Health behaviors and occupational stress of Brazilian civil servants living in an urban center

Am J Ind Med. 2013 Jan;56(1):49-57. doi: 10.1002/ajim.22004. Epub 2012 Jan 6.

Abstract

Background: Occupational stress and unhealthy lifestyles are common characteristics of urban workers. The association between health behaviors and job stress of urban Brazilian civil servants was studied.

Methods: A cross-sectional study included 893 workers. Health markers, the dependent variables, were: Fruit/vegetable (FV) and alcohol (A) intake, physical activity (PA), including at work (PAW), smoking (S), BMI ≥ 25 Kg/m(2). Occupational stress, assessed by Job Stress Scale-Brazilian version, classified employees into: High-strain, Low-strain, Active, and Passive. Prevalence rates and multivariate Poisson models were adopted.

Results: On average, employees (mean age = 40.2 years; 69.1% female) reported healthy lifestyle factors: FV (56%); PA (59.7%); S (13.3%); however, 49.4% were overweight. Compared to low-strain, high-strain workers reported higher PAW; passive workers lesser PA and higher PAW. After adjusting for socio-demographics and work characteristics, the occupational stress dimensions were no longer associated to health behaviors.

Conclusions: Our results do not support the hypothesis of an effect for occupational stress on urban employees' health behaviors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Alcohol Drinking
  • Body Mass Index
  • Brazil
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Fruit
  • Health Behavior*
  • Humans
  • Internal-External Control
  • Life Style
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Motor Activity
  • Occupational Health*
  • Professional Autonomy
  • Smoking
  • Stress, Psychological / psychology*
  • Urban Population
  • Vegetables
  • Workload / psychology*