BSN Meeting in Oslo, 2005

1. BSN Meeting in Oslo, 2005 WORK STRESS SITUATION IN LATVIA Maija EGLĪTE The Institute of Occupational and Environmental health of Riga Stradins university Maija.Eglite@rsu.lv Oslo, November 2005 Maija Eglite

2. 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 Maija Eglite

3. 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 Maija Eglite

4. Psychoneuroses for the employees affected from work stress are included in the Latvian list of occupational diseases • In 2004 - 3 Psychoneuroses were diagnosed as occupational (child psychiatrist, police officers) Maija Eglite

5. The methods for identifying work stress • We have tried several questionnaires: • Nordic Questionnaire on psychosocial factors at work • We have worked outspecialquestionnaire for health care sector workers and teachers Maija Eglite

6. The objectivisationof 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). Maija Eglite

7. 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 Maija Eglite

8. 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 Maija Eglite

9. 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 5 000 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! Maija Eglite

10. 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. Maija Eglite

11. 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)? Maija Eglite