Abstract
Background In developing countries, traditional sources
of employment and work practices have changed rapidly
and work environment has appeared as an important factor
associated with an increased prevalence of mental disorders
in these countries.
Aims To investigate the association between job strain
and other work characteristics with psychological distress,
and to estimate the contextual effects of different working
environments on psychological distress, using cross-sectional
data from an occupational cohort.
Methods The subjects were 3,574 non-faculty civil servants
working at university campuses in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil (Pro.-Sau.de Study). Psychological distress was
measured by the 12-item General Health Questionnaire.