<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec id="j_sjph-2021-0003_s_006">
<h3>Introduction</h3>
<p>National and international research results have highlighted the fact that workplace stress causes mental and somatic problems. The aim of the present paper is to define exposure to workplace-related risk factors, with special focus on psychosocial risk factors, and the way they interconnect with workplace conditions, relationships with superiors and colleagues, and moral, professional and financial appreciation.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2021-0003_s_007">
<h3>Methods</h3>
<p>Cross-sectional research with the help of an anonymous online self-administered questionnaire was carried out among 261 higher education employees (67% women, 33% men, mean age 43.4 years) from 12 faculties of the University of Szeged, Hungary. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS 22.0.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2021-0003_s_008">
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>The primary workplace stress factors for university employees were strict deadlines (80.4%), frequent overwork (64.2%) and difficulty in meeting requirements (56.7%). Communication problems with colleagues and superiors were also highlighted (47.5%). Job strain was higher for women than for men. With regard to low financial, professional, and moral appreciation, employees were characterised by the existence of work requirements impossible to meet, as well as by low autonomy. Experience of anxiety and aggression came along with low financial and moral appreciation (p&lt;0.001).</p></sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2021-0003_s_009">
<h3>Conclusions</h3>
<p>Our data suggests that employees at the university were subject to several psychosocial risk factors, and worked under considerable mental stress, leading to a higher prevalence of mental health problems. The results highlight the need for a health-focused policy-making in higher education to reduce health expenditure and increase efficiency at work.</p></sec>
</abstract>

Introduction
National and international research results have highlighted the fact that workplace stress causes mental and somatic problems. The aim of the present paper is to define exposure to workplace-related risk factors, with special focus on psychosocial risk factors, and the way they interconnect with workplace conditions, relationships with superiors and colleagues, and moral, professional and financial appreciation.

Methods
Cross-sectional research with the help of an anonymous online self-administered questionnaire was carried out among 261 higher education employees (67% women, 33% men, mean age 43.4 years) from 12 faculties of the University of Szeged, Hungary. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS 22.0.

Results
The primary workplace stress factors for university employees were strict deadlines (80.4%), frequent overwork (64.2%) and difficulty in meeting requirements (56.7%). Communication problems with colleagues and superiors were also highlighted (47.5%). Job strain was higher for women than for men. With regard to low financial, professional, and moral appreciation, employees were characterised by the existence of work requirements impossible to meet, as well as by low autonomy. Experience of anxiety and aggression came along with low financial and moral appreciation (p<0.001).

Conclusions
Our data suggests that employees at the university were subject to several psychosocial risk factors, and worked under considerable mental stress, leading to a higher prevalence of mental health problems. The results highlight the need for a health-focused policy-making in higher education to reduce health expenditure and increase efficiency at work.

Psychosocial work environment risk factors among university employees – A cross-sectional study in Hungary

Slovenian Journal of Public Health

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Dejavniki psihosocialnega tveganja na delovnem mestu med zaposlenimi na univerzi – presečna študija na Madžarskem

Introduction
National and international research results have highlighted the fact that workplace stress causes mental and somatic problems. The aim of the...

Psychosocial work environment risk factors among university employees – A cross-sectional study in Hungary

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Dec 31, 2020

Page range: 10 - 16

Received: Nov 20, 2019

Accepted: Oct 08, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2021-0003

Keywords
occupational stress, subjective health, mental health

© 2021 National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Psychosocial work environment risk factors among university employees – A cross-sectional study in Hungary

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Dec 31, 2020

Page range: 10 - 16

Received: Nov 20, 2019

Accepted: Oct 08, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2021-0003

Keywordsoccupational stress, subjective health, mental health

© 2021 National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
occupational stress, subjective health, mental health