Darba un vides veselības institūts Maija Eglite1 BSN Meeting in Oslo, 2005 WORK STRESS SITUATION IN LATVIA Maija EGLĪTE The Institute of Occupational and Environmental health of Riga Stradins university Oslo, November 2005

Darba un vides veselības institūts Maija Eglite2 Psychosocial factors and work stress  Increasing interest in the society about psychosocial factors and stress in the life and in the work  Psychoemotional factors are included in the occupational health legislation as one of hazardous work place factors that: Need the risk assesment Obligatory health examinations shall also be provided for workers affected by psychoemotional factors and stress

Darba un vides veselības institūts Maija Eglite3  Obligatory health examinations are provided by occypational physician and neurologist  If necessary, psychiatrist and psychologist shall be consulted  Contraindications for the work in psychoemotional stress are: mental diseases alcoholism drug addiction chronic functional central nervous system diseases

Darba un vides veselības institūts Maija Eglite4  Psychoneuroses for the employees affected from work stress are included in the Latvian list of occupational diseases  In Psychoneuroses were diagnosed as occupational (child psychiatrist, police officers)

Darba un vides veselības institūts Maija Eglite5 The methods for identifying work stress  We have tried several questionnaires: Nordic Questionnaire on psychosocial factors at work We have worked out special questionnaire for health care sector workers and teachers

Darba un vides veselības institūts Maija Eglite6 The objectivisation of occupational stress (biomarkers)  Biomarkers were grouped: Immune system with focus on immunoglobulins and cytokines; Cardiovascular system (with focus on blood pressure and heart frequency); Hormons cortisol and testosterone in blood and saliva).

Darba un vides veselības institūts Maija Eglite7  We have used biomarkers for the risk assesment of occupational stress and and for objectivisation of burnout syndrome in the investigations of health status for Latvian health care sector workers and teachers  Measurements of cortisol in saliva and blood plasma can reveal rapid changes in stress levels we tried it for anaesthesiologists to compare them with internists

Darba un vides veselības institūts Maija Eglite8 Psychosocial factors and musculoskeletal disorders  constitute the greatest threat to workers health at present  we have investigated the role of work stress in the development of musculoskeletal disorders for nurses, workers of wood processing industry and for construction team workers  Our investigations have demonstrated a relationship between stress and musculoskeletal disorders

Darba un vides veselības institūts Maija Eglite9 In future  scientific investigations on work related stress must be carried on  We have competent researchers but finansial support from the government is small, f.e. our institute have got Eiro for research on work stress for whole 2005  For the comparison - in EU Phare project the same sum of money is the salary for expert s one week work!

Darba un vides veselības institūts Maija Eglite10 In future  Work stress prevention programmes must be elaborated  Cooperatation must be provided between: government ministries; employers and their organisations; employees and trade unions; financial institutions; occupational health services; education and training institutions.

Darba un vides veselības institūts Maija Eglite11 What kind of support do we need?  Financing - better through funding of National institute for practical research (as one of the priorities)  general awarness rising: especially among government officials (WHO, ILO, Bilbao agency and other international bodies) all social partners and experts international workshops and conferences, training courses (NIVA)?