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

Abstract

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 needs more attention and effective prevention.