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Dahlbäck E, Håkansson C. A Comparison of the Self-Perceived Organisational and Social Work Environment among Swedish Occupational Therapists in Different Job Sectors: An Observational Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:3009. [PMID: 36833704 PMCID: PMC9957363 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Sick leave due to mental health problems is increasing, and there is evidence that it is associated with the individual's self-perceived organisational and social work environment. The aim of this study was to compare occupational therapists' self-perceived organisational and social work environments in different job sectors. The goal is to identify the sectors with the most unfavourable work environment and thus where the need to improve the work environment, to prevent mental health problems, is greatest. A web survey was emailed to working members of the Swedish Association of Occupational Therapists in February 2018 (n = 7600). The response rate was 48% (n = 3658). Studied job sectors were somatic specialist health care; elderly care; habilitation; psychiatric health care; primary health care; and university (n = 2648). This sample is representative of Swedish occupational therapists with respect to age, gender, and job sector. The web survey included questions on their sociodemographic characteristics and self-perceived organisational and social work environment regarding workload, control, community in the workplace, reward, justice, and values. Questions on the self-perceived organisational and social work environment were assessed by the QPS mismatch questionnaire. Differences in work environmental conditions between the job sectors were tested with ANOVA and post hoc multiple-group analysis. The results showed that occupational therapists working in psychiatric health care perceived the highest proportion of unfavourable working conditions. Occupational therapists who worked at universities perceived a higher workload than occupational therapists in most of the other studied job sectors. These job sectors need to be specifically addressed with adjustments to prevent mental health problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Dahlbäck
- Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Medicon Village, 223 81 Lund, Sweden
| | - Carita Håkansson
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Medicon Village, 223 81 Lund, Sweden
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Håkansson C, Lexén A. The combination of psychosocial working conditions, occupational balance and sociodemographic characteristics and their associations with no or negligible stress symptoms among Swedish occupational therapists - a cross-sectional study. BMC Health Serv Res 2021; 21:471. [PMID: 34006285 PMCID: PMC8130391 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-021-06465-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The numbers of people who are on sick leave due to mental health problems, such as exhaustion disorder, are increasing in Sweden. One of the most affected groups is healthcare professionals. In order to develop preventive strategies to promote a sustainable working life for occupational therapists, there is a need to understand the associations between psychosocial working conditions, occupational balance and no or negligible stress symptoms. To the best of our knowledge, neither the combination of these factors nor the salutogenic perspective, have been taken into consideration when exploring factors associated with stress symptoms among occupational therapists in previous research. Methods Purposeful sampling was used. All currently working members of the Swedish Association of Occupational Therapists were invited to take part in the present study in 2018. The final sample was 3658 (48% response rate). A web-survey with questions about signs of exhaustion, psychosocial working conditions, occupational balance and sociodemographic characteristics was used. Logistic regression analyses were used in order to calculate associations between psychosocial working conditions, occupational balance, sociodemographic characteristics and no or negligible signs of exhaustion. Results Experiencing high occupational balance, low workload, high control, high sense of community and high justice, were associated with no or negligible stress symptoms. Furthermore, a satisfying financial situation, having children living at home, being married and long professional experience were significant in this model. Conclusions It seems important to consider not only psychosocial working conditions, but also occupational balance to prevent exhaustion disorder among occupational therapists in Sweden. Organisational programmes, which reduce the workload, strengthen the control and sense of community and facilitate occupational balance, seem to be important areas for health promotion in this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carita Håkansson
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Annika Lexén
- Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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Arvidsson I, Leo U, Oudin A, Nilsson K, Håkansson C, Österberg K, Persson R. Should I Stay or Should I Go? Associations between Occupational Factors, Signs of Exhaustion, and the Intention to Change Workplace among Swedish Principals. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:5376. [PMID: 34070059 PMCID: PMC8158094 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18105376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A high turnover among principals may disrupt the continuity of leadership and negatively affect teachers and, by extension, the students. The aim was to investigate to what extent various work environment factors and signs of exhaustion were associated with reported intentions to change workplace among principals working in compulsory schools. A web-based questionnaire was administered twice, in 2018 and in 2019. Part I of the study involved cross-sectional analyses of the associations 2018 (n = 984) and 2019 (n = 884) between occupational factors, signs of exhaustion, and the intention to change workplace, using Generalized Estimating Equations models. Part II involved 631 principals who participated in both surveys. The patterns of intended and actual changes of workplace across two years were described, together with associated changes of occupational factors and signs of exhaustion. Supportive management was associated with an intention to stay, while demanding role conflicts and the feeling of being squeezed between management and co-workers (buffer-function) were associated with the intention to change workplace. The principals who intended to change their workplace reported more signs of exhaustion. To increase retention among principals, systematic efforts are probably needed at the national, municipal, and local level, in order to improve their working conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inger Arvidsson
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-223 81 Lund, Sweden; (A.O.); (K.N.); (C.H.); (R.P.)
| | - Ulf Leo
- Centre for Principal Development, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden;
| | - Anna Oudin
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-223 81 Lund, Sweden; (A.O.); (K.N.); (C.H.); (R.P.)
- Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Kerstin Nilsson
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-223 81 Lund, Sweden; (A.O.); (K.N.); (C.H.); (R.P.)
- Department of Public Health, Kristianstad University, SE-291 88 Kristianstad, Sweden
| | - Carita Håkansson
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-223 81 Lund, Sweden; (A.O.); (K.N.); (C.H.); (R.P.)
| | - Kai Österberg
- Department of Psychology, Lund University, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden;
| | - Roger Persson
- Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-223 81 Lund, Sweden; (A.O.); (K.N.); (C.H.); (R.P.)
- Department of Psychology, Lund University, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden;
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Persson R, Leo U, Arvidsson I, Håkansson C, Nilsson K, Österberg K. Prevalence of exhaustion symptoms and associations with school level, length of work experience and gender: a nationwide cross-sectional study of Swedish principals. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:331. [PMID: 33568106 PMCID: PMC7874991 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-10317-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While poor mental health and psychiatric disorders attributed to stressful work conditions are a public health concern in many countries, the health consequences of the occupational stress experienced by school principals is an understudied issue. Although current data is lacking, some research suggests that principals have a stressful work situation that eventually may lead to burnout and exhaustion disorder, thus negatively affecting the ability of principals to function as leaders. To gauge the situation in Sweden, and as a basis for future preventive actions, we examined to what extent principals displayed signs of exhaustion and whether the prevalence rates of exhaustion differed across school levels, length of work experience as a principal, and gender. METHODS Principals (N = 2219; mean age 49 years [SD 7 years]; 78% women) working at least 50% in pre-schools, compulsory schools, upper secondary schools or adult education completed a cross-sectional web survey entailing two validated inventories: The Karolinska Exhaustion Disorder Scale (KEDS) and the Lund University Checklist for Incipient Exhaustion (LUCIE). Data was analysed using traditional non-parametric methods. Gender stratification achieved covariate balance when analysing school level and length of work experience. RESULTS Altogether, 29.0% of the principals met the exhaustion criteria in KEDS. The prevalence rates for the four LUCIE-steps of increasing signs of exhaustion were: no signs of stress, 48.8%; weak signs of stress, 25.6%; clear signs of stress but no exhaustion, 15.4%; possible exhaustion disorder, 10.2%. Compared with male principals, female principals reported more signs of possible exhaustion disorder in both LUCIE and KEDS. School level was not associated with reports of exhaustion symptoms in neither LUCIE nor KEDS. Among male principals, length of work experience was associated with exhaustion symptoms in KEDS. CONCLUSIONS A large group of Swedish principals working in pre-schools, compulsory schools, upper secondary schools or adult education displayed a symptomatology of signs of exhaustion that if sustained might lead to poor health. This observation suggests that education authorities, or other relevant stakeholders, ought to take some form of preventive action. However, effective combinations of individual, group, organisational, and/or societal preventive activities remain to be identified and tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Persson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-22185, Lund, Sweden. .,Department of Psychology, Lund University, SE-22100, Lund, Sweden. .,Centre for Medicine and Technology for Working Life and Society (Metalund), Lund, Sweden.
| | - Ulf Leo
- Centre for Principal Development, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Inger Arvidsson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-22185, Lund, Sweden.,Centre for Medicine and Technology for Working Life and Society (Metalund), Lund, Sweden
| | - Carita Håkansson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-22185, Lund, Sweden.,Centre for Medicine and Technology for Working Life and Society (Metalund), Lund, Sweden
| | - Kerstin Nilsson
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Lund University, SE-22185, Lund, Sweden.,Centre for Medicine and Technology for Working Life and Society (Metalund), Lund, Sweden.,Department of Health Sciences, Kristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden
| | - Kai Österberg
- Department of Psychology, Lund University, SE-22100, Lund, Sweden
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Tsai R, Alterman T, Grosch JW, Luckhaupt SE. Availability of and Participation in Workplace Health Promotion Programs by Sociodemographic, Occupation, and Work Organization Characteristics in US Workers. Am J Health Promot 2019; 33:1028-1038. [PMID: 31014070 DOI: 10.1177/0890117119844478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To examine how the availability of and participation in workplace health promotion programs (WHPPs) vary as a function of sociodemographic, occupation, and work organization characteristics. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING 2015 National Health Interview Survey and Occupational Health Supplement. PARTICIPANTS The study sample included 17 469 employed adults who completed the WHPP questions. MEASURES The 2 dependent outcome measures were availability of WHPPs and participation in these programs when available. Independent variables included occupation and 8 work organization and employment characteristics: company size, hours worked, supervisory responsibility, hourly pay, paid sick leave, health insurance offered by employer, work schedule, and work arrangement. ANALYSIS Poisson regression analyses were conducted with SUDAAN 11.0.1. RESULTS Overall, 57.8% of 46.6% employees who have WHPPs available reported participating in these programs. This study found that adults who worked ≤20 h/wk, worked regular night shifts, were paid by the hour, or worked for temporary agencies were less likely to participate in WHPPs. Workers who supervised others were 13% more likely to participate than nonsupervisors. Borderline associations were seen for having access to employer-sponsored health insurance and working at a site with <10 employees. CONCLUSION Despite the potential for improving physical and mental health, only 58% of US workers participated in WHPPs. Since barriers to WHPP participation (eg, time constraints, lack of awareness, and no perceived need) may vary across occupations and work organization characteristics, employers should tailor WHPPs based on their specific work organization characteristics to maximize participation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Tsai
- 1 Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluation and Field Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, OH, USA
| | - Toni Alterman
- 1 Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluation and Field Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, OH, USA
| | - James W Grosch
- 2 Division of Applied Research and Technology, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Sara E Luckhaupt
- 1 Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluation and Field Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, OH, USA
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Virtanen M. Towards sustainable work and longer working lives. Scand J Public Health 2018; 46:287-289. [DOI: 10.1177/1403494818765394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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