Public catering companies’ employees’ work, psychosocial factors and health reasearch

This work first time in Lithuania fully analyses working conditions, psychosocial factors and health of public catering companies’ employees. This research should pay attention of responsible institutions to health complaints, involving health risk, which result from ergonomic, hygienic and psychosocial conditions. It could prevent development of professional and non professional diseases. Aim of the study. Analyze working conditions of Kaunas public catering employees (waiters, bartenders), acting psychosocial factors and health complaints; suggest prevention means to health disorders. Methods. The research was carried out in June - August, 2006. 15 public catering companies in Kaunas were randomly chosen. 200 employees were given anonymous questionnaires. Answer response was 79,1 %. We used standard and negative behavior in the work questionnaires to collect the data. To estimate statistical relations we used SPSS 12 statistical packet. Results. 67,5 % of the respondents claim, they have noisy working conditions. Employees of public catering companies feel physical (97,5 %) and psychological (93 %) tiredness. 9,5 % of respondents feel psychological terror, 14,0 % feels stress in their working place. Conclusions. Respondents feel physical and psychological tiredness after work. Employees of public catering companies (both men and women) averagely smoke and use alcohol more often than population in Lithuania. Main health problems are-short sight, headache, cough, sore throat, back and waist pains