Influence of exposure to psychosocial risks on occupational stress among telemedicine agents in Quito

Abstract

Psychosocial risks are workplace conditions that impact the physical, mental, and social health of workers. This study analyzes the relationship between psychosocial risks and occupational stress among telemedicine agents in Quito. The objective was to determine the extent to which exposure to psychosocial risks influences occupational stress in this population. A non-experimental, cross-sectional, and correlational design was used, with the participation of 91 telemedicine agents selected based on predefined criteria. Using a survey technique, two instruments were applied: The Psychosocial Risk Factors Questionnaire and the adapted OIT-OMS Occupational Stress Scale. The hypothesis proposed a positive correlation between the variables, and the Tau-b Kendall test was used for inferential analysis. The results showed that 57.2% of participants presented high exposure to psychosocial factors, with job demands, workplace conditions, and workload identified as the most frequent dimensions. Additionally, 42.9% of agents reported some level of stress, mainly related to deficiencies in leadership, lack of group cohesion, and adverse organizational conditions. The Tau-b Kendall correlation coefficient was 0.806, indicating a strong association between the variables. It is concluded that psychosocial risks have a significant relationship with occupational stress and that their mitigation could reduce stress by up to 31.14%, highlighting the need for specific interventions to improve the work environment and the well-being of employees