Risk factors associated to job satisfaction among hospital food service workers

Abstract

Objective: The aim is to evaluate job satisfaction among workers of a cardiac hospital food service in São Paulo. Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out. 115 workers voluntarily answered a questionnaire from 129, involving individual factors, work-related factors, and the presence of job dissatisfaction based on Cooper’s Occupational Stress Indicator (OSI) questionnaire (Robertson et al, 1990). First we describe the main aspects form satisfaction and dissatisfaction and them we made a stepwise regression in order to know the risk factors associated, calling dissatisfied when a result equal or below 76 was obtained. Results: 81% females, with secondary education (58%), married (50%) with children (61%) and working as nutritional attendants (66%). The average of age was 37 years and the time working at this hospital of 9 years. Regarding job satisfaction 59% reported being dissatisfied. Risk factors associated with job dissatisfaction were: presence of musculoskeletal symptoms (Odds ratio (OR) 5,68, 95 % CI, 1.96-16.44); excessive amount of work (OR 3.91, 95% CI, 1.36-11.23); repetitive and monotonous work (OR 3.60, 95% CI, 1.35-9.57) and poor quality of instruments (OR 3.47, 95% CI, 1.26-9.54). Conclusion: The association between job dissatisfaction and presence of musculoskeletal symptoms suggests a possible health outcome from workers’ dissatisfaction and that the musculoskeletal disorders may cause job dissatisfaction because this is a transversal study. Prevention actions should include changes in work organization and provision of good quality work instruments. Project granted by FAPESP – No 5/56541-3 and CNPQ – No 113752/2006-7.