BACKGROUND:

Understanding which factors influence occupational safety and health risks is crucial to promote psychosocial risk management.

OBJECTIVE:

To assess the main work-related determinants of high exposure to psychosocial risk factors among Portuguese employees in the hospital setting.

METHODS:

Between May and July 2014, 399 employees of a public hospital completed a structured questionnaire. Psychosocial factors were assessed by the Portuguese medium length version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire. Age and gender adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were computed by logistic regression models.

RESULTS:

The highest psychosocial risks emerged in the p ersonality (53.8%), workplace demands (28.1%), and social relationships and leadership (24.4%) categories. Professionals with non-health care roles presented a higher risk in the worker-work interface (OR= 2.60; 95% CI: 1.02–6.62), that evaluated work insecurity, satisfaction and the work-family interface. Shift workers were exposed to a higher psychosocial risk in workplace demands (OR= 1.79; 95% CI: 1.10–2.91), personality (OR= 2.45; 95% CI: 1.36–4.41), and health and well-being (OR= 3.18; 95% CI: 1.72–5.66). Non-government employees had a higher risk exposure in personality (OR= 2.20; 95% CI: 1.15–4.21), and those who were absent from work in personality (OR= 2.62; 95% CI: 1.41–4.86), and health and wellbeing (OR= 2.34; 95% CI: 1.27–4.31).

CONCLUSIONS:

Employees working in the hospital setting are vulnerable to psychosocial risk factors. Identifying those risks contributes to optimize workers' psychosocial health, increasing the effectiveness of the organization.