Understanding which factors influence occupational safety and health risks is crucial to promote psychosocial risk management.
OBJECTIVE:
To assess the main work-related determinants of high exposure to psychosocial risk factors among Portuguese employees in the hospital setting.
METHODS:
Between May and July 2014, 399 employees of a public hospital completed a structured questionnaire. Psychosocial factors were assessed by the Portuguese medium length version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire. Age and gender adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were computed by logistic regression models.
RESULTS:
The highest psychosocial risks emerged in the p ersonality (53.8%), workplace demands (28.1%), and social relationships and leadership (24.4%) categories. Professionals with non-health care roles presented a higher risk in the worker-work interface (OR = 2.60;95% CI:1.02–6.62), that evaluated work insecurity, satisfaction and the work-family interface. Shift workers were exposed to a higher psychosocial risk in workplace demands (OR = 1.79;95% CI:1.10–2.91), personality (OR = 2.45;95% CI:1.36–4.41), and health and well-being (OR = 3.18; 95% CI:1.72–5.66). Non-government employees had a higher risk exposure in personality (OR = 2.20;95% CI:1.15–4.21), and those who were absent from work in personality (OR = 2.62;95% CI:1.41–4.86), and health and wellbeing (OR = 2.34;95% CI:1.27–4.31).
CONCLUSIONS:
Employees working in the hospital setting are vulnerable to psychosocial risk factors. Identifying those risks contributes to optimize workers' psychosocial health, increasing the effectiveness of the organization.
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