Acute and Chronic Strain in the Royal Navy: Some Findings from Phase Ⅲ of the RN Cohort Study of Occupational Stress

摘要

Sixty one percent of respondents to a questionnaire survey of occupational stress (Phase Ⅰ) returned follow-up questionnaires twelve months later (Phase Ⅲ). The first questionnaire dealt with psychological strain resulting from exposure to occupational stressors and measured the presence of stress buffers and demographic, psychological and lifestyle-related confounding factors, including age rank and gender, mood state and the occurrence of stressful life events outside of work. The twelve-month follow-up questionnaire re-assessed psychological strain in the same people. The prevalence of strain was 31% at Phase Ⅰ and 33% at Phase Ⅲ. Fifty percent of personnel had no strain on either occasion, 15% had strain on both occasions and the remainder had strain on one occasion. There was support for the Effort-Reward Imbalance model of acute occupational stress in both personnel serving on ships and those serving ashore. The Demand-Control-Support model of Karasek better predicted strain in twelve months for those serving on ships. Much of the strain experienced by Naval personnel is ephemeral and linked to work demands that change over time. However, chronic stressors also appear to operate, some of which are specific to Naval life.