Prevalence of Occupational Stress and its associated factors among Industrial Workers of North Karnataka

Introduction: Job related stress is increasing in today's world as companies adapt to newer technology causing mismatch in skill and resources, leading to mental distress among employees. Causes of occupational stress include long working hours, inadequate pay and workplace conditions. In India, the prevalence of moderate stress levels is 9.5%, with 10-20 persons in 1,000 suffering from some mental illness. Aim: To study the prevalence of occupational stress and its associated factors among industrial workers. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Belagavi, a city in North Karnataka. A questionnaire having 2 components was used, the first being the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), a classic stress assessment instrument comprising questions on how often one felt a certain way during the last month. The second component was to establish the leading factors of occupational stress through questions regarding their working conditions, salary, etc. Blood samples withdrawn from the workers were used to measure Vitamin D levels using chemiluminescence micro-particle immunoassay (CMIA). Results: 3.4% of the 119 workers had low stress levels, 84% had moderate stress levels and 12.6% had high stress levels, with the number of breaks, sleep schedule and Vitamin D levels showing the highest association (calculated using chi square). More than 50% of the employees had insufficient (20-30ng/ml) or deficient (<20ng/ml) vitamin D levels, which correlated with their stress levels. Conclusion: The results of our study show a significant number of employees experiencing moderate stress levels which can interfere with their personal and professional lives. The positive associations highlight the need for workspace interventions targeted towards adequate rest breaks and healthy sleep practices.