12. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH Flashcards

1
Q

what is stress

A

an adaptive response to a situation that is perceived as challenging or threatening t a person’s wellbeing
a dynamic condition in which an individual is confronted with an opportunity, constraint or demand related to what he or she desires and for which the outcome is perceived to be both uncertain and important

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2
Q

what responses does stress include?

A

cognitive, emotional and physiological

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3
Q

what is the process of stress with regard to performance

A

boredom/depression -> increased attention/interest -> optimal performance -> strong anxiety -> complete meltdown

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4
Q

when is performance high with regard to the process of stress and performance?

A

optimal performance between increased attention/interests and strong anxiety

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5
Q

what are stressors

A

environmental conditions that place physical or emotional demands on people

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6
Q

what are challenge stressors?

A

stressful aspects of tasks that have potential gains

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7
Q

what are examples of challenge stressors?

A

high workload
responsibility
time pressure
difficult times

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8
Q

what is hindrance stressors

A

aspects that interfere with goal achievement

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9
Q

what are examples of hindrance stressors

A

workplace politics
faulty equipment
red tape

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10
Q

what does challenge stress lead to?

A

positively to organizational commitment and job satisfaction

negatively to turnover and withdrawl

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11
Q

what does hindrance stressors lead to?

A

positively to turnover and withdrawl

negatively to organistional commitment and job satisfaction

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12
Q

what is general adaption syndrome?

A
  1. alarm - initial physiological reaction
  2. resistance - utilise physical and psychological defences
  3. exhaustion - collapse of physical and psychological defences
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13
Q

where is homeostasis in the general adaptation syndrome?

A

at the peak of the resistance stage

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14
Q

what is the demand control model?

A

where there are job demands and controls

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15
Q

what are job demands

A

extent of workload and time pressure

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16
Q

what are job controls?

A

extent of autonomy and discretion

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17
Q

what are high strain jobs

A

high demands with low control

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18
Q

what are the consequences of high strain jobs?

A
  • higher depression
  • high exhaustion
  • lower job satisfaction
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19
Q

what are examples of high strain jobs?

A

waitperson
phone sales
assembly worker

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20
Q

what are examples of active jobs?

A

lawyer
engineer
doctor

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21
Q

what are active jobs?

A

high job demand high job control

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22
Q

what are passive jobs?

A

low job demands

low job control

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23
Q

what are examples of passive jobs

A

security monitor

traffic controller

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24
Q

what are low strain jobs

A

high job control

low job demands

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25
Q

what are examples of low-strain jobs?

A

researcher
dentist
architect

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26
Q

what is the work stress model?

A

where there are sources of stress and consequences of stress

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27
Q

what are sources of stress in the work stress model?

A

environmental
organisational
personal

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28
Q

what is the environmental source of stress?

A
technological change
physical conditions (noise, heat light)
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29
Q

what is the organisational source of stress?

A

harrassment
task control
work overload

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30
Q

what is personal source of stress

A

family problems

economic problems

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31
Q

what do sources of stress lead to?

A

stress exerience

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32
Q

what is the individual difference?

A

moderator - locus of control and personality

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33
Q

what are the consequences of stress?

A

behavioural
psychological
physiological

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34
Q

what is the behavioural consequence of stress?

A

productivity
absenteeism
turnover

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35
Q

waht is the psychological consequence of stress?

A

depression
anxiety
job burnout

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36
Q

what is the physiological consequence of stress?

A

cardiovascular
gastrointestinal
biochemical

37
Q

what are common workplace stressors?

A

harassment
work overload
low task control

38
Q

what is harassment

A

can be sexual or psychological

it is a repeated, hostile, unwanted conduct or comments that attacks on a person’s dignity, psychology or body

39
Q

how many australians over 15 experience sexual harrassment?

A

over 20%
where 33% are women
9% are men

40
Q

how many women experienced sexual harrassment at work?

A

25% of the 20%

41
Q

how many men experienced sexual harassment at work?

A

16% of the 20%

42
Q

what percentage of people made a formal report or complaint about sexual harassment in the workplace?

A

20%

43
Q

what percentage of people sought support or advice about sexual harrassment in the workplace?

A

29-30%

44
Q

what are causes of work overload?

A

technology
aspirations and consumerism
‘ideal worker’ norm

45
Q

how is technology a stressor?

A

increases expectations for being contactable (and responding)

46
Q

how are aspirations and consumerism a stressor?

A

more work often means more money and more money means being able to buy more things

47
Q

how is the ‘ideal worker’ norm a stressor?

A

long hours in the office labels you as a commited worker

48
Q

how does low task control cause stress?

A

through low control over how work is done
low control over pace of work
low control over time of work

49
Q

what are moderators of stress?

A

the internal vs external locus of control?

50
Q

what is the internal locus of control?

A

personal outcomes are a result of one’s own effort

51
Q

what is the external locus of control?

A

personal outcomes are beyond one’s control

52
Q

which locus of control is perceived to lower stress?

A

the internal locus

53
Q

what is the big 5 personality factors?

A
OCEAN
openness
conscientiousness
extraverted
agreeablness
neutoticism
54
Q

which of the 5 personality factors predicts higher self-reported stress and more intense reaction to stressors?

A

neuroticism

55
Q

what are the categories for consequences of stress?

A

short term and long term

56
Q

what are symptoms of short term stress?

A

o Worrying
o Doubting ability to perform required tasks
o Sleep disturbances
o Feeling sick in the stomach
o Headache
o Moodiness (particularly with friends, and family)
o Increased heart rate

57
Q

what is long term stress

A

chronic stress

58
Q

what are behavioural consequences of chronic stress?

A

impaired performance

counterproductive behaviours such as absenteeism, sabotage, dishonesty/theft

59
Q

what are psychological consequences of chronic stress

A
impaired concentration, 
memory, 
depression, 
emotional exhaustion,
 failure to engage with others, 
personal accomplisment
60
Q

what is emotional exhaustion?

A

cannot deal with emotional work demands

“i feel emotionally drained in my work”

61
Q

cynicism

A

an inclination to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest; scepticism
“i am afraid the job is making me uncaring”.

62
Q

how is personal accomplishment impaired by chronic stress

A

feel incompetent and unsuccessful

“i have accomplished many worthwhile things in this job (reversed)”

63
Q

what are physiological consequences of chronic stress

A

cardiovascular
gastrointenstinal
biochemicals

64
Q

what are cardiovascular consequences of chronic stress?

A

increased blood pressure, HR and cholesterol

65
Q

what is gastrointestinal consequences of chronic stress?

A

digestive problems, ulcers

66
Q

what are biochemical consequences of chronic stress?

A

increased “stress” hormones

67
Q

what is the stress hormone?

A

cortisol

68
Q

what are long term physiological effects of chronic stress

A

heart disease, weaker immune system

69
Q

how does one manage stress>

A

through primary, secondary and tertiary interventions

70
Q

primary interventions

A

reduce the stressor

71
Q

secondary interventions

A

improve people’s responses to inevitable stressors

72
Q

tertiary interventins

A

reduce the damaging consequences of stress

73
Q

how does one reduce the stressor?

A

work redesign to remove the stressor and increase autonomy

cognitive reconstructing - change perceptions of the stressors by highlighting challenge aspects rather than hinderance aspects. strategies for breaking tasks

74
Q

what is involved in secondary interventions with managing stress?

A

general health and wellbeing
emotion focused coping
problem focused coping

75
Q

how can general health and wellbeing decrease stress?

A

exercise and diet

76
Q

how can we manage stress through emotion focused coping?

A

through emotional/appraisals social support

avoiding, minimising or distracting self from stressor

mindfulness, meditation, relaxation

77
Q

what is emotional/appraisal social support?

A

sympathy and caring for emotional needs and building self esteem

78
Q

how can we manage stress through problem focused coping?

A

instrumental/informational social support
training in conflict resolution or time-management skills
stress inoculation

79
Q

what is instrumental/informational social support?

A

direct practical help to manage stressor / problem

80
Q

what is involved in stress inoculation

A

education
rehearsing
application

81
Q

what is education in stress inoculation?

A

understanding your typical reactions to stressors

82
Q

what is rehearsing in stress inoculation

A

learning coping skills e.g. time management, relaxation

83
Q

what is application in stress inoculation?

A

applying these skills in realistic simulations

84
Q

what is involved in tertiary interventions when managing stress?

A

employee assistance programs (EAPs)

85
Q

what does EAPs provide?

A

personal life counselling

support for dealing with harassment, bullying and discrimination

86
Q

what can EAPs provide assistance with through personal life counselling?

A

relationships, family, financial issues

alcohol, drug abuse, gambling programs

87
Q

what can be done at work to reduce stress?

A
  • Be realistic: set practical goals
  • Establish limits for time and effort you want to exert
  • Learn to say NO without feeling guilty
  • Learn to delegate responsibility where possible
  • Learn (and use) time management techniques
  • Learn strategies to overcome procrastination
  • Establish clear priorities
  • Establish a balance between work, home and friends
  • Find time to exercise
88
Q

what can be done outside of work to manage stress?

A

• Increase or maintain physical exercise
• Maintain a healthy diet
• Relaxation training
• Expand (or use) social support networks
o Based on Robbins & Judge, (2015); McShane et al., (2013)

89
Q

what can organisations do to manage stress?

A
  • Improved personnel selection and job placement
  • Training
  • Use of realistic goal setting
  • Job redesign
  • Employee involvement programs
  • Offering employee sabbaticals
  • Establish corporate wellness programs