[Sociodemographic and occupational factors related to exposure to psychosocial risk factors by occupation in Spain. The MatEmESp Project.].

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study is to describe the level of exposure to psychosocial risk factors by occupation in the Spanish working population and analyze their relationship with sociodemographic characteristics and employment conditions.

METHODS

The Spanish Job-Exposure Matrix (MatEmESp) is used to describe the levels of exposure to psychosocial risk factors in 2005. We identified occupations with higher levels of exposure and analysed their relationship with employment conditions and sociodemographic characteristics.

RESULTS

Levels of exposure to work influence were below the midpoint (50, on a scale from 0 to 100); for work pace, they were slightly above ( =46.8 and =50.8, respectively). The highest levels of exposure were found in manual occupations; some skilled occupations were also associated with high insecurity (economists) and work pace (managers). As social class and education decreased, insecurity increased (rho = 0.45 and 0.38 respectively), and both co-worker support (rho=-0.46 y -0.48, respectively) and influence (rho=-0.73 y -0.63, respectively) decreased. As the proportion of foreigners increased, support and influence decreased (rho =-0.44 and -0.43, respectively). As the number of employees increased, work influence decreased (rho =-0.38). Increases in temporary contracts were associated with a decrease in co-worker support (rho =-0.34) and influence (rho =-0.53) and, as overtime increased, work influence increased (rho = 0.49).

CONCLUSION

This study confirms the presence of inequalities in exposure to psychosocial risk factors at work, depending on the occupation and the sociodemographic characteristics and employment conditions of the occupation performed.