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1.
Sci Rep ; 13(1): 9365, 2023 Jun 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-20244887

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to significant changes in work and lifestyle, impacting occupational mental health. This study examines the time and individual heterogeneity in the pandemic's effects on occupational mental health using panel data from job stress checks spanning 2018 to 2021. On average, there was an initial alleviation of high-stress risk in 2020, followed by a deterioration in 2021. Based on the job demand-resource theory, we identify the group of employees most affected by the pandemic. The findings highlight that employees in unfavorable workplace conditions are more likely to experience substantial adverse impacts. Adequate workplace support, including factors like interpersonal relationships, managerial support, job meaning, control, and work-life balance, is crucial for mitigating high-stress risk. Additionally, during the early phase of the pandemic, engaged employees experienced a slight decline in occupational mental health, while those lacking job resources at their worksite faced higher levels of occupational stress in the subsequent year. These findings offer practical suggestions for person-centered coping strategies to mitigate the pandemic's adverse impact.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Occupational Stress , Humans , Pandemics , COVID-19/epidemiology , Occupational Stress/epidemiology , Workplace/psychology , Mental Health
2.
Nurs Clin North Am ; 58(2): 183-195, 2023 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2300866

ABSTRACT

Health care environments have historically faced stressful situations that place those working in those environments at risk for substance use disorders. Over the past several years, the rates of burnout, workplace violence, diverse population stigmatization, and mental health concerns (including suicide) during the Covid-19 pandemic have increased, further challenging and contributing to development of negative coping skills, including use of substances to reduce the side effects and emotions from work. This article introduces the problem of substance use disorders, pathophysiology, and how the challenges contribute to the development of turning to substances to cope.


Subject(s)
Burnout, Professional , COVID-19 , Substance-Related Disorders , Humans , Pandemics , Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology , Workplace/psychology , Burnout, Professional/epidemiology , Delivery of Health Care
3.
Int J Environ Res Public Health ; 20(5)2023 02 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2287495

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effects of workplace ostracism on emotional labor and burnout among current nursing staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the relationship between the surface acting and deep acting of emotional labor as the mediators of workplace ostracism and burnout. The sample for this study consisted of 250 nursing staff recruited from Taiwanese medical institutions, and the questionnaire was divided into two stages. The first stage included questions about ostracism and personal data, and then two months later the same respondents completed part two of the questionnaire regarding emotional labor and burnout, which solved the problem of common-method variance (CMV). The results of this study indicate that ostracism had a positive and significant effect on burnout and surface acting, but its negative effect on deep acting was not supported. While surface acting showed partial mediation between ostracism and burnout, deep acting did not have a significant mediating effect between ostracism and burnout. These results can provide a reference for practice and researchers.


Subject(s)
Burnout, Professional , COVID-19 , Nursing Staff, Hospital , Humans , Ostracism , Pandemics , Workplace/psychology , Burnout, Professional/psychology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Nursing Staff, Hospital/psychology
4.
Int J Environ Res Public Health ; 20(3)2023 01 31.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2263301

ABSTRACT

Several factors have been identified to influence the registration and retention of apprentices in the construction trades. Employer engagement is a key factor to promote growth in apprenticeships in the construction trades as participation rates continue to be low among small-to-medium-sized employers. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of the Ontario Electrical League's (OEL) employer mentorship program through the perspectives of small-to-medium-sized employers using a qualitative approach. Two focus groups were conducted virtually with 11 employers. Focus group audio transcripts were recorded and transcribed for thematic analysis. Themes were generated using a data-driven approach to examine the relationships between mentorship program outcomes and perspectives on industry-related recruitment and retention barriers. Three themes were identified: (a) long-term apprentice recruitment and retention challenges; (b) equity and mental health in the workplace; and (c) industry challenges and mentorship program outcomes. Generally, this sample of employers appreciated the value of the OEL mentorship program through praise of the continued educational support, employer management expertise, hiring resources, and apprentice onboarding tools despite industry barriers in trade stigma, equity and mental health in the workplace, and recruitment and retention challenges. Industry partners should work with these small-to-medium-sized employers to develop workplace initiatives and engage external partners to provide ongoing apprenticeship mentorship support to address the recruitment and retention barriers identified in this study.


Subject(s)
Health Promotion , Workplace , Ontario , Focus Groups , Workplace/psychology , Inservice Training
5.
J Prim Care Community Health ; 14: 21501319231161441, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2265956

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVES: A culture of joy in the workplace supports well-being, but less is known about the effect of a shared experience on well-being and burnout in a health care setting. This pilot study investigated personal well-being and occupational burnout among primary care staff who participated in a 3-month virtual book club. METHODS: In December 2021, health care workers from a primary care practice were invited to participate in a 3-month virtual book club. Participants were emailed a preintervention survey with questions regarding well-being and burnout, the pandemic's influence on emotional health, and demographic information. The book club met virtually every month from January 2022 through March 2022. After the March 2022 book club meeting, a paired postintervention survey was sent to participants with additional questions regarding their participation in the book club. Well-being and burnout were measured with the 11-point Well-Being Index, and the pandemic's influence on emotional health was assessed with the 64-point Pandemic Emotional Impact Scale. RESULTS: Of 12 book club participants, 9 participants (6 physicians and 3 nurses) completed surveys before and after the intervention. Postintervention improvement in the median score of the Pandemic Emotional Impact Scale was significant (7 points, P = .04). Although Well-Being Index results uniformly favored improved well-being after book club participation, the median improvement of 1 point was not significant (P = .69). CONCLUSIONS: Social connection through a virtual workplace activity such as a book club may contribute to well-being and may decrease occupational burnout.


Subject(s)
Burnout, Professional , COVID-19 , Humans , Pandemics , Burnout, Professional/epidemiology , Burnout, Professional/psychology , Pilot Projects , Health Personnel/psychology , Workplace/psychology , Surveys and Questionnaires
6.
BMC Health Serv Res ; 23(1): 260, 2023 Mar 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2272718

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In the present investigation the results of the outcome and process evaluation of a participatory workplace intervention are reported. The intervention aimed to increase the workers' self-assessed physical and mental work ability. METHODS: The intervention was a two-arm, cluster-randomised trial with healthcare workers in 10 hospitals and one elderly care centre in Germany. Outcome data on workers were collected in questionnaires at baseline, and two follow-ups between 2019 and 2021. The intervention consisted of interviews and workshops, in which employees proposed measures for reducing the physical and psychosocial load and strengthening resources at work. Outcome data were analysed with linear-mixed regression models. The process evaluation was based on the thematic criteria proposed in previous literature and the collection of the type of intervention measures and their implementation status. RESULTS: The regression analysis did not provide evidence of treatment differences or reductions of psychosocial load in the intervention wards. The process evaluation suggested that the measures did not address specifically the self-assessed work ability. In addition, there was no indication that the intervention measures were causally related to the intended goals. CONCLUSIONS: The planning and implementation of organisational interventions require a careful consideration of the definition of intervention goals, the theoretical rationale of the intervention and a project-oriented action plan during the delivery phase.


Subject(s)
Health Personnel , Workplace , Humans , Germany , Health Personnel/psychology , Physical Examination , Surveys and Questionnaires , Workplace/psychology , Occupational Health , Work Engagement
7.
Scand J Public Health ; 51(5): 664-672, 2023 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2252408

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Individuals' lives have been substantially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to describe changes in psychosocial work environment and mental health and to investigate associations between job insecurity and mental ill-health in relation to changes in other psychosocial work factors, loneliness and financial worries. METHODS: A sub-sample of individuals from the eighth Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health answered a web-based survey in early 2021 about current and pandemic-related changes in health, health behaviours, work and private life. We investigated participants working before the pandemic (N=1231) in relation to standardised measures on depression, anxiety and loneliness, together with psychosocial work factors, in descriptive and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: While 9% reached the clinical threshold for depression and 6% for anxiety, more than a third felt more worried, lonelier or in a low mood since the start of the pandemic. Two per cent had been dismissed from their jobs, but 16% experienced workplace downsizings. Conditioning on socio-demographic factors and prior mental-health problems, the 8% experiencing reduced job security during the pandemic had a higher risk of anxiety, but not of depression, compared to employees with unaltered or increased job security. Loneliness and other psychosocial work factors explained more of the association than objective measures of job insecurity and financial worries. CONCLUSIONS: Reduced job security during the COVID-19 pandemic seems to have increased the risk of anxiety among individuals with a strong labour market attachment, primarily via loneliness and other psychosocial work factors. This illustrates the potentially far-reaching effects of the pandemic on mental health in the working population.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Mental Health , Humans , COVID-19/epidemiology , Working Conditions , Pandemics , Workplace/psychology , Anxiety/epidemiology , Depression/epidemiology
8.
Int J Environ Res Public Health ; 20(1)2022 12 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2245909

ABSTRACT

AIMS: Workplace stress for support workers in UK hospitals (Health Care Assistants; HCAs) is poorly understood. This study explores experiences of HCAs working in a National Health Service in-patient dementia unit after 10 years of national financial austerity (2008-2018). DESIGN: Qualitative evaluation. METHODS: 15 HCAs (42%) from a specialist dementia care Unit were interviewed. Interviews were guided by UK Health & Safety Executive published dimensions of work stress. Framework analysis was applied to interview transcriptions, corroborated by a follow-up focus group (6 HCAs). Post hoc interviews with 10 nurses were later introduced to obtain a balanced view of teamwork on the Unit. RESULTS: Health care assistants were altruistic regarding demands of dementia care but otherwise negative of most aspects of their work environment. Staff shortages had increased job demands: workload, poor shift rotas, and excessive reliance on inexperienced agency staff. According to HCAs, job resources of the care team were in significant deficit: nurses in charge were perceived as poor team leaders, had poor interpersonal skills, lacked respect for experienced HCAs, and deemed to be frequently absent from the ward so failing to support carers. HCAs' lack of decision-latitude exacerbated the situation. In contrast, nurses interviewed did not recognise the teamwork issues raised by HCAs, who were considered obstructive, unsupportive, lacked awareness of nurses' responsibilities, and of insights how understaffing meant excessive administration and time required to support patients' relatives. Such dissonant inter-group views caused considerable friction and exacerbated the work pressure. CONCLUSION: Study outcomes spotlighted impacts of socioeconomic issues for HCAs. Staff shortage, exacerbated by financial austerity measures (pre-COVID pandemic), increased job demands for HCAs but their psychosocial job resources were in serious deficit, so putting them at risk of burnout. Inter-group relations are key for a collaborative ethos, and are amenable to interventions. Such difficulties should not be allowed to fester.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Dementia , Occupational Stress , Humans , State Medicine , Delivery of Health Care , United Kingdom , Job Satisfaction , Workplace/psychology
9.
Int J Environ Res Public Health ; 20(1)2022 12 29.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2245336

ABSTRACT

In our study, we investigated possible differences across occupational groups regarding employees' perceived work-related risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2, attitudes toward technical, organisational, and personal occupational safety and health (OSH) measures for infection control, and factors associated with this attitude. We analysed baseline data (10 August to 25 October 2020) from a repeated standardised online survey distributed at a worldwide leading global supplier of technology and services in Germany. 2144 employees (32.4% women; age (mean ± SD): 44 ± 11 years) who worked predominantly remotely (n = 358), at an on-site office (n = 1451), and assembly line/manufacturing (n = 335) were included. The work-related SARS-CoV-2 risk of infection differed between office employees working remotely and on-site (mean ± SD = 2.9 ± 1.5 vs. 3.2 ± 1.5; Mann-Whitney-U-Test: W = 283,346; p < 0.002; ε2 = 0.01) and between on-site office and assembly line/manufacturing employees (3.8 ± 1.7; W = 289,174; p < 0.001; ε2 = 0.02). Attitude scores toward technical OSH-measures differed between remote and on-site office (4.3 ± 0.5 vs. 4.1 ± 0.6; W = 216,787; p < 0.001; ε2 = 0.01), and between on-site office and assembly line/manufacturing employees (3.6 ± 0.9; W = 149,881; p < 0.001; ε2 = 0.07). Findings were similar for organisational and personal measures. Affective risk perception, COVID-19-specific resilience, and information about COVID-19-related risks were associated with the employees' attitudes. To promote positive attitudes, it seems to be important to consider occupational-group-specific context factors when implementing OSH-measures for infection control.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Occupational Health , Humans , Female , Male , COVID-19/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , SARS-CoV-2 , Pandemics , Workplace/psychology , Attitude , Germany/epidemiology , Infection Control
10.
Int J Environ Res Public Health ; 20(4)2023 Feb 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2233908

ABSTRACT

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid public health response, which included mandatory working from home (WFH) for many employees. However, given the rapid change from traditional ways of working, evidence is limited on the role of leaders, managers, and supervisors in supporting their employees' physical and mental health whilst WFH. The study aimed to examine the impact of leaders through their management of psychosocial working conditions on employees' stress and musculoskeletal pain (MSP) levels whilst WFH. METHODS: Data from 965 participants (230 males, 729 females, 6 other) involved in the Employees Working from Home (EWFH) study, collected in October 2020, and April and November 2021, were analysed. Generalised mixed-effect models were used to test relationships between psychosocial leadership factors and employees' stress and MSP levels. RESULTS: Higher quantitative demands are associated with increased stress (B: 0.289, 95%CI 0.245, 0.333), presence of MSP (OR: 2.397, 95%CI 1.809, 3.177), and increased MSP levels (RR: 1.09, 95%CI 1.04, 1.14). Higher levels of vertical trust decreased stress (B: -0.094, 95%CI -0.135, -0.052) and presence of MSP (OR: 0.729, 95%CI 0.557, 0.954). Role clarity decreased stress (B: -0.055, 95%CI -0.104, -0.007) and levels of MSP (RR: 0.93, 95%CI 0.89, 0.96). Working with interruptions was associated with increased stress (B: 0.199, 95%CI 0.119, 0.280) and MSP (OR: 1.834, 95%CI 1.094, 3.072). CONCLUSION: Leaders will need to take a broad view of job design, taking into account physical and psychosocial aspects of work, to effectively support employees WFH and manage stress and MSP.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Musculoskeletal Pain , Occupational Stress , Male , Female , Humans , Musculoskeletal Pain/epidemiology , Leadership , Workplace/psychology , Pandemics
11.
J Occup Environ Med ; 65(4): e246-e254, 2023 04 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2222880

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to assess the prevalence and predictors of well-being among Brazilian industry workers on returning to the physical workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Two thousand two hundred forty-one participants completed an online survey between October and November 2021. Well-being was assessed with the World Health Organization Well-being Index, and the questionnaire also addressed sociodemographic and occupational characteristics and the health of workers and their contacts. Associations were estimated with logistic regression models. RESULTS: The prevalence of adequate well-being was 63.15%. The predictors of poor well-being included being female, younger, working exclusively from home or on a hybrid model, having comorbid disorders, and living with someone with any comorbidity. CONCLUSIONS: The identification of vulnerable groups with poor well-being may help organizations to direct efforts to the unmet psychological needs of these employees and develop well-being programs during this transition.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Humans , Female , Male , COVID-19/epidemiology , Pandemics , Brazil/epidemiology , Workplace/psychology , Surveys and Questionnaires
12.
J Occup Environ Med ; 65(2): e68-e73, 2023 02 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2222873

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: During the COVID-19 pandemic, teleworking became the new workplace norm, creating a new challenge for workplace communication. This study investigated the association between source-specific workplace social support and psychological distress among Japanese teleworkers and nonteleworkers. METHODS: A total of 15,045 workers were extracted from a cross-sectional web-based survey that assessed psychological distress, workplace social support from supervisors and coworkers. After grouping participants into four groups based on their positions (managers, staff members) and teleworking arrangements (teleworking, nonteleworking), multiple logistic regression analyses were performed separately. RESULTS: Teleworkers with less supervisor support demonstrated the highest risk of psychological distress (adjusted odds ratio = 2.55, P = 0.024). CONCLUSIONS: Insufficient supervisor support for teleworking staff members may be a key occupational risk factor for psychological distress in the postpandemic future.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Psychological Distress , Humans , COVID-19/epidemiology , Teleworking , Pandemics , Cross-Sectional Studies , East Asian People , Workplace/psychology , Stress, Psychological/epidemiology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Japan/epidemiology
13.
Addict Sci Clin Pract ; 18(1): 5, 2023 01 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2214637

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on work satisfaction, work-related stress, and perceived work quality among substance use treatment providers to better understand challenges faced among this group during the pandemic. METHODS: Participants of this study were 91 addiction treatment providers (e.g., therapists, physicians, community support specialists, administrative staff) recruited from various treatment facilities (e.g., inpatient and outpatient settings). Mixed method analyses were conducted to assess self-reported burnout, sources of work-related stress, and perceived work quality during the pandemic. Responses from providers reporting COVID-19 related decreases in work quality were compared to responses from providers who reported their quality of work had increased or remained the same. RESULTS: Results demonstrated half of providers (51%) reported their quality of work had decreased. This perceived decrease in quality of work was associated with higher levels of emotional exhaustion (M = 17.41 vs. M = 12.48, p = 0.002), workplace stress (M = 42.80 vs. M = 30.84, p = 0.001), as well as decreased enjoyment of work (83% vs. 51%, p = 0.001) and decreased personal accomplishment (M = 20.64 vs. M = 23.05 p = 0.001). Qualitative investigations further illustrated that increased hours, changes in work schedules, work-life balance challenges, difficulties with client communication, and increased client needs were contributing factors increasing stress/burnout and decreasing perceived work quality. CONCLUSIONS: Addiction treatment providers experience high levels of burnout and workplace stress. Additionally, many individuals perceived a decrease in their quality of work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Addiction treatment facility administration should address these challenges to support the well-being of clinical staff and the clients they serve both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.


Subject(s)
Burnout, Professional , COVID-19 , Occupational Stress , Humans , Pandemics , Burnout, Professional/epidemiology , Burnout, Professional/psychology , Burnout, Psychological , Workplace/psychology , Occupational Stress/epidemiology , Surveys and Questionnaires
14.
J Health Organ Manag ; ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print)2023 Jan 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2171055

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study aims to explore how shared values improve eudaimonic workplace well-being, the fulfillment that comes from personal development and the utilization of personal capabilities. The authors investigate the serial mediating role that perceived overall justice and emotional exhaustion play in how shared values relate to well-being. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Using data collected from three hundred nurses in Turkish healthcare institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic (Male = 113, Female = 187). The age of participants ranged from 19 to 58 and the average age was 34. The snowball sampling method was used to form the sample and self-administered surveys that could be completed online were delivered to the sampled nurses. FINDINGS: The authors analysis using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) supported the expected relationship between shared values and eudaimonic workplace well-being as well as the mediating role of perceived overall justice and emotional exhaustion. The authors also show a serial mediation where shared values are related to justice perceptions which in turn negatively relate to emotional exhaustion which subsequently relates to higher levels of eudaimonic workplace well-being. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The results of this study suggest that when the shared values between the healthcare institution and the employees are aligned, the eudaimonic well-being of employees is higher. The findings provide implications for the mental health of frontline employees in health organizations to have higher levels of eudaimonic well-being which is especially important in times of intense pressure such as the period during the COVID-19 pandemic.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Nurses , Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Pandemics , COVID-19/epidemiology , Workplace/psychology , Surveys and Questionnaires , Social Justice
15.
Soc Sci Med ; 320: 115694, 2023 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2183447

ABSTRACT

RATIONALE: The world of work is changing rapidly, and precarious employment is becoming more prevalent in Britain and elsewhere, particularly since the 2008 financial crisis. This is despite the evidence linking employment precarity to adverse health outcomes, and the policy discourses advocating for high-quality jobs. OBJECTIVE: I seek to establish empirically the extent and nature of the potential link between employment precarity and health outcomes, which is done chiefly at the workplace level. The research can be vital from the perspective of informing policy, given that the workplace represents the level where key policy levers operate. METHODS: I use nationally representative data from the British Workplace Employment Relations Survey. Four workplace health outcomes (WHOs; viz., injuries, illnesses, job satisfaction, and job anxiety) have been used to examine if organizations with precarious employment arrangements are likely to experience adverse health outcomes. I use alternative econometric approaches to compare organizations that reported to have three types of precarious employment arrangements, viz., shift working, annualised hours, and zero-hours contracts (ZHCs), vis-à-vis their counterparts without such arrangements. RESULTS: The results obtained reveal that workplaces with precarious employment arrangements are significantly unhealthier, and those with the most insecure form of precarious employment perform particularly worst in this respect. CONCLUSIONS: Precarious employment may become ever more prevalent as organizations contend with economic fallouts from shocks such as Brexit or Covid-19. This may lead to sub-standard health outcomes. The positive influence of trade unions on working conditions has largely been decimated and the workforce in Britain is ageing. These combinations may pose significant challenges to public health including mental health crises. Public policy ought to help minimise adverse health outcomes linked to employment precarity.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Humans , United Kingdom , European Union , Employment , Workplace/psychology , Outcome Assessment, Health Care
16.
Int J Nurs Stud ; 139: 104446, 2023 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2179616

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: High exit rates, stalling entry rates, population ageing, and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic have placed significant strain on the world's nursing workforce. Both developed and developing countries face similar predicaments. Evidence-based programmes to support older nurses in the workplace are urgently needed to ensure the sustainability of a career in nursing for this group of healthcare professionals. OBJECTIVES: To scope and synthesise available evidence on evaluated programmes and interventions implemented to support the ageing nursing workforce's health, wellbeing, and retention. DESIGN: A literature review of available evidence using a systematic approach. METHOD: Medline, Scopus, PsycINFO and CINAHL were searched for relevant peer-reviewed evidence. Data from the peer-reviewed literature were extracted separately into purpose designed-extraction spreadsheets. Information relevant to study design, intervention design, outcome constructs, intervention outcomes, and barriers and enablers to intervention success were collected. The protocol for this review was registered in PROSPERO [CRD42021274491]. RESULTS: Eighteen published studies were included in this review. We identified a range of interventions and programmes that have been implemented to support older nurses, which included flexible and reduced work arrangements, mentoring programmes, exercise and lifestyle interventions, continued professional development and purpose-designed remote retreats. We found limited evidence of evaluated outcomes from workplace support interventions that addresses the actual challenges faced by ageing nurses as reported in previous literature reviews. Interventions that were designed to promote a sense of purpose at work resulted in positive outcomes and appeared to more directly address the stated needs of older nurses. Holistic programmes and interventions that could potentially promote both physical well-being and psychological well-being required a broader, whole-of-organisation approach rather than more piecemeal interventions addressing individual physical and mental health concerns. Interventions which acknowledged older nurses' clinical expertise and experience (e.g., mentoring programmes) were linked to positive outcomes. CONCLUSION: Future intervention efforts should acknowledge and balance intervention participation opportunities against existing everyday workload constraints faced by older nurses. Our review suggests the need for further intervention studies assessing specific outcomes such as psychological and emotional health, as well as interventions that more directly address the most pressing concerns that ageing nurses report at personal and organisational levels. A paradigm shift in productivity measurement in clinical nursing work is required in order to increase the value placed on the unique contribution of older nurses working clinically, particularly in sharing their acquired knowledge, skill, and expertise.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Nurses , Humans , Pandemics , Workplace/psychology , Health Personnel
17.
PLoS One ; 18(1): e0279902, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2197127

ABSTRACT

A large proportion of the global workforce migrated home during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. It remains unclear what the exact differences between home workers and non-home workers were, especially during the pandemic when a return to work was imminent. How were building, workplace, and related facilities associated with workers' perceptions and health? What are the lessons to be learned? Lifelines Corona Research Initiative was used to compare employees' workplaces and related concerns, facilities, work quality, and health in a complete case analysis (N = 12,776) when return to work was imminent. Mann-Whitney U, logistic regression, and Wilcoxon matched-pairs were used for analyses. Notwithstanding small differences, the results show that home workers had less favourable scores for concerns about and facilities of on-site buildings and workplaces upon return to work, but better scores for work quality and health than non-home workers. However, additional analyses also suggest that building, workplace, and related facilities may have had the capacity to positively influence employees' affective responses and work quality, but not always their health.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Pandemics , Humans , Return to Work , COVID-19/epidemiology , Communicable Disease Control , Workplace/psychology
18.
BMJ Open ; 12(12): e064590, 2022 12 26.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2193781

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The stress and anxiety associated with the predisposition of ageing workers to severe COVID-19 illness, once occupationally infected, jeopardise their mental health. This study aimed to investigate the association between individual level, work environment exposure factors and perceived workplace safety with a decline in mental health of ageing workers from different industry sectors. DESIGN: Observational study, prevalence assessment of survey added to longitudinal cohort data. SETTING: The Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) from 27 countries in Europe and Israel participating in the COVID-19 survey (summer 2020) and having prepandemic waves' SHARE data. PARTICIPANTS: Workers aged 50-70 (n=6449) who attended their workplaces at least partially after the pandemic broke out. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: Perceived decline in mental health compared with preoutbreak status. RESULTS: Multilevel analyses demonstrated that 24.5% (95% CI 23.5% to 25.5%) of ageing workers in Europe experienced mental health decline associated with national-level self-reported COVID-19 burden. Workplace safety perception was the strongest predictor, as each one-point increase in unsafe perception was associated with 60% of mental health decline (OR=1.6, 95% CI 1.47 to 1.74), explaining 30% of increased reported mental health symptoms of ageing workers. Safety perception mediates the mental health outcomes of the work environment, such as workplace contagion risk and work location. Female gender (OR=1.77, 95% CI 1.55 to 2.02), financial difficulties (OR=1.19, 95% CI 1.1 to 1.28), higher vulnerability index (comorbidities, age >60) (OR=1.11, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.18), pre-existing mental problems (OR=1.78, 95% CI 1.55 to 2.04) and increased national burden of COVID-19 (OR=1.01, 95% CI 1.0 to 1.02) were associated with declines in mental health, whereas exclusively working on-site was protective. CONCLUSION: Vulnerable subgroups for mental health declines among ageing workers were revealed, which warrant their screening and employers' evaluation of workplace conditions of ageing workers to prevent mental health-related implications. Workplace interventions should aim to reduce work environment influences on infection risk and mental distress.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Humans , Female , COVID-19/epidemiology , Mental Health , Working Conditions , Workplace/psychology , Aging
19.
Medicine (Baltimore) ; 101(52): e32302, 2022 Dec 30.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2191111

ABSTRACT

Emergency medicine workers are exposed daily to various stressors, especially work-related stress, which have been aggravated by the current SARS-CoV 2 pandemic and impact their physical and mental wellbeing. Nonetheless, although the efficacy of programs and strategies to improving the health of medical staff and patient care has been demonstrated, such programs and strategies are scarce. To assess the prevalence, types and consequences of stress in emergency medical workers in healthcare institutions and explore tools to cope with stressful situations at workplace. Two surveys were conducted. Survey 1 assessed the subjective stress levels and stressors of 21 emergency medicine professionals. Survey 2 was conducted amongst 103 healthcare workers at 3 hospitals in Germany. It comprised selected aspects of the German Mental Risk Assessment and a validated workload scale. None. The answer frequencies on Likert scales were descriptively evaluated. Survey 1: Emergency medical professionals experienced and reported the following high stress levels in acute situations: multitasking during a complex situation; factors associated with the work environment; fear of not appropriately controlling the situation; and lack of sleep. Survey 2: The highest stress levels were experienced in the areas "work environment" and "work organization." The highest scores on the workload scale were obtained for statements on work division, exhaustion, insufficient patient care due to time constraints, regulations, and lack of information. Approximately 80% of healthcare workers had experienced emotionally stressful situations at the workplace, and > 30% had lost a colleague to suicide. There are effective and proven methods to learn how to deal with stress that can easily be established in everyday clinical practice. Healthcare workers are subjected to numerous stressors in their work environment and observe the consequences of these stressors on their own and their colleagues' wellbeing. Coping strategies for high-pressure reduces and resists the job- immanent pressure and stress in healthcare workers.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Occupational Stress , Humans , COVID-19/epidemiology , Adaptation, Psychological , Occupational Stress/epidemiology , Workplace/psychology , Health Personnel/psychology
20.
Int J Environ Res Public Health ; 20(1)2022 12 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2200055

ABSTRACT

The risk of aggression against healthcare workers (HCWs) is a globally well-known topic. However, workplace violence (WV) is often considered as part of HCW's job, leading to a general underreporting. This cross-sectional study aims at providing a descriptive analysis of aggressive acts against HCWs registered in a 34-month period in a pediatric hospital. According to a specific protocol, each aggressive act was analyzed by a multidisciplinary team using the "Modified Overt Aggression Scale" (MOAS), the "General Health Questionnaire-12" (GHQ-12), and the "Short Form-36 Health Survey" (SF-36) to build a report addressing improvement measures. A three-domain model of WV was also developed considering: (1) assaulted HCWs, (2) attacker-related issues, and (3) environmental context. Contributing factors to overt aggression were outlined and tested using univariate analyses. Statistically significant factors were then included in a multiple linear regression model. A total of 82 aggressive acts were registered in the period. MOAS scores registered a mean value of 3.71 (SD: 4.09). Verbal abuse was the most common form of WV. HCWs professional category, minor psychiatric disorder, emotional role limitation, type of containment used, and emotion intensity were significantly associated with overt aggression (p < 0.05), as well as the attacker's role in the hospital (p < 0.05). The multiple regression analysis confirmed these findings (p < 0.001). Raising awareness on the aggression risk and contributing factors may lead to a relevant improvement of workplace environment, individual workers' health, and organizational well-being.


Subject(s)
Workplace Violence , Child , Humans , Workplace Violence/prevention & control , Workplace Violence/psychology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Health Personnel/psychology , Hospitals , Aggression/psychology , Patient Care Team , Workplace/psychology , Surveys and Questionnaires
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