Occupational stress and burnout are a global epidemic that can cause severe negative effects on workers’ physical and emotional health. Health professionals working in a hospital setting are especially at risk, due to the inherent characteristics of their work. Consequently, this study aimed to analyse the relationships between stress and burnout in health professionals working in a hospital in the North of Portugal. A convenience sample of 221 health professionals participated in this cross-sectional study and answered two instruments to assess stress and burnout at work. Results showed that stress dimensions, such as the precariousness of the contractual status, the intention to change services, work overload, stress from the work-home interface, relationships at work, leading training activities, and dealing with patients predicted the three dimensions of burnout—physical fatigue, cognitive weariness, and emotional exhaustion. Therefore, these findings contribute to increase the knowledge of health professional’s mental conditions, and can be used to design and implement interventions to mitigate the effects of stress and burnout on these professionals.

Physical and physiological comfort, at work and during leisure time, is important to human health and motivation. A growing number of jobs require workers to sit. Most clothes, except those intended for wheelchair users, were designed for walking or the standing position. Clothing designs should be user-oriented and meet users’ needs. Garment design should conform to body position and posture, not just shape and size. In this paper we present the ergometric impact of a new type of trousers designed to adapt to changes in position. Concentrations of compression forces, temperature and pressure were documented in an exploratory pilot study and contrasted to traditional designs. The new trousers showed significant decreases in compression force concentration, especially in and around the knees and waist. Most participants identified comfort as an important factor when purchasing a pair of trousers and that, for working purposes, they would prefer these special trousers rather than traditional designs.

La tarea de un árbitro es compleja y muy importante y, por lo general, se asocia con un alto estrés. En este estudio buscamos comprender el papel del estrés y la evaluación cognitiva en las emociones y en la percepción del rendimiento deportivo de los árbitros antes de que se juegue un partido. Adoptamos una metodología de incidentes críticos para analizar cómo los árbitros se adaptan al estrés relacionado con su próximo juego. El estudio incluyó a 708 árbitros de fútbol (646 hombres), de entre 18 y 53 años (M= 26,81; DE= 7,32). Evaluamos las fuentes de estrés, evaluación cognitiva, emociones y percepción del desempeño individual. El análisis de regresión mostró que el estrés fue el principal predictor de las emociones negativas, la evaluación cognitiva fue un predictor de las emociones negativas y positivas y que la evaluación cognitiva también contribuyó a comprender la percepción del desempeño individual. En resumen, el estrés y la evaluación son factores importantes para comprender la experiencia de estrés de los árbitros. The tasks referees must perform are both complex and very important, and are usually associated with high levels of stress. In this study, we aimed to understand the role of stress and cognitive appraisal on referees’ emotions and sports performance perception before the realization of a game. We adopted a critical incident methodology to understand how referees adapt to the stress related to their next game. The study included 708 football referees (646 males), aged between 18 and 53 (M = 26.81; SD = 7.32). We evaluated sources of stress, cognitive appraisal, emotions, and perception of individual performance. Regression analyses pointed out that stress was a main predictor of negative emotions, cognitive appraisal was a predictor of both negative and positive emotions, and that cognitive appraisal also contributed to comprehend the perception of individual performance. In sum, stress and appraisal are important factors to understand the stress experience of referees. A tarefa de um árbitro é complexa e muito importante, estando geralmente associada a um elevado stress. Neste estudo, procuramos compreender o papel do stresse da avaliação cognitiva nas emoções e na percepção do desempenho desportivo dos árbitros antes da realização de um jogo. Adotámos uma metodologia de incidente crítico para analisar o modo como os árbitros se adaptam ao stressrelacionado com o seu próximo jogo. O estudo incluiu 708 árbitros de futebol (646 homens), com idades entre os 18 e 53 (M= 26,81; DP= 7,32). Avaliámos as fontes de stress, avaliação cognitiva, emoções e perceção do rendimento individual. A análise de regressão mostrou que o stressfoi o principal preditor de emoções negativas, a avaliação cognitiva foi um preditor de emoções negativas e positivas e que a avaliação cognitiva também contribuiu para compreender a percepção do rendimento individual. Em suma, o stresse a avaliação são fatores importantes para entender a experiência de stressdos árbitros.

Occupational stress can produce negative consequences on workers’ mental and physical health, which affect them and their organization. Work engagement, on the other hand, is linked with positive affective-motivational states of realization related to work, and negatively correlates with fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Thus, this study aimed to analyse the relationships between stress and engagement in health professionals working in a hospital in the North of Portugal. A convenience sample of 221 health professionals participated in this cross-sectional study and answered two instruments to assess stress and engagement at work. Results showed that stress dimensions predicted the three dimensions of engagement. Specifically, health professionals with no intention to change services, those with more stress dealing with clients, and who worked only at the hospital showed higher overall engagement. Conversely, participants who reported more stress in their relationships at work and in leading training activities presented with less work engagement. Therefore, these findings contribute to increase the knowledge of health professional’s mental conditions and can be used to implement interventions to mitigate the effects of stress on these professionals and increase their levels of work engagement.