title: Work ability and stress in a bus transportation company in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
abstract: Demographic, occupational and psychosocial characteristics affect the health and occupational performance of workers. The objective of the present study was to elaborate a profile of the work ability and factors that affect it in a bus transportation company in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The instruments used included a socio-demographic and occupational questionnaire, the Work Ability Index and the Job Stress Scale. Demographic information revealed that 85.7% of the 126 employees of the company were active workers, 98% were males, with an average of 39 years of age (SD= 10) and 79 months working in the company (SD= 68); more than half reported having a low schooling level. In terms of personal habits, 88% were exposed to one or more risk factors, especially a sedentary lifestyle. The average strain value (as a consequence of stress) was 0.78 (SD= 0.2) and 75.3% reported episodes of violence at the workplace. The work ability was good to excellent among 89% of the workers. Results from the logistic regression analysis showed that strain was the only significant variable in relation to the Work Ability Index, (estimated odds ratio of 0.02). The results suggest that psychosocial factors presented the greatest association with work ability, and preventive and/or corrective measures should be implemented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, School of Physical Education, Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31.270-010. rosana@netuno.lcc.ufmg.br
authors.forename: Rosana Ferreira
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Sampaio
authors.forename: Cecília Martins
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.forename: Fábio Bonfim
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.forename: Marisa Cotta
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Mancini
authors.forename: Verônica Franco
authors.initials: VF
authors.lastname: Parreira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018986:Motor Vehicles; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014186:Transportation; D014505:Urban Population; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation