Prevalence of psychosocial work factors and stress and their associations with the physical and mental health of hospital physicians: A cross-sectional study in Lithuania

BackgroundA negative psychosocial work environment causes stress to the physicians of healthcare institutions, which affect their physical and mental health. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of psychosocial work factors and stress and their associations with the physical and mental health...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Rasa Zutautiene, Gintare Kaliniene, Ruta Ustinaviciene, Ricardas Radisauskas
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-02-01
Series:Frontiers in Public Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1123736/full
_version_ 1811165304097603584
author Rasa Zutautiene
Gintare Kaliniene
Gintare Kaliniene
Ruta Ustinaviciene
Ricardas Radisauskas
author_facet Rasa Zutautiene
Gintare Kaliniene
Gintare Kaliniene
Ruta Ustinaviciene
Ricardas Radisauskas
author_sort Rasa Zutautiene
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundA negative psychosocial work environment causes stress to the physicians of healthcare institutions, which affect their physical and mental health. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of psychosocial work factors and stress and their associations with the physical and mental health of hospital physicians in the Kaunas region of Lithuania.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional study was performed. It was based on a questionnaire survey, which contained the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), three scales of Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ), and Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36) health survey. The study was carried out in 2018. A total of 647 physicians completed the survey. Multivariate logistic regression models were performed by using the stepwise method. In the models potentially, confounding factors such as age and gender were controlled. In our study, the dependent variables were stress dimensions, and the independent variables were psychosocial work factors.ResultsThe analysis showed that a quarter of surveyed physicians were classified as having low job skill discretion and decision-making authority, and the support of supervisors was weak. Approximately one-third of the respondents had low decision latitude, low co-worker support, and high job demands, and felt insecure at work. Job insecurity and gender were found to be the strongest independent variables for general and cognitive stress. The support of the supervisor was found as a significant factor in the case of somatic stress. Better evaluation of mental health was related to job skill discretion and co-workers' and supervisors' support, but it did not affect physical health.ConclusionThe confirmed associations suggest that looking at work organization factors, reducing exposure to stress, and increasing perception of the psychosocial environment can be linked to better subjective health evaluation.
first_indexed 2024-04-10T15:36:10Z
format Article
id doaj.art-f7c1226ccd4b454abfafbf66d513f6fa
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2296-2565
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-10T15:36:10Z
publishDate 2023-02-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Public Health
spelling doaj.art-f7c1226ccd4b454abfafbf66d513f6fa2023-02-13T07:16:22ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652023-02-011110.3389/fpubh.2023.11237361123736Prevalence of psychosocial work factors and stress and their associations with the physical and mental health of hospital physicians: A cross-sectional study in LithuaniaRasa Zutautiene0Gintare Kaliniene1Gintare Kaliniene2Ruta Ustinaviciene3Ricardas Radisauskas4Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, LithuaniaDepartment of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, LithuaniaHealth Research Institute, Faculty of Public Health, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, LithuaniaDepartment of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, LithuaniaDepartment of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, LithuaniaBackgroundA negative psychosocial work environment causes stress to the physicians of healthcare institutions, which affect their physical and mental health. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of psychosocial work factors and stress and their associations with the physical and mental health of hospital physicians in the Kaunas region of Lithuania.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional study was performed. It was based on a questionnaire survey, which contained the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ), three scales of Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ), and Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (SF-36) health survey. The study was carried out in 2018. A total of 647 physicians completed the survey. Multivariate logistic regression models were performed by using the stepwise method. In the models potentially, confounding factors such as age and gender were controlled. In our study, the dependent variables were stress dimensions, and the independent variables were psychosocial work factors.ResultsThe analysis showed that a quarter of surveyed physicians were classified as having low job skill discretion and decision-making authority, and the support of supervisors was weak. Approximately one-third of the respondents had low decision latitude, low co-worker support, and high job demands, and felt insecure at work. Job insecurity and gender were found to be the strongest independent variables for general and cognitive stress. The support of the supervisor was found as a significant factor in the case of somatic stress. Better evaluation of mental health was related to job skill discretion and co-workers' and supervisors' support, but it did not affect physical health.ConclusionThe confirmed associations suggest that looking at work organization factors, reducing exposure to stress, and increasing perception of the psychosocial environment can be linked to better subjective health evaluation.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1123736/fullpsychosocial riskstressmental healthphysical healthphysician
spellingShingle Rasa Zutautiene
Gintare Kaliniene
Gintare Kaliniene
Ruta Ustinaviciene
Ricardas Radisauskas
Prevalence of psychosocial work factors and stress and their associations with the physical and mental health of hospital physicians: A cross-sectional study in Lithuania
Frontiers in Public Health
psychosocial risk
stress
mental health
physical health
physician
title Prevalence of psychosocial work factors and stress and their associations with the physical and mental health of hospital physicians: A cross-sectional study in Lithuania
title_full Prevalence of psychosocial work factors and stress and their associations with the physical and mental health of hospital physicians: A cross-sectional study in Lithuania
title_fullStr Prevalence of psychosocial work factors and stress and their associations with the physical and mental health of hospital physicians: A cross-sectional study in Lithuania
title_full_unstemmed Prevalence of psychosocial work factors and stress and their associations with the physical and mental health of hospital physicians: A cross-sectional study in Lithuania
title_short Prevalence of psychosocial work factors and stress and their associations with the physical and mental health of hospital physicians: A cross-sectional study in Lithuania
title_sort prevalence of psychosocial work factors and stress and their associations with the physical and mental health of hospital physicians a cross sectional study in lithuania
topic psychosocial risk
stress
mental health
physical health
physician
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1123736/full
work_keys_str_mv AT rasazutautiene prevalenceofpsychosocialworkfactorsandstressandtheirassociationswiththephysicalandmentalhealthofhospitalphysiciansacrosssectionalstudyinlithuania
AT gintarekaliniene prevalenceofpsychosocialworkfactorsandstressandtheirassociationswiththephysicalandmentalhealthofhospitalphysiciansacrosssectionalstudyinlithuania
AT gintarekaliniene prevalenceofpsychosocialworkfactorsandstressandtheirassociationswiththephysicalandmentalhealthofhospitalphysiciansacrosssectionalstudyinlithuania
AT rutaustinaviciene prevalenceofpsychosocialworkfactorsandstressandtheirassociationswiththephysicalandmentalhealthofhospitalphysiciansacrosssectionalstudyinlithuania
AT ricardasradisauskas prevalenceofpsychosocialworkfactorsandstressandtheirassociationswiththephysicalandmentalhealthofhospitalphysiciansacrosssectionalstudyinlithuania