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To examine multiple relations between organizational roles, work-family conflict, job satisfaction, mental health, and affective organizational commitment among basic education teachers, a cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 438 respondents, to whom the Scale for the Assessment of Psychosocial Stressors in the Workplace (EAEPCL, acronym in Portuguese), the General Job Satisfaction Scale, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the Reduced Affective Organizational Commitment Scale (ECOA, acronym in Portuguese) were applied. Data were analyzed by structural equation modeling and the estimated measurement model indicated convergent and discriminant validity, as well as reliability regarding the latent variables used. Direct effects of conflict and role ambiguity on job satisfaction, common mental disorders (CMD) and affective organizational commitment were observed, as well as indirect effects on the latter two mediated by job satisfaction. As for role overload, its direct effects occurred only in relation to job satisfaction, the latter mediating the effect of the former on CMD and affective commitment, whereas work-family conflict mediated the effect of role overload on CMD. These results highlight the harmful effects of role stressors and job (dis)satisfaction on the mental health of teachers by making them more vulnerable to developing CMD and indicate how these can affect results of interest to the institutions studied, such as affective commitment in school organizations.

Abstract: We investigated the association between job stress, as assessed by the effort-reward imbalance model, and the incidence of chronic low back pain (CLBP) over a 4-year period. A total of 1733 participants from the ELSA-Brasil Musculoskeletal cohort, who were free from LBP at baseline (2012-2014), were included. Episodes of LBP in the past 30 days, intensity, and the presence of disability were investigated in annual telephone follow-ups (2015-2018). Chronic LBP was defined as episodes of LBP lasting >3 months with at least moderate intensity. We analyzed the incidence of at least one episode of CLBP (yes/no), the number of CLBP episodes (0, 1, ≥2), and CLBP severity/disability (absent, nondisabling, severe/disabling). The association between these outcomes and tertiles of the effort-to-reward ratio, as well as each dimension of the effort-reward imbalance model, was investigated using multinomial logistic and Poisson regression models adjusting for sociodemographic and occupational variables. The cumulative incidence of CLBP over 4 years was 24.8%. High effort-reward imbalance increased the chances of experiencing multiple CLBP episodes and severe/disabling CLBP by 67% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12-2.47) and 70% (95% CI: 1.14-2.53), respectively. High overcommitment increased the incidence of CLBP by 23% (95% CI: 1.01-1.50) and the chances of multiple CLBP episodes and severe/disabling CLBP by 67% (95% CI: 1.11-2.50) and 57% (95% CI: 1.05-2.34), respectively. These results indicate that exposure to job stress is associated with a higher incidence, a greater number of episodes, and increased severity of CLBP over a 4-year period. If this association is causal, measures aimed at reducing exposure to job stress are likely to alleviate the burden of CLBP., (Copyright © 2024 International Association for the Study of Pain.)

Objective: To evaluate the association between occupational stressors and common mental disorders (CMD) among "invisible" health workers in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic., Method: Cross-sectional study including a probabilistic sample of 1,014 health workers from three municipalities in Bahia. CMDs were assessed using the SRQ-20. The Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) scale and the Demand-Control Model assessed occupational stressors. Descriptive, bivariate, and multiple analysis to evaluate the association between the variables of interest., Results: The global prevalence of CMD was 39.9%; it was higher among CHA/EDCA (47.2%), followed by management and surveillance staff (38.6%), technicians (35.4%), and support/maintenance/cleaning staff (29.9%). The association between occupational stressors and CMD varied among occupations: 1. Excessive work commitment (EWC), effort-reward imbalance (ERI), and psychological demand were associated with CMD among support/maintenance/cleaning workers; 2. EWC and ERI were associated with CMD among CHA/EDCA; 3. EWC, ERI, and low control over work were associated with CMD among technicians; 4. Among management and surveillance workers, only ERI remained associated with CMD., Conclusions: Occupational stressors played a relevant role in mental illness, with variation between occupational strata, demanding attention, monitoring, and control.

Background: Psychiatric disorders are the conditions that most contribute to incapacity worldwide. While many healthcare professionals adapt in dealing with various demands, others do not. How much of these conditions is associated with affective experience needs to be studied., Objective: Assess the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress while investigating the relationship between the presence of positive and negative affect in healthcare professionals., Methods: This study's convenience sample consisted of 975 providers (including nursing, physicians, and multidisciplinary team) and administrative professionals (service and supervision teams) working at a general private hospital in Brazil. Data were collected in 2019 through a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS-X). The results are shown through multinomial regression with odds ratio, 95% confidence interval, and P-value., Results: The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 49.4%, 46.1%, and 49.8%, respectively, showing high prevalence. It was observed that a high presence of negative affect is associated with a greater likelihood of developing anxiety, depression, and stress, while a high presence of positive affect is associated with a lower likelihood of depression and stress prevalence., Conclusions: The high prevalence of anxiety, depression and stress in healthcare professionals is associated with the presence of negative affects. Mental disorders should be measured, and practices adopted to ensure well-being and job performance.

Background: Studies of previous pandemics indicate that healthcare workers have a high risk of developing symptoms related to mental health, especially depression, anxiety, and stress., Objective: To identify mental disorder symptoms among Brazilian healthcare workers during the Sars-Cov-2 pandemic and compare findings in different work categories., Methods: This was an online cross-sectional study. Information related to the pandemic and mental disorder symptoms was collected. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale and the Impact of Event Scale-revised were used. Associations were estimated by the chi-square test. The mean scores were compared among work categories with ANOVA (α = 5%) and the prevalence of symptoms was estimated., Results: 1,609 healthcare workers participated in the survey [mean age: 36.9 (SD = 11.6) years, women = 83.6%]. There was no association between work category and changes in mental health during the pandemic (p = 0.288) or prevalence of unsafe feeling (p = 0.218). A significant relationship was observed between maintaining work activities during the pandemic and work category (p < 0.001). Physicians had the lowest out-of-work prevalence (9.5%) while dentists had the highest (32.3%). Physicians and nurses showed the highest prevalence of in-person work routine. Psychologists presented the highest prevalence of remote work (64.0%) while dentists had the lowest (20.2%). A high prevalence of depression (D), anxiety (A), and stress (S) symptoms was observed in all professional categories (D: 57.2, 95% CI 48.3-66.1%; A: 46.20%, 95% CI = 37.2-55.2%; S: 55.80%, 95% CI = 46.8-64.8%), with physicians (D = 38.4%, A = 25.80%, S = 37.90%), psychologists (D = 50.2%, A = 39.0%, S = 43.1%), and nurses (D = 50.0%, A = 40.9%, S = 49.0%) having significantly lower scores. Psychologists had the lowest pandemic-related psychological impact (42.70%, 95% CI 36.8-48.6%)., Conclusion: Extreme changes in the work routine of dentists and psychologists and an overall high prevalence of mental symptoms due to the pandemic were found. Researchers should focus on gathering information that can identify workers at increased risk of mental illness to guide discussions and develop actions to minimize the harm of the pandemic. In addition, we suggest that healthcare and support systems urgently adopt mental health care measures with specialized professionals to protect the psychological well-being of the healthcare community.

Purpose: Job stress has proven to be a relevant cause of stress for adults, but its effect on the development of metabolic alterations in individuals with obesity is still poorly explored. We aimed to investigate the association between job stress and metabolically unhealthy obesity (MUO) phenotype in participants with obesity at the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) baseline assessment., Methods: This study analyzed data collected at the baseline examination between 2008 and 2010. A total of 2371 individuals with obesity were included. Two metabolic phenotypes were characterized based on the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey criteria. The job stress scale was based on the Brazilian version of the Swedish Demand-Control-Support Questionnaire. The association between job stress domains and MUO phenotype was assessed by binary logistic models., Results: In our sample, 1297 (54.7%) participants were women, mean age was 49.6 ± 7.1 years and 1696 (71.5%) had MUO. Low skill discretion was associated with MUO after adjustment for age, sex and race. However, in fully-adjusted models, the MUO phenotype was not associated with high job demand (odds ratio [OR] = 1.05; 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 0.82-1.35), low skill discretion (OR = 1.26; 95%CI 0.95-1.68), low decision authority (OR = 0.94; 95%CI 0.70-1.25) nor low social support (OR = 0.93; 95%CI 0.71-1.20)., Conclusion: We found a significant association between low skill discretion and an adverse metabolic profile in models adjusted for age, sex and race. No associations were significant between job stress domains and the metabolic profile of individuals with obesity in full models.

Assessing risk factors exposure, such as stress in the workplace during adulthood, may contribute to detecting early signs of cognitive impairment in order to implement effective actions to improve brain health and consequently to decrease cognitive disorders later in life. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to investigate whether work-related stress is associated with low cognitive performance in middle-aged adults from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) and whether social support mediates this relationship. Work-related stress was evaluated in 9,969 workers using the Demand-Control-Support Questionnaire. Cognitive function was assessed using the verbal fluency, trail-making version B, and delayed recall word tests. Work-related stress was associated with lower performance on the delayed recall, verbal fluency, and executive function tests in middle-aged adults. Social support may mediate the association between work demands and cognitive performance. These findings support that work-related stress is associated with cognitive performance during adulthood., (©2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Objective: To analyze the association of psychosocial risk factors at work, sociodemographic, and occupational characteristics with the level of physical activity among motorcycle taxi drivers. Methods: Cross-sectional study with 750 male motorcycle taxi drivers from the municipality of Jequié, Bahia, Brazil. A form containing sociodemographic and occupational characteristics was utilized. The psychosocial risk factors at work were evaluated by the Job Content Questionnaire and the level of physical activity by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The adjusted associations were analyzed by means of the Poisson regression with robust variance. Results: the prevalence of an insufficiently active level of physical activity was of 59.6%. The crude prevalence ratios (PR) showed an association between physical inactivity in motorcycle taxi drivers and high strain job (PR: 1.31), with 5 or more years of experience (PR: 1.67), in night shifts (PR: 1.36) and 40 or more years old (PR: 1.77). In the multivariate model, adjusted by income, work in high strain is kept associated to a situation of being insufficiently active (PR: 1.13), duration of employment of five or more years raised by 51.0% the frequency of insufficiently active physical activity (PR: 1.51) and the work in predominantly nocturnal shifts increased it by 26.0% (PR: 1.26). It is made evident that age was an effect modifier ( p  < 0.001) and its interaction was evaluated by including the corresponding product term (job Demand-Control model), which shows that the association between highly straining work and being insufficiently active was observed only among the youngest (21-39 years old) (PR: 1,21). Conclusions: the age and exposure to unfavorable working conditions, like long duration of employment, night work and work under high psychological demand and low control, have an influence on the insufficient physical activity among motorcycle taxi drivers.

Objective: To analyze the factors associated with occupational stress among nursing workers in health services of medium complexity., Methods: Epidemiological, cross-sectional, exploratory study. A randomly selected sample of 126 nursing professionals from medium complexity services in three cities in the state of Bahia (Santo Antônio de Jesus, Feira de Santana and Itabuna) was investigated. Data were collected in 2011 and 2012. The demand-control model proposed by Karasek was used to assess occupational stress. Simultaneous analysis of occupational stressors was performed using Poisson regression with robust variance., Results: The prevalence of occupational stress among nursing professionals was 77%. Occupational stress was associated with the professional category of nursing technician (p=0.01)., Conclusion: The data indicates a concerning situation of exposure to occupational stressors, which requires coping strategies in order to protect the health of the worker.

Objective: to analyze the presence, intensity and factors related to working conditions for depressive symptoms in hospital emergency nurses in the east of São Paulo., Methods: a descriptive, exploratory, quantitative and qualitative study, which applied psychometric scales and interview script., Results: nurses (95.24%) had depressive symptoms by the assessment scales by the observer, most with mild and moderate intensity. Inadequate working conditions led to suffering. Factors that trigger depressive symptoms were: disorganized work; harmful relationship with immediate management; inappropriate physician behavior; aggressions; lack of inputs, infrastructure and human resources; professional devaluation. Identified professionals with depressive symptoms who, because they were unaware of being affected by the disorder, did not seek treatment, continued to perform activities that compromised their physical and mental health, promoting damage to the assistance provided. Final considerations: high frequency of depressive symptoms. The precarious work environment negatively influenced the care and development of depressive symptoms.

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of hospital nursing professionals with the presence of stress, and to associate this with capillary cortisol., Method: A cross-sectional, exploratory and correlational study, conducted in a hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. A total of 164 nursing professionals participated; the Perceived Stress Scale was administered, and hair samples were obtained for laboratory analysis. Data were entered into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet (2010), and then into Microsoft Office and the R software, version 3.2.2., Results: High levels of capillary cortisol in 47% of participants suggest the presence of stress, but no statistical significance between cortisol and stress levels were found., Conclusions: Stress and capillary cortisol levels were indicative of stress among nursing professionals; however, no association between them was found, although the values found were above those recommended.

Objective: to cross-culturally adapt the Student Nurse Stress Index to the Brazilian context., Method: this is a methodological study of translation and cross-cultural adaptation. We used a sample of specialists (n = 3) and nursing students (n = 40). Socioeconomic and academic questionnaires were used for data collection, assessment and the translated instrument (SNSI-Brazil)., Results: most students were female (90.0%), single (87.5%), unemployed (80.0%), they studied on average 11 hours per week, slept 6 hours per day; and rated the face and the content of the instrument as very good, agreeing substantially (kappa = 0.74 and p-value < 0.01). The judges showed regular agreement in their assessments, and the SNSI-Brazil showed a good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.80)., Conclusion: The SNSI-Brazil was validated for face and content, has a good internal consistency if compared to versions used in other countries.

The present study aims to investigate the association between psychosocial aspects at work and the quality of sleep of professors in a public university in Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil. A cross-sectional study was conducted, with descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analysis, including a random sample of 423 professors. The psychosocial aspects work aspects were associated to a perception of poor sleep quality. In analysis of effect modifiers, the variable "practice of physical activity" modified the main association under test. Among professors that did not practice physical activity, the following variables kept statistically associated to the perception of poor sleep quality: having children (PR = 1.33, CI 95% 1.02-1.74), poor self-rated health (PR = 1.49; CI 95% 1.24-1.79) and quality of life self-evaluation (PR = 1.60, CI 95% 1.45-2.00), insufficient time for regular leisure activities (PR = 1.52, CI 95% 1.23-1.86) and high psychological demand (PR = 1.40, CI 95% 1.14-1.72). In final analysis, high strain and passive work were experiences associated to the perception of a poor sleep quality among professors that did not practice physical activity. The results confirmed that the adverse psychosocial aspects at work are associated to negative impacts on the professor's quality of sleep.

Objectives: To compare the relation of quality of life to occupational coping and verify the association of these indicators with sociodemographic variables of tenured and outsourced nurses., Methods: Cross-sectional study, carried out from June to November 2014, with 145 outsourced nurses and 45 tenured nurses. We applied an identification instrument (WHOQOL-bref) and Occupational Coping Scale. Student's t-tests and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used., Results: Tenured nurses had better quality of life (p=0.011) and a mean in the Avoidance factor with a strong correlation (p=0.001). Female public servants (p=0.006; p<0.0001), between 40 and 66 years old (p=0.005; p=0.031), specialists (p=0.028; p=0.005), with a family income from 2.5 to 6.8 minimum wages (p=0.021; p=0.006) and working in the morning or afternoon (p=0.043; p=0.020) and morning and afternoon (p=0.038; p=0.007) showed a difference in quality of life and in Avoidance factor, respectively., Conclusion: Tenured nurses demonstrated better quality of life, and some variables trigger differences in the groups, demonstrating the need to promote occupational health.

Objective: To evaluate levels of occupational stress and work engagement among primary health care workers., Method: A descriptive, correlational and transversal study was carried out in a small municipality in the countryside of São Paulo, with a non-probabilistic sample of convenience, with 85 workers. Three self-applied instruments were used: one developed by researchers, containing sociodemographic variables; Work Stress Scale (WSS) and Utrech Work Engagement Scale (UWES)., Results: Prevalence of women (72.6%), 40 years old or more (45.9%), 4 years and 4 months of mean working time in primary care. Thirty-one workers (36.5%) presented significant stress (scores ≥2.5). Work engagement showed a mean of 4.1 (±1.2) to 4.4 (±1.4), classified as high in all dimensions. Occupational stress and work engagement correlated negatively., Conclusion: Workers presented high levels of work engagement; more than one-third had significant occupational stress. Workers with high levels of occupational stress tend to have lower work engagement.

Background There are few data about the association between work-related stress and the American Heart Association ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics. We studied the association between work-family conflict (WFC) and ideal CVH scores in the ELSA-Brasil (Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health) baseline study. Methods and Results We analyzed data of active workers (5424 men and 5967 women), aged 35 to 74 years, from 2008 to 2010. Ideal CVH scores were calculated based on the lifestyle and health metrics proposed by the American Heart Association, using data from questionnaires and clinical and laboratory examinations from the ELSA-Brasil study baseline. The WFC questionnaire was based on the Frone model, validated for Brazilian Portuguese. WFC domains (time and strain-based work interference with family, family interference with work, and lack of time for personal care and leisure) and frequency (never to rarely, sometimes, or frequently) were self-reported. Main models were adjusted for age, sex, race, educational level, income, and study site. Positive relative predicted score differences (rPSDs) indicate higher predicted scores. We found lower lifestyle ideal CVH scores among men (rPSD, -5.7%; P =0.002) and women (rPSD, -10.2%; P <0.001) with frequent lack of time for personal care and leisure. We found lower lifestyle ideal CVH scores among women with frequent strain-based work interference with family (rPSD, -5.1%; P =0.002), and family interference with work (rPSD, -8.6%; P =0.001). We found higher health ideal CVH scores among men with frequent WFC, which may be attributable to reverse causation. Conclusions We found significant associations between WFC and ideal CVH scores. These associations were heterogeneous according to sex.

A growing burden of mental illness, and in particular depression, among workers is a concern of occupational public health. Scientific evidence has revealed consistent associations of work-related stress, as measured by theoretical models, with depression, but mostly so in developed countries. This contribution explores these associations in a developing Latin American country, Brazil, by applying an internationally established work stress model, the effort-reward imbalance (ERI). This model focuses on the work contract where unjust exchange between high efforts spent and low rewards received in turn contributes to stress-related disorders. The model's extrinsic ('effort', 'reward') and intrinsic components ('over-commitment'), as well as their combination, are hypothesized to be related to a higher risk of depressive episodes (DE). Using cross-sectional data from the ELSA-Brasil study, including 10,034 workers from the public sector, we observed increased prevalence ratio (PR) of DE according to ERI scales. The quartiles of highest 'effort' (PR = 1.85; 1.44-2.37), highest 'over-commitment' (PR = 3.62; 2.80-4.70) and lowest 'reward' (PR = 3.44; 2.55-4.64) were associated with DE, on adjusted models, as well was the E-R ratio (PR = 2.47; 1.92-3.17). An additive interaction was identified between the E-R ratio and 'over-commitment'. The results support the use of ERI as a screening tool for work stress in the Brazilian context and will offer guidance for worksite health promotion programs.

The present study describes and analyzes experimental results of a study performed with street vendors exposed to noise pollution by monitoring daily variations in cortisol levels taking into account the influence of variables such as age and body mass index (BMI). The study was conducted with 17 male street vendors, inhabitants of Uberlândia - Brazil, who work in the central region of the city. The levels of exposure to noise were assessed using an audio dosimeter and, every two hr, samples of saliva were collected for determination of salivary cortisol levels through an enzymatic immunoassay. The measured equivalent A-weighted sound level (LAeq) ranged from 70.2 to 76.6 dB (A) during the monitoring period of endogenous salivary cortisol levels. Morning levels of cortisol in street vendors were higher in older and overweight individuals. The noise levels to which the subjects were exposed were above the acoustic comfort threshold established by the World Health Organization and hence may be associated with severe discomfort and stress.

Background: There have been very few studies exploring the occupational risk factors for major depressive disorder (MDD) in the working populations in Latin America. The aim of this study was to explore the associations between a large set of occupational factors and MDD in the Brazilian working population., Methods: The study was based on the cross-sectional data from the Brazilian National Health Survey, 2013. 60,202 people were interviewed (response rate: 91.9%). Among them, 36,442 were working, 19,450 men and 16,992 women. MDD was measured using the diagnostic algorithm (DSM-IV criteria) of the PHQ-9. Occupational factors included job characteristics, working time factors, psychosocial work stressors and physico-chemical exposures. Logistic regression models were performed and adjusted for sociodemographic factors. All analyses were conducted using weighted and stratified data by gender., Results: The following occupational factors were associated with a higher risk of MDD: working part time (≤20 h a week) and stress at work for both genders, workplace violence, intense physical activity, exposure to noise and chemicals among women, and prolonged exposure to sun among men. Associations of stress and violence at work with MDD were particularly strong., Limitations: Cross-sectional study design, healthy worker effect and reporting bias may have impacted the results., Conclusions: This study, one of the first studies among the Brazilian working population, showed that psychosocial work stressors were the strongest risk factors for MDD. Physico-chemical exposures deserve more attention in association with MDD. Prevention policies oriented toward the work environment may help to prevent depression at the workplace., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objective: To understand the challenges faced by workers in the daily activities related to psychosocial care, considering affective relationships, care management and interdisciplinarity., Materials and Methods: Reflective qualitative research of phenomenological nature from a hermeneutic perspective, carried out with mental health professionals of the Psychosocial Support Center of Fortaleza-CE, Brazil., Results: Subjectivities related to the precariousness of health work, determined by deficient physical infrastructure, quantity and quality of material, arose from the daily routine of psychosocial care, exposing discouragement in the exercise of practices and quality care., Conclusions: The management of care as a guide to innovative mental health practices provides sustainability for a practice that is necessary to consolidate and solve the social life demands of users and of work processes in the field of mental health.

Background: Shift work and psychosocial stressors may contribute to higher metabolic syndrome (MetS) incidence. Few studies investigated whether the presence of both factors simultaneously has a synergic effect on risk of MetS., Methods: This cross-sectional analysis used baseline data (2008-2010) for 10 960 current workers from ELSA-Brasil. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate independent associations between shift work and job strain and MetS. An interaction between these factors was tested by including a multiplicative term in the final model., Results: Exposure to three-shifts a week (that is, three 12 h shifts of work followed by 36 h of rest) and high job-strain were independently associated with greater risk of MetS. We found no indication (P > 0.05) of interaction between working in shifts and job strain on MetS., Conclusions: Efforts to reduce job strain and shift work should be considered as part of a primary prevention strategy to reduce the risk of MetS., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Burnout and mental disorders have been reported in the financial industry. This study aims to examine the structural validity of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and to investigate the connection between the dimensions of burnout and depressive symptoms in a sample of 1046 bank employees from North Brazil who completed the MBI and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to cross-check the factorial structure of the MBI. One-way analysis of variance and correlation analysis were applied to elucidate the relationship between burnout and depressive symptoms. Both 3-factor and 4-factor oblique solutions were plausible EFA models of the burnout syndrome. Results of CFA supported the 19-item 4-factor structure as the best fitting model to data, with two exhaustion factors ("exhausted" and "strained"), depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. The PHQ-9 total score and individual score of depressive items were significantly correlated with all MBI dimensions, notably with the emotional exhaustion dimension. The moderate-to-high correlation observed between burnout and depression suggest the potential utility of the MBI for evaluating burnout among bank employees as well as to point out the need to evaluate systematically the burnout and depressive symptoms given to their potential association., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objective: To evaluate the occupational stress among health workers in a university hospital., Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted with health workers in the areas of nursing and medicine at a university hospital in southern Brazil. The data were collected between August of 2011 and August of 2012 by a questionnaire of characterization and Job Stress Scale. A descriptive and univariate analysis was performed (Kruskal-Wallis)., Results: The participants presented high demand and high control of the work and low social support, indicating an active work. Nurses had less control over work (p<0.001) and physicians received more social support (p=0.006). Reduced social support was related to greater exposure to stress among nursing assistants and technicians (p=0.012)., Conclusion: Workers who felt the low social support had higher exposure to stress. It is necessary to implement stress prevention strategies among health workers, such as the strengthening of social support at work.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of experimental auriculotherapy and placebo auriculotherapy with sham points for the treatment of stress in nurses of a charity hospital in São Paulo., Method: Randomized, single-blind, controlled trial. The sample consisted of 168 nurses with medium and high stress levels according to the List of Stress Symptoms (LSS). The participants were randomized to three groups: Auriculotherapy (G1), Placebo (G2) and Control (G3). Groups 1 and 2 received 12 sessions, twice a week. The points used in Group 1 were: Shenmen and Brainstem; in Group 2 the points were: External Ear and Face Area. The three groups were evaluated at baseline, after eight sessions, 12 sessions and in a follow-up (after 15 days)., Results: Group 1 achieved a 43% reduction and a 1.81 Cohen d index (high effect), presenting statistical difference after eight sessions, maintained in the follow-up evaluation (p <0.001), according to Analysis of Variance. Group 2 achieved a 26% reduction, with Cohen's d index of 0.86 (great effect), achieving a difference after 12 sessions (p<0.001), maintained in the follow-up (p <0.05). The G3 did not present stress reduction., Conclusion: Experimental auriculotherapy achieved greater stress reduction among nurses, but there was no statistical difference between the two intervention groups. Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials: RBR-req2792.

Objective: Assess the quality of life of workers who underwent work adjustments and adaptations in a public state university., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out with 92 employees from a public state university. Data were collected from November 2012 to May 2013 using a population characterization questionnaire and the Medical Outcome Study 36-item Short Form, and then underwent a univariate and bivariate analysis through the Mann-Whitney test., Results: The two domains that obtained the best scores were social function and emotional performance, whereas the ones with the worst scores were physical performance and body pain. Most workers did not note changes in their health status in the last year., Conclusions: The quality of life scores, in general, were not high, especially in physical aspects. Therefore, measures need to be implemented to evaluate the effectiveness of work adjustments and adaptations, in order to improve occupational health.