Perception of Brazilian and Portuguese teachers about the relationship between work and physical and mental health: analysis of associated individual and work-related factorsPurpose To analyze the association between the negative impact of work on physical and mental health perceived by Brazilian and Portuguese teachers and its relationship with sociodemographic and work-related factors.
Methods Cross-sectional observational study using nationwide survey data from teachers. The inclusion criteria were middle school teachers from 6th to 9th grade who participated in the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS). Sociodemographic variables, psychosocial factors and work-related factors, such as stress and job satisfaction, were analyzed. Descriptive analyses and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses for each outcome and country, setting the significance level at 5%.
Results Altogether, 5,680 teachers participated in the study. The impact of work on physical health was reported by 607 Brazilian (27.3%) and 2,061 Portuguese teachers (59.5%). Regarding mental health, 598 Brazilian teachers (27.0%) and 2,247 Portuguese teachers (64.9%) perceived this impact as being attributed to work. Factors associated with perceiving such impact included being a woman; being 40 to 59 years old; having 11 or more years in the career; not having time for personal life; being dissatisfied with work, wage, or rewards; feeling stressed; lacking support from colleagues; and work devalued by society.
Conclusion There was a statistically significant association between teachers' perceptions of the negative impact of work on health and sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., sex and age) as well as aspects related to work organization, job and salary satisfaction, stress, and social support from colleagues. Understanding these factors can help implement policies and practices to improve the teachers’ work and value them.
Keywords:
Teachers; Occupational Diseases; Workplace Risks; Job Satisfaction; Occupational Health