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Relationships between work conditions and mental health among French prison workers were examined in an epidemiological survey. A total of 3,474 men and 1,113 women aged 20 to 64 years completed questionnaires about work and nonwork environments. The subjects were divided into six work categories: administrative staff, socioeducational, technical, health care workers, management, and prison guards. Attempts were made to identify work stressors and stress modulators, and to assess mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. Statistical analysis was used to identify associations between environmental and mental health variables. Separate analyses were performed for men and women to account for gender differences. Nearly 25% of the men and 21.4% of the women had depressive symptomatology, with age being a significant factor for depression among men. Management staff reported the lowest levels of depression, while the highest levels were found in female health care workers and technicians. Prison type, alternating task, problem inmate behavior, difficult scheduling, poor work satisfaction, and negative professional image were related to depressive symptomatology. For anxiety, 22.3% of the men and 36.8% of the women were affected; most affected were administrative staff of both sexes, and male socioeducational staff. Educational level did not appear to be related to either depressive symptomatology or anxiety. Nearly 42% reported sleep disorders. The authors conclude that a high prevalence of mental health problems exists among the population studied, with close associations to subjective experience with work conditions and social relationships at work.
Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health, 22(1):45-54, 1996. (35 references)
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