Assessment of work stress and alcohol use in mental health care workers

Aim: The documentation and assessment of general work stressors and alcohol use on mental health care workers as well as the relationship between them. Material and method: The sample consisted of 300 mental health care workers who worked in Private and Public Psychiatric Clinics and Psychiatric Hospitals of the country (Hellas). The collection of empirical material was done by using a questionnaire that included a scale of 34 questions for detecting occupational stress factors, the self-esteem scale of the Spielberger and questions about alcohol use. The statistical analysis of data was done with the statistical program SPSS version 15.0 using Student t - test, the ANOVA analysis of variance test and x2 test. Results: Higher frequency occupational stress factors appeared in Nurses rather than Doctors as well as in employees in Private Psychiatric Clinics rather than employees in the Public sector. The fact that Nurses have higher frequency in stressors rather than Doctors is reflected in measurements of anxiety, as a state as well as a personality trait. Also the employees of Private Psychiatric Clinics exhibit greater indicator of anxiety as a personality trait than the employees of the Public sector. Regarding alcohol use (concept of efficiency and normal consumption quantity) it was found to be positively associated with the age of the employees. Also the concept of the effectiveness of alcohol in tackling work stress is associated with some occupational stress factors (dangerous conditions of work, rolling working hours). Conclusions: Factors such as specialty and the type of workplace (Public, Private sector) affect the stress experienced by the mental health professional. The view of alcohol as a means of relieving working stress is associated with certain stressors of work and the worker's age.