Symptoms of mental and physical stress in different categories of municipal work

The aim of this study was to clarify the stability of differences in reactions to work stress in different municipal occupations. The subjects were 1799 men and 2456 women in the same occupation in 1981 and 1985. At the time of the follow-up in 1985 their age range was 48-62 years. On the basis of the work content, they were clustered into 13 profile groups. Long-term cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and psychological symptoms and symptoms indicating immediate physical stress at work were used to measure stress reaction. The order of the profile groups with respect to harmful stress reactions was the same in both years. According to the first and also the follow-up questionnaire, harmful stress reactions were the most common in physical work and in some profile groups with mixed physical and mental work demands. Although these differences were the greatest for the reactions to physical stress, they were also seen for mental stress.