OCCUPATIONAL STRESS AMONG AIDS SOCIAL-SERVICE PROVIDERS

This survey reveals high levels of job-related stress among social wor kers, counselors and health educators working with HlV/AlDS patients i n five large, urban medical centers. Stress is associated not only wit h the severity of AIDS as a disease, but also with several organizatio nal characteristics of respondents' job sites. The availability and us efulness of several on-site, stress-reduction strategies are explored. Overall, where services such as stress-reduction workshops, support g roups, and rotations away from direct patient care are offered, worker s participate in them and perceive them as useful in reducing job-rela ted stress. Interest in these and other stress-reduction services is h igh among those who do not currently have them available.