Prevalence of work-related physical and psychosocial risks factors: a cross-sectional study of social welfare workers in Brazil.

Abstract

Introduction: In Brazil, social service employees are exposed to poor work conditions, mental strain, and there is a lack of workforce, which contributes for the accumulation of tasks and to work overload.

Objectives: To describe the prevalence of socioeconomic and occupational characteristics, working conditions and self-reported health of social service employees; and verify the relationship between working conditions and the workers self-reported health.

Methods: The cross-sectional study evaluated sociodemographic and occupational characteristics, lifestyle and health information of social service employees; and used the Working Environment Assessment Protocol to assess their working conditions. The data was analyzed descriptively and by the chi-square test.

Results: A total of 41 employees participated in this study, which corresponds to 60.3% of the total number of social service employees in the city. The majority was female (65.9%), aged 40.72 (standard deviation = 14.83), more than 8 years of schooling (82.9%), and occupying higher level functions (psychologists and social workers). Regarding health characteristics, 56.1% of participants practiced physical activities; 70.7% evaluated their own health as good or very good; and 43.9% related musculoskeletal pain. Not having a dining room; and temperature, ventilation, equipment, material resources and furniture were the most reported working conditions as inadequate. There was also an association between episodes of aggression and insecurity with self-perception of health.

Conclusions: The results suggest that there could be a relationship between precarious working conditions and health. Specifically, this study indicated an association between poor working conditions and negative self-perception of health, insecurity and episodes of violence at work.