title: [Psychosocial stress among health care workers].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Health care workers are exposed to high stress levels and psychosocial risks. The imbalance between the invested efforts and received rewards acquires special importance in this setting.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the psychosocial risk level and its relationship with depression, distress and psychotropic drug use among health care workers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven hundred eighty two workers (602 females; 180 males) answered self-administered questionnaires to measure psychosocial risk and mental health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty five percent of respondents used psychotropic drugs, 34% had a high level of distress and 23% had depressive symptoms. They also reported a low level of decisional latitude (48%), high emotional demands (47%), low social support (41%) and a significant effort-reward imbalance (67%). Those exposed to job strain (high demands and low decisional latitude), iso-strain (job strain plus low social support), and effort-reward imbalance were twice as likely to suffer symptoms of depression and elevated distress compared to non-exposed subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are high levels of psychosocial stress among health care workers.
authors: Elisa
authors: E
authors: Ansoleaga
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002677:Chile; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs