Mental workload profile and its relationship with presenteeism, absenteeism and job performance among surgeons: The mediating role of occupational fatigue

Introduction: Surgeons are one of the most significant jobs in the health care system that plays an important role in the patients' health promotion and their treatment. In the current study, the effect of mental workload on the work performance of surgeons was tested by considering the mediati...

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Main Authors: Mahdi Jalali, Reza Esmaeili, Ehsanollah Habibi, Mohammad Alizadeh, Azim Karimi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2023-09-01
Series:Heliyon
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023064666
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author Mahdi Jalali
Reza Esmaeili
Ehsanollah Habibi
Mohammad Alizadeh
Azim Karimi
author_facet Mahdi Jalali
Reza Esmaeili
Ehsanollah Habibi
Mohammad Alizadeh
Azim Karimi
author_sort Mahdi Jalali
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Surgeons are one of the most significant jobs in the health care system that plays an important role in the patients' health promotion and their treatment. In the current study, the effect of mental workload on the work performance of surgeons was tested by considering the mediating effect of fatigue on this relationship. Method: This study was done analytically on 165 surgeons working in the operating rooms of hospitals in Iran. To determine of mental workload, the SURG-TLX method was used. The job performance was measured using the short version of the job performance questionnaire provided by the World Health Organization (WHO-HPQ), and accordingly relative presenteeism, relative absenteeism and job performance variables were calculated. The Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory (SOFI) questionnaire was used to determine occupational fatigue. A conceptual model was built to determine the direct and indirect relationship between mental workload and job performance, and the mediating effect of occupational fatigue on the relationship between mental workload and job performance was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: Out of 165 distributed questionnaires, 140 questionnaires were completed and delivered to the researchers (85% response rate). The mean ± standard deviations of mental workload, fatigue, and work performance were 16.57 ± 5.83, 6.32 ± 2.86, and 0.65 ± 0.28, respectively. The results of model fit indexes revealed that all indexes are within the acceptable range. Regarding this model, the direct effect of mental workload on job performance was not significant (β = −0.21; p = 0.072). A significant positive relationship was observed between mental workload and fatigue (β = 0.36; p < 0.001). The direct effect of fatigue on job performance was also the opposite and statistically significant (β = −0.39; p < 0.001). Finally, results indicated that the effect of mental workload on work performance mediated by occupational fatigue. Conclusion: Surgeons suffer a high level of mental workload during their work, and this factor can have a negative effect on surgeons' job performance. The effect of mental workload on job performance in surgeons can be detected, directly and indirectly, through the mediating effect of occupational fatigue. Improving the mental and physical conditions of the work environment can reduce occupational fatigue and improve surgeons’ job performance.
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spelling doaj.art-99cf20f94b3943ff89e4a731a4eba2162023-10-01T05:58:59ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402023-09-0199e19258Mental workload profile and its relationship with presenteeism, absenteeism and job performance among surgeons: The mediating role of occupational fatigueMahdi Jalali0Reza Esmaeili1Ehsanollah Habibi2Mohammad Alizadeh3Azim Karimi4Department of Occupational Health Engineering, School of Health, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran; Department of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, Faculty of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IranDepartment of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, Faculty of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IranDepartment of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, Faculty of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Corresponding author.Department of Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), Faculty of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IranDepartment of Occupational Health and Safety Engineering, Faculty of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IranIntroduction: Surgeons are one of the most significant jobs in the health care system that plays an important role in the patients' health promotion and their treatment. In the current study, the effect of mental workload on the work performance of surgeons was tested by considering the mediating effect of fatigue on this relationship. Method: This study was done analytically on 165 surgeons working in the operating rooms of hospitals in Iran. To determine of mental workload, the SURG-TLX method was used. The job performance was measured using the short version of the job performance questionnaire provided by the World Health Organization (WHO-HPQ), and accordingly relative presenteeism, relative absenteeism and job performance variables were calculated. The Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory (SOFI) questionnaire was used to determine occupational fatigue. A conceptual model was built to determine the direct and indirect relationship between mental workload and job performance, and the mediating effect of occupational fatigue on the relationship between mental workload and job performance was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: Out of 165 distributed questionnaires, 140 questionnaires were completed and delivered to the researchers (85% response rate). The mean ± standard deviations of mental workload, fatigue, and work performance were 16.57 ± 5.83, 6.32 ± 2.86, and 0.65 ± 0.28, respectively. The results of model fit indexes revealed that all indexes are within the acceptable range. Regarding this model, the direct effect of mental workload on job performance was not significant (β = −0.21; p = 0.072). A significant positive relationship was observed between mental workload and fatigue (β = 0.36; p < 0.001). The direct effect of fatigue on job performance was also the opposite and statistically significant (β = −0.39; p < 0.001). Finally, results indicated that the effect of mental workload on work performance mediated by occupational fatigue. Conclusion: Surgeons suffer a high level of mental workload during their work, and this factor can have a negative effect on surgeons' job performance. The effect of mental workload on job performance in surgeons can be detected, directly and indirectly, through the mediating effect of occupational fatigue. Improving the mental and physical conditions of the work environment can reduce occupational fatigue and improve surgeons’ job performance.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023064666Mental workloadSurgeonsJob performanceOccupational fatigue
spellingShingle Mahdi Jalali
Reza Esmaeili
Ehsanollah Habibi
Mohammad Alizadeh
Azim Karimi
Mental workload profile and its relationship with presenteeism, absenteeism and job performance among surgeons: The mediating role of occupational fatigue
Heliyon
Mental workload
Surgeons
Job performance
Occupational fatigue
title Mental workload profile and its relationship with presenteeism, absenteeism and job performance among surgeons: The mediating role of occupational fatigue
title_full Mental workload profile and its relationship with presenteeism, absenteeism and job performance among surgeons: The mediating role of occupational fatigue
title_fullStr Mental workload profile and its relationship with presenteeism, absenteeism and job performance among surgeons: The mediating role of occupational fatigue
title_full_unstemmed Mental workload profile and its relationship with presenteeism, absenteeism and job performance among surgeons: The mediating role of occupational fatigue
title_short Mental workload profile and its relationship with presenteeism, absenteeism and job performance among surgeons: The mediating role of occupational fatigue
title_sort mental workload profile and its relationship with presenteeism absenteeism and job performance among surgeons the mediating role of occupational fatigue
topic Mental workload
Surgeons
Job performance
Occupational fatigue
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023064666
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