Occupational Health & Safety

Biography

Biography: Edilaine C Silva Gherardi Donato

Abstract

Introduction: The experiences of childhood and adolescence may be determinants for health in adulthood. Studies have shown that the occurrence of early life stress is associated with higher prevalence of physical and mental health diseases.

Objectives: The study aimed to analyze the prevalence and association between early life stress and occupational stress among technical and nursing assistants at a University hospital.

Methods: The sample consisted of 310 nursing assistants and technicians working in a Brazilian University Hospital. For evaluation of occupational stress and early life stress were applied the Job Stress Scale (JSS) and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). The data were submitted to descriptive and analytical statistics.

Results: Participants were mostly women (76.1%), with a mean age of 47.1 years (SD 10.94), married or living with a partner (58.1%), with children (74.5%), nursing assistants (85.5%), with only employment (79.4%), were attended by medical consultation last year (88.4%) and had off work in the last year (50.0%). 17.1% of the sample were highly exposed to occupational stress. The occurrence of early stress was 31.3%. The association between occupational stress and stress early indicated that nursing assistants and technicians with a history of early life stress has 2.2 times more likely to have occupational stress in relation to professionals who have not been exposed to early life stress (OR=2.20, 95%, p=0.010).

Conclusions: The results showed that early life stress is a risk factor for occupational stress among nursing professionals.