Changes in Working Conditions and Mental Health Among Intensive Care Physicians Across a Decade
Background: International studies have shown that among physicians working in intensive care, a relatively high level of work load, an elevated risk of developing burnout and reduced mental health are frequent. The implementation of a legislative intervention in Germany with the goal to reduce the w...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00145/full |
| _version_ | 1818850848522895360 |
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| author | Petra Beschoner Jörn von Wietersheim Marc N. Jarczok Maxi Braun Carlos Schönfeldt-Lecuona Lucia Jerg-Bretzke Laurenz Steiner |
| author_facet | Petra Beschoner Jörn von Wietersheim Marc N. Jarczok Maxi Braun Carlos Schönfeldt-Lecuona Lucia Jerg-Bretzke Laurenz Steiner |
| author_sort | Petra Beschoner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: International studies have shown that among physicians working in intensive care, a relatively high level of work load, an elevated risk of developing burnout and reduced mental health are frequent. The implementation of a legislative intervention in Germany with the goal to reduce the working hours of physicians, offered an opportunity to investigate the potential influence of occupational conditions on stress and mental health. The present study investigates working conditions, occupational stress and burnout risk in two samples of German Intensive Care Physicians in 2006 and 2016. The aim was to assess how occupational and private stress factors influenced burnout and Effort-Reward-Imbalance indices over this time-period.Methods: Intensive care physicians were surveyed during the annual conference of their profession in two cross-sectional studies (10-year gap). Data on demographic (occupational, family), medical history, and mental health (burnout and Effort-Reward-Imbalance) were assessed by paper pencil questionnaires.Results: In total, N = 2,085 physicians participated (2006: N = 1,403, 2016: N = 695), with N = 1,840 (2006 = 1,248; 2016 = 592) eligible for propensity score matching comparison. In general, more working hours per week and working days on weekends were associated with an increased effort/reward imbalance and higher burnout scores. From 2006 to 2016, reductions in working hours per week and days worked on weekends were accompanied by improvements in occupational stress (Effort-Reward-Imbalance) and by trend in mental health indices (burnout) after matching for differences in working conditions.Conclusions: The study presents the changes concerning occupational stress factors and mental wellbeing in physicians working in intensive care in 2016 as compared to 2006. These findings may promote the implementation of preventive strategies in the vocational context to protect health and productivity of physicians, especially intensive care physicians. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T06:55:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-faab2f392c5f466f91deb072cde3a922 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T06:55:39Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-faab2f392c5f466f91deb072cde3a9222022-12-21T20:31:33ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402020-03-011110.3389/fpsyt.2020.00145509323Changes in Working Conditions and Mental Health Among Intensive Care Physicians Across a DecadePetra Beschoner0Jörn von Wietersheim1Marc N. Jarczok2Maxi Braun3Carlos Schönfeldt-Lecuona4Lucia Jerg-Bretzke5Laurenz Steiner6Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, GermanyDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, GermanyDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, GermanyClinic of Psychosomatics Kloster Dießen, Dießen am Ammersee, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy III, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, GermanyDepartment of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, GermanyIII. Medical Clinic, University Medical Center Mannheim, Mannheim, GermanyBackground: International studies have shown that among physicians working in intensive care, a relatively high level of work load, an elevated risk of developing burnout and reduced mental health are frequent. The implementation of a legislative intervention in Germany with the goal to reduce the working hours of physicians, offered an opportunity to investigate the potential influence of occupational conditions on stress and mental health. The present study investigates working conditions, occupational stress and burnout risk in two samples of German Intensive Care Physicians in 2006 and 2016. The aim was to assess how occupational and private stress factors influenced burnout and Effort-Reward-Imbalance indices over this time-period.Methods: Intensive care physicians were surveyed during the annual conference of their profession in two cross-sectional studies (10-year gap). Data on demographic (occupational, family), medical history, and mental health (burnout and Effort-Reward-Imbalance) were assessed by paper pencil questionnaires.Results: In total, N = 2,085 physicians participated (2006: N = 1,403, 2016: N = 695), with N = 1,840 (2006 = 1,248; 2016 = 592) eligible for propensity score matching comparison. In general, more working hours per week and working days on weekends were associated with an increased effort/reward imbalance and higher burnout scores. From 2006 to 2016, reductions in working hours per week and days worked on weekends were accompanied by improvements in occupational stress (Effort-Reward-Imbalance) and by trend in mental health indices (burnout) after matching for differences in working conditions.Conclusions: The study presents the changes concerning occupational stress factors and mental wellbeing in physicians working in intensive care in 2016 as compared to 2006. These findings may promote the implementation of preventive strategies in the vocational context to protect health and productivity of physicians, especially intensive care physicians.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00145/fullmental healthburnouteffort-reward-imbalanceintensive care physiciansworking conditionsoccupational stress |
| spellingShingle | Petra Beschoner Jörn von Wietersheim Marc N. Jarczok Maxi Braun Carlos Schönfeldt-Lecuona Lucia Jerg-Bretzke Laurenz Steiner Changes in Working Conditions and Mental Health Among Intensive Care Physicians Across a Decade Frontiers in Psychiatry mental health burnout effort-reward-imbalance intensive care physicians working conditions occupational stress |
| title | Changes in Working Conditions and Mental Health Among Intensive Care Physicians Across a Decade |
| title_full | Changes in Working Conditions and Mental Health Among Intensive Care Physicians Across a Decade |
| title_fullStr | Changes in Working Conditions and Mental Health Among Intensive Care Physicians Across a Decade |
| title_full_unstemmed | Changes in Working Conditions and Mental Health Among Intensive Care Physicians Across a Decade |
| title_short | Changes in Working Conditions and Mental Health Among Intensive Care Physicians Across a Decade |
| title_sort | changes in working conditions and mental health among intensive care physicians across a decade |
| topic | mental health burnout effort-reward-imbalance intensive care physicians working conditions occupational stress |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00145/full |
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