Dynamics of stress as a predictor of health consequences in Polish drilling platform workers. Longitudinal study: part I

Abstract

Background and aim: The subject of presented article is the evaluation of the relationship between the way of adaptation to work-related stress and chosen health indicators among drilling platform workers in Poland. The study procedure is a longitudinal research, including data analysis from 1993 to 2013.

Materials and methods: 167 Polish platform male workers with an average age of 42 years have been examined. The studies include, according to the triangulation method, data from 3 sources: data concerningthe so-called ‘objective’ and ‘subjective’ stress, personality and temperamental examinations and data concerning health state.

Results: Stress affects health negatively, the higher subjective and objective stress, the worse health indicators: higher body mass index, more declared health ailments and worse evaluation of personal health (r = –0.23). Stress also affects health via 2 indirect tracts: through the kind of stress adaptation (stress dynamics) (r = –0.43) and through coping — depositional stress coping style (r = 0.41).

Conclusions: Stress adaptation (stress dynamics) and coping style included in the study in longer perspective show that those drilling platform workers, who declare the decrease of stress over the years, present worse health indicators than those, who declare variability in the ways of adaptation to stress.