[Work-related stress (demand-control-social support model) and health alterations: a review of the existing evidence].
OBJECTIVE
To summarize the results obtained from epidemiological studies on the association of occupational stress and the development of illness in nurses or female population.


METHODS
A descriptive review has been performed on studies published between 1979 and 2005 in which the Demand-Control-Social Support (DCS) model was used. Key words were focused on the DCS model and Occupational Health. The search was carried out using Medline (Pubmed), CINHAL, PsycINFO, and CUIDEN.


RESULTS
A total of 36 articles were found. In 18 (50%) the study populations were nurses or workers in health areas. There is little evidence of the relationship between work-related stress and its repercussion on health. This could be justified because of the limited number of these longitudinal studies and the differences in the analysis of the model dimensions.


CONCLUSIONS
The review of the literature does not offer consistent results. Longitudinal studies with longer follow-up periods that would make it possible to study the maintained effect of the exposure on health are needed.
Enfermera, Doctora en Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, España. comartin@isciii.es
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Martín Arribas
D006801:Humans; D009729:Nursing; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*