Occupational medicine--then and now: where we could go from here

Occupational medicine has a long-standing history in the region of the former Yugoslavia with seminal contributions to the theory and practice of this discipline. This tradition should be expanded to incorporate psychosocial stressors. We review the sociological work stress models and empirical evidence gleaned thereby, and then the occupational stressor index, an additive burden model developed from a cognitive ergonomics perspective. In numerous studies, the occupational stressor index is significantly associated with risk behaviors: smoking, obesity and sedentariness and clinical outcomes: hypertension, ischemic heart disease, dyslipidemia and type 2 diabetes. The occupational stressor index characterizes the work conditions of physicians including surgeons and anesthesiologists; professional drivers and other groups at elevated risk for stress-related disorders. Much of these empirical data are from this region. Work-stress related health disorders are a major public health problem, with enormous human and economic costs. A more proactive role for physicians is needed vis-à-vis our working environment and that of patients. We physicians face a heavy job stressor burden strongly implicated with adverse health outcomes. The challenge is to identify effective strategies to lower the risk of work-stressor related illness. The critical gap is the lack of evidence-based guidelines. Intervention studies are needed in which job stressors are ameliorated as a therapeutic/preventive modality; the logical starting point is within our own profession. We also suggest how the relevant clinical competence could be enhanced. Alongside clinical enhancement should be the full restoration of physician empowerment to implement work-related recommendations. A participatory action research perspective by physicians for physicians and for our patients is needed.