The Relationship of some sociodemographic factors with quality of life in the Soma Elektrik Üretim ve Ticaret Anonim Şirketi workers

SUMMARY Introduction The main topic of the occupational health is the relationship between the work life and health problems. In our era, occupational health is not a concept only related with occupational diseases or work acidents, but also a concept including job satisfaction and a superior quality of life. The worker is subjected to many health problems and these problems are so complicated thet can not be described by a single casuality. The recognition of the role of the psychosocial factors on the health problems has accelerated the studies which show the aspects of job process on the effect of physical and psychological health. The sudies carried out about the relationship between psychosocial factors and health mostly based on work stress. The work-site stress is the combined outcome of the factors of work environment and work conditions. Various methods are used to assess the outcomes of health interventions. The well known traditional measures usually evaluate objective outcomes like mortality and morbidity. But the measures related with disability and of behavior are based on subjective assessment. The insufficiency of these conventional measures to assess the health status of the induvudual, have caused to develop more subjective instruments rated mainly by the patient or induvudual himself. These measures rely on positive health, social health and quality of life. The "quality" is a degree of goodness. WHO has therefore, as an individual's perception of his/her position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which he/she lives, and in relation to his/her goals, expectations, standards and concerns. In the recent years the quality of life instruments are increasingly used and many of them have been developed. The quality of life concept is not defined briefly in the occupational area. The researcers studying on quality of work life generally have tried to express quality of work life by job satisfaction, well-being, work strain and work stress and mental health. These researcers have made some various classifications on this subject. The most important one is the classification of work characteristics. The work characteristics includes work content, work demands, the micro level work relations, employment status, work deprivation, rewards and work environment. There are some impacts of organizational structure and management type on job satisfaction. Materials And Methods This cross-sectioanl study carried out on the production and production-support section workers of Soma Elektrik Üretim ve Ticaret Anonim Şirketi plant to find if there exist relationships between the sociodemographic and work related variable of the workers on their quality of life levels. For this purpose a questionnire has been developted including the sociodemographic and work related variable of the workers. In addition 26 item quality of life instrument of the World Health Organization, WHOQOL-BREF was used to assess the quality of life of the workers. In addition of a general quality of life question, a general health question, there are four separate domains of the WHOQOL- BREF. So the dependent variables of the study are general perceived quality of life, general perceived health and four domains namely, Physical, Psychological, Social Relations and Environmental domains. Findings Significant relationships with independent and dependent variables of quality of life and health can be presented as:VI Perceived general health and physical domain scores were higher in the people who have any health problems than the people who have not. Perceived general quality of life, perceived general health, physical and psychological domain scores were lower in the people who feels older than other. Physical domain score is lower in expanded family while psychological domain score is lower in the people living in a household existing an ill person. Owning excessive number of brother and sister drops social domain score. There is a positive relation in duration of marriage and quality of life. Psychological domain score increases with higher duration of marriage. Physical domain score of the workers in relation with any social organization was higher than other. Perceived general quality of life, perceived general health and social domain scores were found higher in those who are respected from community. In addition, who found their integration in social activities insufficient showed lower, perceived general quality of life and perceived general health score. Perceived general quality of life, perceived general health, psychological, social and environment domain scores were higher in optimistic workers. Worker's socioeconomic properties affects his quality of life. Perceived general quality of life, perceived general health and domain scores are higher in higher socioeconomic status. Perceived general health of daytime workers, physical domain score of production process workers were found higher. Perceived general quality of life and general health, psychological and social domain scores are higher in the works who have satisfaction of work environment and social support. In the same way, job satisfaction influences perceived general quality of life, perceived general health, and all of the domain scores in positive way. Physical domain score is higher in workers who has inservice employment education. Perceived general health is higher who wants inservice education but, perceived general quality of life is low. Perceived general quality of life, psychological and social domain scores are higher in rewarded workers. Stressfull work condition and trouble between workers influences social and environment domain scores and perceived general health in negative way. Perceived general health is higher in the workers who have the ability to control the job and who do not express any tiredness. Perceived general quality of life and social domain scores are higher in high work capacity. Another variable in quality of life is dangerous conditions in work environment. When dangerous conditions in work environment are higher, perceived general quality of life, perceived general health, social and environment domain scores are lower. Conclusion In conclusion work environment conditions, job contents, working hours, social relations at to work, job satisfaction, work demands, job descision latitude and otonomy is related significant quality of life. Promotion quality of life can be done in work environment arrangement, high work control, job satisfaction, work otonomy and social support. Key words: Occupational health, Quality of life, Job satisfaction, Work related psychosocial factors, Industrial absenteeism.