Objectives

• To identify sociodemographic variables associated with psychosocial stress in oncology nurses;

• Assess the associations between ocupational variables and stress in the work environment of nurses in oncology;

• Discuss the impact of psychosocial stress in nursing work in oncology.

Method This is a cross-sectional epidemiological study, which will be used part of the Database of research - Nurses’ Health Study, the 18 largest hospitals in the city of Rio de Janeiro / Brazil held in 2011. Permission to use the database of the National Cancer Institute was provided by the research coordinator. From a total of 234 nurses, 94% (211) have joined the research. A questionnaire was used Effort-Reward Imbalance and variable exposures (demographic, occupational and health) for the verification of statistical association. Were included in the logistic regression analyses and the variables in the bivariate analysis were associated with a lower level of significance (p < 0.20). Was defined as the reference category that with the lowest expected risk for the High Effort-Reward Imbalance. Presented outside the adjusted odds ratios and their respective 95% confidence in the multiple model.

Results Variables that showed statistical association after logistic regression analysis were age and intent into aabandonar nursing. The younger nurses is approximately three times higher chance of having the High Effort-Reward Imbalance when compared to older, and who had the intention to leave nursing had increased odds for the High Effort-Reward Imbalance.

Conclusions Stressors at work are health risks, so many individual and organisational efforts should be considered to deal with such a situation in oncology.