Job stress among Iranian prison employees.

BACKGROUND Exposure to job stress causes deleterious effects on physical and mental health of employees and productivity of organizations. OBJECTIVE To study work-related stressors among employees of prisons of Ilam, western Iran. METHODS In a cross-sectional study conducted from July to October 2013, 177 employees of Ilam prisons and security-corrective measures organization were enrolled in this study. The UK Health and Safety Executive Organization 35-item questionnaire for assessment of occupational stress was used to determine job stress among the studied employees. RESULTS Job stress was highest among employees of "correction and rehabilitation center" of Ilam province followed by "Dalab vocational training center." There was no significant relationship between occupational stress and age, work experience, level of education, marital status, sex of employees, and obesity. CONCLUSION Employees of prisons, for their nature of job and work environment, are exposed to high level of occupational stress.