Background: This study fits into a perspective of integrated work-related stress assessment, in response to the need to limit the common method variance and the role played by individual variables in subjective measures.
Objectives: The goal of this study was to check the metric properties of a new scale of mental and physical strain developed for the evaluation of stress symptoms by the physician and to detect the antecedents of psycho-physical symptoms, in terms of both individual and work characteristics, through an integrated approach.
Method: The study was conducted on 409 workers involved in health surveillance activities, to whom the new scale and a subjective assessment tool were administered.
Results: Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the scale is a reliable tool for hetero-evaluation of psycho-physical symptoms attributable to stress at work. Moreover, specific individual characteristics, such as the presence of prior health disorders and the female gender, and organizational features, such as the pathological work/life conflict and the workload, were found to be risk factors in relation to psychological and physical strain. Age, consumption of alcoholic beverages between meals, relationships with colleagues, and the characteristics of the workplace were instead found to be important protective factors.
Discussion: The adoption of an integrated approach made it possible to improve and study in depth the ways of work-related stress assessment, highlighting the pivotal role of the occupational health physician making the evaluation.