Indicators of Pleasure and Suffering at Work in Workers at the Health Surveillance Department in Palmas

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze indicators of work-related pleasure and suffering in a group of 82 workers from the Health Surveillance Superintendence of the Municipal Health Secretariat of Palmas, Tocantins, using the Scale of Indicators of Pleasure and Suffering at Work (EIPST), an instrument that is part of the Inventory on Work and Health Risks (ITRA). This is an applied research study with a quantitative approach and a descriptive and cross-sectional design, in which the data were analyzed based on the distribution of response frequencies, with the calculation of weighted averages per item and, subsequently, the arithmetic mean of the scores per axis. The results showed that the pleasure axes—Professional Fulfillment and Freedom of Expression—and the suffering axis—Professional Burnout—had scores classified as critical, indicating weaknesses in the positive experience of work. In contrast, the suffering axis—Lack of Recognition—was classified as satisfactory. Overall, the findings point to an ambiguous scenario in which moderate levels of pleasure and low levels of suffering coexist, reinforcing the importance of organizational interventions aimed at strengthening professional fulfillment and freedom of expression in the workplace.