[Biochemical aspects of the strain of teachers' work]

The study group comprised 20 teachers in the higher course of a secondary school, examined while performing their daily teaching work, and 7 teachers in a national secondary school for classic languages and cultures, where a new intensified teaching program has been established. To evaluate tension and characterize some of its determinants, the authors determined throughout the working day the following parameters: urinary excretion of 11-oxycorticosteroids (11-OCS), 17-oxycorticosteroids (17-OCS), 17-ketosteroids (17-KS), adrenaline (A) and noradrenaline (NA). The influence of age was assessed by determing all these parameters in 5 different age groups. It was found that these biochemical tests give a reliable insight of the strain with which teacher's work is associated. The usual daily strain was accompanied by a moderate increase in NA, A and 11-OCS excretion. Work associated with great emotional strain produced a great increase in the urinary levels of these parameters. The onset of the working day and work during the afternoon shift proved to be additional burden to the organism, which was adequately evaluated by the levels of 11-OCS, 17-KS and 17-OCS. Significant were the age-conditioned changes only in the 17-KS level after the age of 45.