Sperimentazione di un protocollo di indagine dello stress lavoro correlato

The study investigated the possible relationship between work-related stress, individual susceptibility and psycho-neuro-endocrine-immune (PNEI) indicators among 92 enrolled employees of a Public Office. After a first evaluation performed by means of standardized validated questionnaires, the current study performed an in-depth investigation by means of quantitative methods including: (i) the determination of mineral elements contents in subjects’ hair sample; (ii) blood sampling for analysis of principal biological indicators; (iii) anamnestic interview and (iv) environmental monitoring of the workplace for the assessment of the exposure to physical, biological, and chemical risk factors. The anamnestic analysis outlined slight differences between workers which resulted under “moderate stress” (MS) or not subjected to stress (NSS). In particular, MS workers resulted in a higher number of smokers and of subject affected to chronic disorders. Further, statistical analysis demonstrated the existence of significant relationships between PNEI and environmental indicators and work-related stress in the study population. These parameters belonged different areas, such as: (i) subjective factors (smoking habits), (ii) health outcomes emerged in the previous 6 months (sleep and attention seeking disorders) or in the previous year (osteo-articular disorders), (iii) biological exposure indicators (hair mineral elements contents) and (iv) exposure to chemicals (aldehydes and volatile organic compounds) at the workplace. In the light of the obtained results, it seems wise to consider the possibility of associating an individual in-depth evaluation step to the usual work-related stress assessment procedure.