[Stress levels in health care workers from primary care units].
OBJECTIVE
To determine stress levels in health care workers (HCW) from Primary Care Units (PCU).


METHODS
A descriptive study in HCW from two PCU was done to investigate stress in relation with environment, activity/occupation, relationship and lifestyle. The "Individual Evaluation Stress Inventory" was applied to 167 HCW from different job areas and categories.


RESULTS
The mean age was 41 +/- 8 years; 31 % were males, and the worker seniority mean age was 16.2 +/- 5.9 years. The population was constituted by 32 % physicians; 38 % nurser/medical assistants and 30 % from the support areas. A low stress was presented in 11 %; minimum in 25 %; normal level in 37 %; high in 25 %, and 2 % had critical stress level. There was no significant association between stress and other variables. HCW with higher stress were married (56 % versus 78 %, p = 0.06), had less seniority (13.6 +/- 6.0 versus 16.6 +/- 6.0, p = 0.09). Females had higher stress than males.


CONCLUSIONS
Stress in HCW was inferior to international and national score. The principal associated factors were: being married, having less seniority and being female.
Pérez-Guzmán
Isaac David
ID
Departamento de Epidemiología, Unidad de Medicina Familiar 32, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico. leycte@hotmail.com
Zonana-Nacach
Abraham
A
Valles-Medina
Ana María
AM
D000328:Adult; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011320:Primary Health Care; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*