Psychosocial Risk Factors and Stress in an Oil Company in the Republic of the Congo: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Occupational stress is a significant health concern in the work-place, constituting a prevalent psychosocial risk. Due to its specific nature, the oil industry is perceived as a high psychosocial risk zone. This study aimed to correlate the perceived stress level with the identified psychosocial risk factors (PSRFs) among employees of an oil company in Congo-Brazzaville. Materials and Methods: This was an analytical cross-sectional study conducted between July and September 2021 among employees of an oil company. They were recruited during their routine medical check-ups. Data were collected using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS10) and the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ), respectively to assess stress and identify PSRFs. Results: Out of the sample, 203 workers were included. The majorities were males (81.3%), and the average age of participants was 39.5 ± 9.62 years. The frequency of perceived stress was 39.4%, and 40% of the workers were exposed to at least 3 PSRFs. A positive correlation was observed between perceived stress and workload (r = 0.37, p Conclusion: The study revealed that employees of this company exhibited a high level of stress. The detrimental impact of certain PSRFs was highlighted. A multidisciplinary intervention appears imperative to address these inherent risks in their professional environment.

The Effect of Early Psychosocial Risks on Health:Based on Data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

In the context of the continuous growth of the aging population,priority has been given to the health promotion strategy of"orientation toward prevention and reduction of disease occurrence."On the basis of the assessment of disability weights in the Global Burden of Disease(GBD),we assigned disability weights to the data on health conditions in the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study(CHARLS),using Years Lived with Disability(YLDs)as a quantitative indicator to evaluate the predictive effect of early psychosocial risks on health in old age.The results show that early psychosocial risks significantly increase YLDs in old age and have significant predictive power for high-risk health conditions among the elderly,and that the relationship between the two is causal.In addition,the study identifies four early psychosocial risks that lead to serious deterioration of the quality of life in old age:physical violence,childhood migration,maternal mental health and paternal physical health.These findings have significant implications for preventing the occurrence of aging diseases derived from the distal period of the individual’s lifetime and for implementing"full life cycle health management."

Perception and Attitude of the General Population on the Risk of Infection with SARS-CoV-2

Current state of knowledge on the impact of emotions and perceptions of the population towards the risk of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 should be the basis for disease control measures as well as for community awareness programs. Due to differences in perceptions, concerns, culture, beliefs, different populations may react differently to the same challenges. Ninety adults were interviewed, without symptoms suggestive of SARS-CoV-2 infection, using the Romanian version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. The emotional reactions expressed by various psychotic or mental disorders, the main actions are taken to protect against the SARS-CoV-2 infection, as well as the hypothetical illness behavior were investigated. The total score, as well as each item of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, indicates a low-to-moderate emotional level regarding to the risk of coronavirus infection. The data are supported by the choice to be treated at home in case of illness. There are differences in perception between sexes and between professional categories (employees vs. retirees). Knowledge of social phenomena caused by major epidemiological crises such as SARS-CoV-2 infection should be the basis of education, disease prevention and control programs to avoid the occurrence of psychosocial risks in the population.