) during their third trimester before first childbirth. Infant health outcomes were measured via maternal report at 1, 6 and 12 months postpartum. Poisson regression was used to model the effect of maternal stress during pregnancy on infant health outcomes in the first year, controlling for age, race/ethnicity, education, insurance coverage, marital status, and cigarette smoking during pregnancy. Women who were younger, minority, unmarried, publicly insured and without a college degree were more likely to report high levels of prenatal stress. High prenatal stress was a significant predictor of maternal reporting of gastrointestinal illness (p < 0.0001), respiratory illness (p = 0.025), and total illness in the first year (p < 0.0001). High prenatal stress was also a significant predictor of urgent care visits (p < 0.0001) and emergency department visits (p = 0.001). It was not a significant predictor of hospitalizations (p = 0.36). Maternal prenatal stress is associated with increased maternal reporting of infant illness, as well as increased frequency of both urgent care visits and emergency department visits.

Relationships between temperaments, occupational stress, and insomnia among Japanese workers

PubMed Central

Ishimoto, Hideyuki; Ogawa, Koichiro; Fukuda, Yuichi; Nitta, Tomoko; Mitake, Tomoe; Nogi, Yukako; Inoue, Koki

2017-01-01

Insomnia among workers reduces the quality of life, contributes toward the economic burden of healthcare costs and losses in work performance. The relationship between occupational stress and insomnia has been reported in previous studies, but there has been little attention to temperament in occupational safety and health research. The aim of this study was to clarify the relationships between temperament, occupational stress, and insomnia. The subjects were 133 Japanese daytime local government employees. Temperament was assessed using the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego-Auto questionnaire (TEMPS-A). Occupational stress was assessed using the Generic Job Stress Questionnaire (GJSQ). Insomnia was assessed using the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS). Stepwise multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted. In a stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis, it was found that the higher subdivided stress group by “role conflict” (OR = 5.29, 95% CI, 1.61–17.32) and anxious temperament score (OR = 1.33; 95% CI, 1.19–1.49) was associated with the presence of insomnia using an adjusted model, whereas other factors were excluded from the model. The study limitations were the sample size and the fact that only Japanese local government employees were surveyed. This study demonstrated the relationships between workers’ anxious temperament, role conflict, and insomnia. Recognizing one’s own anxious temperament would lead to self-insight, and the recognition of anxious temperament and reduction of role conflict by their supervisors or coworkers would reduce the prevalence of insomnia among workers in the workplace. PMID:28407025

[Study on the relationship between occupational stress and psychological health state among oil workers].

PubMed

Liu, Jiwen; Wang, Zhiming; Wang, Mianzhen; Lan, Yajia; Zhan, Chenglie; Zhao, Xiaoguo

2002-02-01

To study the relationship between occupational stress and psychological health state among oil workers. 1,230 oil workers in 122 work types of oil industry were selected and written occupational stress questionary(OSQ) and symptom check list (SCL-90). Petroleum workers' psychological health states were poor with increasing occupational stress degree. The scores in physical symptoms(1.87 +/- 0.80, 1.72 +/- 0.70), depression(1.74 +/- 0.76, 1.62 +/- 0.67), horror(1.48 +/- 0.65, 1.39 +/- 0.55) in the high and medium stress group were obviously higher than those in low stress group(1.55 +/- 0.61, 1.43 +/- 0.54, 1.28 +/- 0.46, respectively, P < 0.05). The score of mood state in the high and medium stress group was obviously higher than that in low stress group(P < 0.05). Psychological health states and mood state in the petroleum workers with short service length are significantly poorer than that with long service length(P < 0.01). Occupational stress should affect psychological health state of petroleum workers.