[Psychosocial risks, perceived health status and working conditions of a local council's employees].

The aim of this study was to evaluate the working conditions of employees in a local council as well as their possible relationships to health, particularly to psychosocial risks--an emerging occupational risk which causes physical and mental illness. Between November 2004 and October 2005, 919 employees were asked to fill out a self-administered questionnaire about their working conditions, their self-perceived health status, and sociodemographic characteristics. The exposure to psychosocial risk (job strain) was evaluated using the Job Content Questionnaire developed by Karasek. A total of 625 employees responded to the survey (participation rate = 68%). Their self-perceived health status was good overall, but the prevalence of job strain reached 22%, and was associated with an accrued frequency of work dissatisfaction, strong perception of stressful work and the desire and intent to change job positions.