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Study Focuses on Stress, Drugs, Alcohol
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has awarded a $345,800 grant to continue and expand an occupational stress study initiated three years ago by CWA and the School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University of Baltimore.
CWA Executive Vice President M.E. Nichols said the foundation grant is an expansion of a VDT (video display terminal) repetitive motion health study that has been underway for nearly three years and is nearing completion.
Future efforts will be directed at studying factors related to occupational stress and alcohol and drug use attitudes and behaviors within the work environment, said David LeGrande, safety and health director.
The earlier study, by Hopkins and CWA, focused on members of CWA Local 2101, which represents workers at Bell Atlantic, and Local 2150, which represents workers at AT&T. The thrust of the research, LeGrande said, was on VDT use and related repetitive motion health problems.
“That study,” LeGrande said, “took into consideration such physical aspects of the workplace as VDTs, chairs and tables, and such variables as monitoring, work load and deadline pressures, and such non-occupational factors as parent-family issues and social support mechanisms — and the interrelationships among these factors.”
Preliminary findings indicate that job stress can translate into extreme depression, anxiety and fatigue — and that workers may turn to excessive use of alcohol and/or drugs as a stress reduction device, or coping mechanism, LeGrande said.
“Furthermore, and quite interesting, is that preliminary findings indicate managerial practices and styles are a primary cause of job stress health problems among our members,” LeGrande said.
The Hopkins’ school submitted the grant proposal to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation based on findings in the earlier study. CWA will provide organizational and administrative support for the project.
CWA Executive Vice President M.E. Nichols said the foundation grant is an expansion of a VDT (video display terminal) repetitive motion health study that has been underway for nearly three years and is nearing completion.
Future efforts will be directed at studying factors related to occupational stress and alcohol and drug use attitudes and behaviors within the work environment, said David LeGrande, safety and health director.
The earlier study, by Hopkins and CWA, focused on members of CWA Local 2101, which represents workers at Bell Atlantic, and Local 2150, which represents workers at AT&T. The thrust of the research, LeGrande said, was on VDT use and related repetitive motion health problems.
“That study,” LeGrande said, “took into consideration such physical aspects of the workplace as VDTs, chairs and tables, and such variables as monitoring, work load and deadline pressures, and such non-occupational factors as parent-family issues and social support mechanisms — and the interrelationships among these factors.”
Preliminary findings indicate that job stress can translate into extreme depression, anxiety and fatigue — and that workers may turn to excessive use of alcohol and/or drugs as a stress reduction device, or coping mechanism, LeGrande said.
“Furthermore, and quite interesting, is that preliminary findings indicate managerial practices and styles are a primary cause of job stress health problems among our members,” LeGrande said.
The Hopkins’ school submitted the grant proposal to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation based on findings in the earlier study. CWA will provide organizational and administrative support for the project.