Psychosocial risks faced by olive workers in Spain: evaluated using the 'Mini Psychosocial Factors' questionnaire.

Abstract

Background: Spain has the largest olive-growing area in Europe. The goal of the present research is to evaluate the psychosocial risks faced by workers in the olive groves of Jaén (the largest olive grove region of Spain).

Method: This method consists of 15 questions that analyse a total of 12 variables (mental load, demands, health, etc). A total of 502 questionnaires were completed. The method was performed using a non-stratified (with respect to the location of the growing areas) random selection with 'Universal Transverse Mercator' coordinates on a map of Jaen extracted from Andalusia region mapping. Multiple correspondence analysis, the Burt table and descriptive statistics (with a χ² test) have been used to analyse the results.

Results: The responses of all the workers are identified in detail in the Burt table. Olive grove workers, regardless of their characteristics or the type of farm, are at a medium risk level for the different psychosocial factors (around 57% on average). The low-risk level is the next most common (around 36% on average). On average, only 7% of individuals are found at the high-risk level (only intensive olive groves exceed 10% of individuals at this risk level). Using multiple correspondence analysis, a video has been created to demonstrate the relationship between all the categories of all the variables studied from various perspectives in three dimensions. The first dimension captures mainly aspects of the social working environment (relation, recognition, support, compensation, control, mental load), whereas the second dimension captures mainly work demands (rhythm, demands). The third dimension is more about physical status (weight, body mass index).

Conclusion: The risks found will improve injury prevention and are possibly caused by mismanagement of prevention. The extreme drought conditions of the 2022/2023 agricultural season could have affected the demands faced by workers.