title: Occupational stress and its related factors among university teachers in China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  University teachers in China are expected to suffer serious occupational stress due to the expanding enrollment in universities without a proportional increase in teacher resources and the fact that all promotions for university teachers are determined based on not only teaching but also the outcome of scientific research. This study was designed to assess the occupational stress among university teachers in China and clarify its risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was performed in Liaoning Province, the centralized area of higher education in Northeast China. Eight universities (2 multidiscipline and 6 specialized) and 10% of academic staff each were randomly sampled. Questionnaires pertaining to occupational stress indicated by the Chinese Version Personal Strain Questionnaire (PSQ) and demographic characteristics, health status, work situations, and personal and social resources were distributed in October 2008. A total of 827 effective respondents (response rate 76.4%) became our participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average raw score of PSQ was 91.0 among the university teachers. General linear model analysis showed that the factors significantly associated with the PSQ score were, in standardized estimate (β) sequence, mental health, role overload, role insufficiency, social support, monthly income, role limitations due to physical problems, research finance and self-rated disease with adjustment for age and sex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We concluded that, in comparison to work-related factors and social support, mental health is a prominent risk factor for occupational stress in university teachers in China. Improvement of mental health and organizational climate should be considered to lessen the occupational stress of university teachers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Healthand, School of Public Health, China Medical University.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Lie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002681:China; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D024382:Professional Role / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology