title: [Identification of risk factors for work-related stress in a hospital: a qualitative and quantitative approach].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Italian legislation establishes the obligation for the employer to assess any risks to the safety and health of workers, including those relating to work-related stress (WRS). Several studies have proved the existence of a link between WRS and both individual diseases and organizational results.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The research aimed at detecting WRS risk factors in a hospital consisting of 53 departments employing 2334 workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative and quantitative approach was adopted divided into six steps: 1) analysis of the hospital indicators; 2) semistructured interviews of the 53 department heads; 3) preparation of a checklist including 42 WRS risk indicators; 4) observation by shadowing of the 53 departments; 5) setting up of 53 focus groups with staff from each department; 6) distribution of the check-list to a representative sample of 747 employees.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data analysis showed a "low" level of WRS risk regarding the hospital as a whole, a "medium" level regarding six transversal indicators and eight departments. Three indicators considered particularly significant were examined in detail: "workplace and ergonomic conditions", "shift work", "interruptions in work flow".
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results helped to identifj a series of best practices aimed at reducing WRS risk that are applicable to other health care settings. The qualitative and quantitative approach produced a keen involvement of the employees of the hospital which will positively encourage the real efficacy of the measures taken.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Psicologia - Università degli Studi di Torino. claudio.cortese@unito.it
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Cortese
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gerbaudo
authors.forename: Maria Paola
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Manconi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Violante
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D057189:Checklist; D006804:Ergonomics; D017144:Focus Groups; D006740:Hospital Administrators / Q000523:psychology; D006748:Hospital Departments; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000523:psychology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D058996:Quality Improvement; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods*; D012494:Sampling Studies; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance; D057188:Workflow; D017132:Workplace