Prevalence and factors affecting occupational and non-occupational stress among industrial workers, a descriptive cross sectional study from a single industrial unit in South India

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Stress related to work is a complex process that influences both the worker's health and his productivity. 1-3 Identification of the stressors that may elicit psychological, behavioral or physical response in the work environment therefore has been emphasized through considerable research. 4,5 Such psychological strain can also be attributed to interpersonal conflict at the work place. 2,6,7 The mechanism of how occupational stress may affect workers' health has been broadly explained by two most popular mechanisms as per the cotemporary stress theories. 8-10 First, occupational stress can affect the psychological responses (autonomic, neuroendocrine and immune) by directly influencing the organism's main stress axes thereby increasing the host vulnerability and resistance or directly stimulating to the disease mechanisms. The second mechanism hints at an indirect pathway functioning in the form of behavioural patterns and habits of people under work stress which ABSTRACT Background: Stress related to work is a complex process that influences both the worker's health and his productivity. Identification of the stressors may elicit psychological, behavioural or physical response in the work environment. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted in a single thermal power unit located in Tamilnadu state. A standard and validated questionnaire by O'Donnell MP, was used to assess the occupational and non-occupational stress. Results: A total of 126 participants were included in the study. Psychological stress was the most common form of stress reported by 32.5% of the subjects. The prevalence of occupational stress was 9.5% in study population. Physical stress and family stress were reported by 13.5% and 12.7% of the subjects respectively. The highest odds of stress were observed in 30 to 39-year age group, when compared to youngest age group (20 to 29 years). Strong positive association was observed between the psychological stress and hypertension in study population. Conclusions: Psychological stress was the most common form of stress reported in industrial workers. Male gender, middle age groups, current use of smoking or alcohol is strongly associated with occupational stress.