Psychosocial and occupational risk perception among health care workers: a Moroccan multicenter study

BACKGROUND: International studies on occupational risks in public hospitals are infrequent and only few researchers have focused on psychosocial stress in Moroccan Health Care Workers (HCWs). The aim of this study was to present and analyze Moroccan HCWs occupational risk perception. Across nine public hospitals from three Moroccan regions (northern, central and southern), a 49 item French questionnaire with 4 occupational risks subscales, was distributed to 4746 HCWs. This questionnaire was based on the Job Content Questionnaire. Psychosocial job demand, job decision latitude and social support scores analysis were used to isolate high strain jobs. Occupational risks and high strain perception correlation were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: 2863 HCWs (60 %) answered the questionnaire (54 % women; mean age 40 years; mean work seniority 11 years; 24 % physicians; 45 % nurses). 44 % of Moroccan HCWs were at high strain. High strain was strongly associated with two occupational categories: midwives (2.33 OR; CI 1.41–3.85), full-time employment (1.65 OR; CI 1.24–2.19), hypnotics and sedatives use (1.41 OR; CI 1.11–1.79), analgesics use (1.37 OR; CI 1.13–1.66). CONCLUSION: Moroccan HCWs, physicians included, perceive their job as high strain. Moroccan HCWs use of hypnotics, sedatives and analgesics is high. Risk prevention plan implementation is highly recommended. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13104-015-1326-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.