Psychosocial work environment and well-being: a cross-sectional study at a thermal power plant in China

How to Reduce the Influence of COVID-19 Epidemic on Employees' Anxiety of Continuous Work in China? Empirical Analysis Based on Industrial Enterprises

The COVID-19 epidemic not only impacted China's economy but also induced periodic anxiety among employees, especially during its peak. Even as governmental controls relaxed, enterprises seemed unaffected externally. However, beneath the surface, the lingering effects on employee mental health persisted. Many faced dual stressors concerning their job and personal well-being due to the epidemic, heightening work-related anxieties. This research, a year after China resumed work, delves into the psychological stress influencing this sustained anxiety. A survey of 516 employees helped test the hypothesis using a multiple regression model. Findings indicated heightened continuous work anxiety due to the epidemic, particularly in hard-hit areas. However, individual resilience, organizational, and social support were found to mitigate these effects. The study underscores the sustained psychological aftermath of the epidemic on employees, urging health authorities to address it.

The Status of Occupational Stress and Its Influence on the Health of Medical Staff in Lanzhou, China

This study aimed to understand the status quo of occupational stress and its impact on the health of medical staff and provide a theoretical basis for relieving occupational stress and improving the health status of medical staff. The occupational stress and health status of medical staff in 14 hospitals in Lanzhou were studied using a general questionnaire, Effort-Reward Imbalance questionnaire, and Self-Rated Health Measurement Scale. A total of 2169 participants were included in the analysis, and 59.4% of the medical staff experienced occupational stress. The results of the occupational stress survey showed that the prevalence of occupational stress among medical staff aged 40-50, with a master's degree or above, senior professional title, working for 10-20 years, and working more than 48 h per week was higher than in the other groups. The health survey results showed that, compared with other groups, the scores of physical, mental, and social health were lower in medical staff with working years of 10-20 years and working hours of more than 48 h per week. The results show that working years and working hours per week affect not only the level of occupational stress but also physiological, psychological, and social health.

Exploring the effort-reward structure of university work focusing on perceived overall stress, self-reported health, and musculoskeletal disorders

Background: The effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model by Siegrist encouraged numerous scientific investigations that reported particular ties between psychosocial risks and poor self-reported health (SRH), while psychosocial work-related stress has also been linked to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The aim of this study was to examine the health status and the perceived levels of occupational stress of university employees and to analyse the findings according to the employees’ effort and reward structure of work, perceived overall stress, SRH and the presence of MSDs.

Design and methods: 398 employees – including healthcare professionals, academic personnel and workers with administrative or other jobs – employed at the University of Szeged, Faculty of Medicine were investigated with a self-administered questionnaire including the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire (ERIQ) and Perceived Stress Scale 4 (PSS-4).

Results: More than half of the investigated subjects (54.8%) reported some forms of MSDs. Low self-reported health (P<0.001) and presence of MSDs (P=0.015) were significantly associated with the level of perceived stress and effort-reward imbalance (ERI), moreover increased level of perceived stress was independently associated with the likelihood of MSDs (AOR=1.13) and low self-reported health (AOR=1.30). ERI well predicted low self-reported health (AOR=2.05) as well. Increased level of perceived stress positively correlated with high workrelated effort (r=0.247, P<0.001) and over-commitment (r=0.387, P<0.001) while with work-related reward (r=−0.181, P=0.011) perceived stress showed a negative connection.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that addressing the burden of effort-reward imbalance and MSDs would likely lessen employees’ perceived level of overall stress and affect their self-reported overall state of health.

Case-Control Study on the Interaction Effects of rs10757278 Polymorphisms at 9p21 Locus and Traditional Risk Factors on Coronary Heart Disease in Xinjiang, China

OBJECTIVE

To study the interaction effects of rs10757278 polymorphisms at 9p21 locus and traditional risk factors on coronary heart disease (CHD) in Xinjiang, China.

METHODS

This case-control study consecutively enrolled 310 unrelated consecutive CHD patients aged 18-70 years old. All study participants were recruited between January and December 2017 from The Heart Center of The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University. CHD patients were confirmed by coronary angiography (≥50% diameter stenosis in at least one of the major coronary arteries) according to the American Heart Association criteria for the confirmation of CHD. Healthy subjects were randomly selected from the occupational population, who received physical examination in our hospital and matched to cases on the basis of age (±3 years) and sex, those without medical history of cardiovascular diseases, and 536 subjects were selected as the control group after medical history inquiry, physical examination, cardiac ultrasound, electrocardiogram, and other blood biochemical examinations in the hospital. The occupational stress was evaluated by an effort-reward imbalance questionnaire. An epidemiological survey was conducted to collect clinical data. Chi-squared test, analysis of variance, and binary logistic regression analysis were adopted.

RESULTS

Both the case and the control groups showed significant difference in smoking, drinking, physical activity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, family history of CHD, and body mass index (BMI) (all P < 0.05); prevalence of CHD was not related to occupational stress. There was no significant difference in occupational stress level between the 2 groups (P > 0.05); Differences in rs10757278 genotype between the case group and the control groups were statistically significant; binary logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the risk factors of CHD. After adjustment for age and sex, significant increased risk effects for CHD were found to be associated with smoking [odds ratio (OR) = 2.311; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04-2.499; P < 0.001], physical exercise (OR = 1.365; 95% CI: 1.137-1.639; P < 0.001), hypertension (OR = 4.627; 95% CI: 2.165-10.764; P < 0.001), family history of CHD (OR = 4.103; 95% CI: 3.169-6.892; P < 0.001), BMI (OR = 2.484; 95% CI: 2.036-3.03; P < 0.001), and GG genotype at rs10757278 (OR = 1.978; 95% CI: 1.413-2.769; P < 0.001); We noted that a significant interaction association between GG genotype at rs10757278 and CHD differs across categories of smoking, hypertension, family history of CHD, and BMI.

CONCLUSION

GG genotype at rs10757278 may be a risk factor for CHD. And there are interaction effects between GG genotype of rs10757278 in region 9p21 gene and traditional risk factors.

Job stress and its impact on health of employees: a study among officers and supervisors

Purpose

The purpose of this research paper is to identify the sources of job stress and their impact on health of employees.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 650 employees of power sector in Punjab (India) responded to the survey. Exploratory factor analysis and ANOVA were performed. Further, post hoc was conducted to find out which variable differs significantly.

Findings

The findings indicates that five parameters, namely workload, working environment, concentration, positivity and future perspective are the factors that are responsible to create stress in employees. There is great impact on health as “frequency of visit to a doctor” and “numbers of diseases” they have are high and “employee's time spared for exercise” is less.

Research limitations/implications

Since the survey was conducted only in power sector, it is difficult to generalize the results. However, the findings from this study will provide the factors that cause job stress and how they impact on health of employees.

Practical implications

The result indicates the impact of job stress on health of employees in power sector. Current research suggests that job stressors should be treated timely to minimize the impact of job stress.

Originality/value

While previous research has focused on the effect of stress on health, the present study provides evidence of the relationship between the sources of job stress and health, particularly in power sector in Punjab. This study would be contributing to the existing literature in Indian context.

Effects and mediators of psychosocial work characteristics on somatic symptoms six years later: Prospective findings from the Mannheim Industrial Cohort Studies (MICS)

OBJECTIVE

Ample evidence documented the adverse health effects of work stressors, and recent research has increasingly focused on somatic symptoms which are very common and costly. Prospective evidence is however sparse and yielded mixed findings. Furthermore, there is reason to assume that depression and anxiety might mediate the effects of adverse psychosocial work conditions on somatic symptoms. This study aimed to investigate longitudinal effects of work stressors on somatic symptoms and the potential mediation by anxiety and/or depression.

METHODS

Six year follow-up data from 352 individuals - free of potentially stress-related chronic disease - were utilized. Somatic symptoms were assessed by 19 items of an established list of complaints at baseline and follow-up. The effort-reward-imbalance (ERI) model measured adverse psychosocial work conditions and over-commitment (OC). Linear regressions adjusted for socio-demographics, social status, lifestyle, and baseline symptoms estimated the effects of the ERI ratio, effort, reward, OC, and the ERI ratio×OC interaction on somatic symptoms six years later. Furthermore, single and multiple mediation by anxiety and/or depression was investigated.

RESULTS

There was a strong longitudinal effect of the ERI ratio, as well as of its subcomponents, and OC on somatic symptoms (all Bs≥|0.49|; p-values ≤0.004). Moreover, the ERI ratio×OC interaction was significant (p-value=0.047). Multiple mediation analyses revealed especially anxiety to mediate the effect of work stressors on somatic symptoms (Sobel test=0.007).

CONCLUSION

Adverse psychosocial work conditions seem to longitudinally affect somatic symptoms, potentially moderated by OC, and mediated by anxiety.

Association between psychosocial job characteristics and sickness absence due to low back symptoms using combined DCS and ERI models

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the combined demand-control-support (DCS) and effort-reward-overcommitment (ERI-OC) stress models in association with sickness absence due to low back symptoms (SA-LBS).

METHODS

A total of 2,737 blue-collar workers recruited from 13 companies in the most populous province (Henan) of China were included in the study. Personal and physical job characteristics, psychosocial scales of the stress models, and SA-LBS data in the preceding year were collected by a self-reported questionnaire and analyzed by a multivariable logistic regression model. Tertile exposure levels (low, medium and high) were constructed to discriminate a risk level. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used as the association with SA-LBS.

RESULTS

A large percentage (84.5%) of the Chinese workers did not take sick leave after reporting low back symptoms during the preceding year. High job demand or medium-high reward was associated with SA-LBS. The association of the combined stress models and SA-LBS was not evident.

CONCLUSIONS

The ERI-OC model appeared to be more predictive of SA-LBS than the DCS model in the study population. The advantage of using combined stress models for predicting SA-LBS is not evident.

The association of work stress with somatic symptoms in Chinese working women: a large cross-sectional survey

OBJECTIVE

It has been suggested that the relationship between work stress and somatic symptoms (e.g., cardiopulmonary, gastrointestinal complaints, general pain, and fatigue) is particularly pronounced in women. As evidence from China is sparse, we used a large sample of Chinese working women to test those potential associations.

METHODS

Data were obtained from a cross-sectional study of 6826 working women in five urban areas in China who were free from major clinical disease. The sample was drawn from five occupations (physicians, nurses, school teachers, bank employees, and industrial workers). The Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire and Patient Health Questionnaire-15 were used to measure work stress and somatic symptoms, respectively. Multivariate ordinal logistic regression was performed to analyze the associations.

RESULTS

52.6% participants reported high work stress in terms of concurrent high effort and low reward. The distribution of severity of somatic symptoms covered the full range from minimal (37.3%) and low (30.6%), to medium (19.7%) and high (12.4%). The adjusted odds ratio of somatic symptoms by high work stress was 2.45 (95% confidence interval=2.24-2.68), and all single psychosocial work factors (effort, reward, and over-commitment) exerted substantial effects on somatic symptoms (odds ratios>2.00).

CONCLUSIONS

Work stress is strongly associated with somatic symptoms in Chinese working women. Future longitudinal studies and intervention studies are needed to understand and improve women's psychosocial work environment and their psychosomatic health in China and elsewhere.

Associations of Extrinsic and Intrinsic Components of Work Stress with Health: A Systematic Review of Evidence on the Effort-Reward Imbalance Model

Mainstream psychological stress theory claims that it is important to include information on people’s ways of coping with work stress when assessing the impact of stressful psychosocial work environments on health. Yet, some widely used respective theoretical models focus exclusively on extrinsic factors. The model of effort-reward imbalance (ERI) differs from them as it explicitly combines information on extrinsic and intrinsic factors in studying workers’ health. As a growing number of studies used the ERI model in recent past, we conducted a systematic review of available evidence, with a special focus on the distinct contribution of its intrinsic component, the coping pattern “over-commitment”, towards explaining health. Moreover, we explore whether the interaction of intrinsic and extrinsic components exceeds the size of effects on health attributable to single components. Results based on 51 reports document an independent explanatory role of “over-commitment” in explaining workers’ health in a majority of studies. However, support in favour of the interaction hypothesis is limited and requires further exploration. In conclusion, the findings of this review support the usefulness of a work stress model that combines extrinsic and intrinsic components in terms of scientific explanation and of designing more comprehensive worksite stress prevention programs.

Job strain, effort-reward imbalance and neck, shoulder and wrist symptoms among Chinese workers

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between psychosocial job stress (by the Job Control-Demand (JCD) model and Effort-Reward imbalance (ERI) model) and musculoskeletal (MS) symptoms among workers in China. Overall, 3,632 male and 1,706 female workers from 13 factories/companies participated in this study. Perceived job stress was evaluated by the Chinese version of the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) and ERI Questionnaire. Neck, shoulder and wrist symptoms were assessed by self-report during the past year. Workers reporting high job demands and low job control or high effort and low rewards had moderately increased risk for all MS symptoms. Odds ratios (ORs) were higher in workers reporting both high effort and low rewards. The combination of high physical job demands with low job control showed significant associations with MS symptoms. The effects of psychological demands on symptoms in women, effort and effort-reward imbalance on symptoms among both genders were increased as the number of regions with symptoms increased. These results suggest that high job strain and ERI are associated with neck, shoulder and wrist symptoms in Chinese factory workers independent of individual factors, physical factors, and other psychological variables.

Improving quality of medical treatment and care: are surgeons' working conditions and job satisfaction associated to patient satisfaction?

BACKGROUND

Over the last decades, surgeons, researchers, and health administrators have been working hard to define standards for high-quality treatment and care in Surgery departments. However, it is unclear whether patients' perceptions of medical treatment and care are related and affected by surgeons' perceptions of their working conditions and job satisfaction. The aim of this study was to evaluate patients' satisfaction in relation to surgeons' working conditions.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey with 120 patients and 109 surgeons working in Surgery hospital departments was performed. Surgeons completed a survey evaluating their working conditions and job satisfaction. Patients assessed quality of medical care and treatment and their satisfaction with being a patient in this department.

RESULTS

Seventy percent of the patients were satisfied with performed surgeries and services in their department. Surgeons' job satisfaction and working conditions rated with moderate scores. Bivariate analyses showed correlations between patients' satisfaction and surgeons' job satisfaction and working conditions. Strongest correlations were found between kindness of medical staff, treatment outcome and overall patient satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates strong associations between surgeons' working conditions and patient satisfaction. Based on these findings, hospital managements should improve work organization, workload, and job resources to not only improve surgeons' job satisfaction but also quality of medical treatment and patient satisfaction in Surgery departments.

Musculoskeletal symptoms and associated risk factors in a large sample of Chinese workers in Henan province of China

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the one-year prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms and associated risk factors in a large sample of Chinese workers in various industrial settings.

METHODS

A total of 5,338 (3,632 males and 1,706 females) workers from 13 companies participated in this study. Musculoskeletal symptoms in different body regions in the previous year and their risk factors were assessed by a self-reported questionnaire. Logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the individual, work-related physical and psychosocial risk factors for the musculoskeletal symptoms.

RESULTS

The most commonly affected body regions among the workers were lower back (59.7%), neck (48.6%), shoulders (38.8%), and wrists (33.5%). Female workers had greater prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms in the neck, shoulders, and wrists than male workers. Results of multivariate analyses indicated that individual, work-related physical and psychosocial factors were associated with the musculoskeletal symptoms.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that interventions aimed at reducing musculoskeletal symptoms in the Chinese working population should take into account multiple risk areas including individual, physical job characteristics and work-related psychosocial factors.

Adverse psychosocial working conditions and minor psychiatric disorders among bank workers

BACKGROUND

In most countries, the financial service sector has undergone great organizational changes in the past decades, with potential negative impact on bank workers' mental health. The aim of this paper is to estimate the prevalence of minor psychiatric disorders (MPD) among Brazilian bank workers and to investigate whether they are associated with an adverse psychosocial working environment.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of a random sample of 2,500 workers in a Brazilian state bank in 2008. The presence of MPD was determined by the General Health Questionnaire.(GHQ). Psychosocial work conditions were assessed by means of the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) and Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ). The presence and magnitude of the independent associations between MPD and adverse psychosocial working conditions were determined by Prevalence Ratios, obtained by Poisson regression.

RESULTS

From 2,337 eligible workers, 88% participated. The prevalence of MPD was greater among women (45% vs. 41%; p > 0.05). In the multivariate analysis, the prevalence of MPD was twice as high among bank workers exposed to high psychological demand and low control at work and under high effort and low reward working conditions. The lack of social support at work and the presence of over-commitment were also associated with higher prevalence of MPD. A negative interaction effect was found between over-commitment and effort-reward imbalance.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of MPD is high among bank workers. The results reinforce the association between MPD and adverse psychosocial working conditions, assessed by the JCQ and ERI models. The direction of the interaction observed between over-commitment and ERI was contrary to what was expected.

The current status of occupational health in China

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to summarize the major health problems among Chinese workers, the strategies and measures for occupational hazards control, the network and organizations of occupational health administration, and the achievements and current challenges of occupational health in China.

RESULTS

The situation of occupational health was found to be still serious in China. Enterprises with occupational hazards were widely distributed, the exposed population and cases of occupational diseases were numerous, and occupational risks were being transferred from the city to the countryside and from developed areas to developing ones. New emerging problems coexisted with traditional occupational hazards. Besides, a lack of occupational health services for migrant workers could be a major problem for a long time.

CONCLUSIONS

It is necessary to improve the fields related to occupational health, such as the supervision and administration of small- and medium-scale enterprises, research into key techniques for the prevention and control of occupational hazards, systems for the diagnosis and reporting of occupational diseases, and the training of health professionals.