WORKER STRESS LEVEL WITH FUNCTIONAL REARRANGEMENT AND READAPTATION IN A PUBLIC STATE UNIVERSITY

Pâmella Cacciari,José Carlos Dalmas,Maria Do Carmo Lourenço Haddad

doi:10.1590/0104-07072016004640014

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study aimed to identify the stress level of functionally rearranged and readapted workers of a public state university. It was a cross-sectional study performed with 92 government employees. Data were collected through a characteristics questionnaire and the Perceived Stress Scale. The results showed that 73.9% of workers were female, 57.6% had secondary education, 71.7% were married, and 59.8% had repetitive strain injury/work-related musculoskeletal disorder. The overall mean stress level was 22.6 points; workers in technical functions (24.6 points) and workers who suffered falls (28.2 points) had higher stress levels. Based on these results, the highest level of stress were concluded to affect female workers who suffered falls.

Highlights

The changes in recent decades in the work context have strongly impacted the health of individuals and the workers’ collective
This study shows that most rearranged and readapted workers were women and the highest level of stress was associated with that group
Among the prevalent self-reported diseases, work-related musculoskeletal disorders and repetitive strain injuries prevailed, affecting 59.8% of respondents

Summary

Introduction

The changes in recent decades in the work context have strongly impacted the health of individuals and the workers’ collective. It is observed that labor intensification is characteristic of the current phase of capitalism which has allowed an excessive consumption of the workers’ physical and mental energies.[1,2] This context produces contradictory scenarios, because it can lead to (re)valuing of work and investment in worker training and quality of life, and at the same time the insurgency of negative aspects, such as: the intense pace of work; degradation of working conditions; disqualification of less skilled workers; interference in workers’ quality of life; increasing uncertainty; and feelings of boredom, anguish and suffering.[3,4]. The author has found that stress causes biochemical or neuroendocrine responses, characterizing it as a non-specific physiological response, i.e., a syndrome consisting of all physiological changes that occur in the biological system when it is affected by a stimulus, or by an excessive or harmful load.[6]

Objectives

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion