Insufficient time for leisure and perceived health and stress in working parents with small children

Occupational balance in parents of pre-school children: Potential differences between mothers and fathers

BACKGROUND

Parents of young children are a vulnerable group with an increased risk of stress-related health problems compared to adults without children. Low occupational balance has been identified as a risk factor for stress-related disorders.

AIM

The study aimed to describe occupational balance in parents of pre-school children and to explore potential differences between mothers and fathers.

METHOD

Data were collected by a web-based survey based on the Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ11). A total of 302 working parents (200 mothers and 102 fathers) with at least one child under seven years of age were included in the study.

FINDINGS

Mothers reported lower occupational balance than fathers with a median value of 10 for mothers and 12 for fathers (p = 0.029). Mothers rated significantly lower than fathers in three items; 'Balance between work, home, family, leisure, rest and sleep', 'Having sufficient time for doing obligatory occupations' and 'Balance between doing things for others and for oneself'.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that caring for pre-school children may negatively impact both parents, impacting mothers' occupational balance to a greater degree.

SIGNIFICANCE

Occupational therapists' knowledge could be utilised to increase awareness of the importance of occupational balance within health services and improve mothers' occupational balance.

Assessment of Perceived Health Status and Access to Health Service during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Survey in Italy

(1) Background: The aims of this survey were to assess the perceived health status and to evaluate the use of healthcare services during the pandemic period. (2) Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted from May to October 2021 in the Campania and Calabria regions, Southern Italy. The sample was selected among 655 subjects attending vaccination or primary care physician clinics. (3) Results: More than half (57.2%) of the respondents were female, the mean age was 49 years (range 19-97), and 61.3% had at least one chronic disease. Among the respondents, 56.3% declared that they had accessed healthcare at least once during the pandemic and, among all respondents who did not access healthcare, 23.2% gave reasons related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two scores obtained from the Short-Form-12 Health Survey (SF-12), physical health summary (PCS) and mental health summary (MCS), had a means of 48.4 and 45.9, respectively. Among the respondents, 2.3% of respondents considered their health poor, 43.1% good and 6.4% excellent. (4) Conclusions: Our results suggest the need to ensure, in similar health emergency situations, a quick response from the National Health System so that ordinary medical assistance activities can be guaranteed in full safety, avoiding the risk of missed access or lack of assistance.

The influence of risk perception for COVID-19 pandemic on posttraumatic stress disorder in healthcare workers: A survey from four designated hospitals

The aim of current study was to investigate risk perception of COVID‐19 pandemic, sleep quality and time change of leisure activity and their correlations with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in healthcare workers (HCWs) from four designated hospitals in China. Medical staffs (n = 317) from three designated hospitals in Guangdong Province and one designated hospital in Guangxi Province were surveyed on their demographic information, sleep quality and time change of leisure activity, risk perception of pandemic and PTSD symptoms (by using PTSD checklist for DSM‐5 (PCL‐5)). Hierarchical regression and structural equation model (SEM) were used to examine the correlated factors of PTSD. The prevalence of high level of PTSD symptoms (PCL‐5 > =33, a probable diagnosis of PTSD) was 10.7%. Regression analysis found that risk perception (dread: β = 0.142, p < 0.01; familiarity: β = 0.203, p < 0.01), sleep quality (β = 0.250, p < 0.001), time change of leisure activity (β = −0.179, p < 0.01), were independently correlated with PTSD severity, which was further confirmed by SEM. Locations of COVID‐19‐related hazards were significant different in cognitive map of risk perception between groups with high and low levels of PTSD symptoms. Risk perception of COVID‐19 pandemic influenced PTSD symptoms in HCWs. Adequate time for leisure activity and good sleep quality protected some HCWs against PTSD symptoms under the influence of pandemic. More researches were warranted to understand the path from pre‐factors of risk perception to its psychological consequences among HCWs.

Overwhelmed by Emotional Job Demands in High Vigor Days! Its Detrimental Effects on Daily Recovery from Work among Health-Care Workers

The objective of this study is twofold: first, to analyze whether the daily level of energy in terms of vigor at work could explain the way in which workers psychologically detach from their work, relax, practice challenging activities, and have the feeling of having control over their leisure time when arriving home. Second, to check if the daily emotional job demands could hinder that relationship, reversing the positive effect of vigor in recovery. For this purpose, a multilevel study with a diary methodology was designed. In total, 94 nurses from various hospital and primary care centers in Madrid and Basque Country (Spain) participated in this study. They completed daily questionnaires twice a day (in the afternoon after work and at night before going to bed) for five consecutive workdays from Monday to Friday (N = 94*5 = 470). The results revealed that on days that vigor at work was high, nurses experienced more psychological detachment, relaxation, feelings of mastery, and time control at home. Moreover, on days that emotional job demands were high, vigor was more negatively related to psychological detachment and time control at home. Additionally, vigor was more positively related to all recovery experiences at home in days that emotional demands were low. Therefore, daily vigor can act as an energy resource that helps the worker to recover. However, this effect can occur in situations in which stressors are not present in high intensity. These results have clear practical implications for both health organizations and workers.

Variation, companionship and manageability important for recovery during working hours: A qualitative focus group study

BACKGROUND

Lack of recovery from everyday strains and demands is connected to increased levels of stress-related problems and development of ill-health. There is much research on how to handle and prevent fatigue and stress in leisure time, but research on working time is more scarce. A recent study found that employees' experience of recovery during working hours was related to high self-rated health.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to explore the concept of recovery during working hours among primary health care workers.

METHODS

Eight focus groups with 50 staff members, men and women, from different professions were conducted in the primary health care sector in southern Sweden. The analysis was inspired by systematic text condensation, a strategy for qualitative analysis.

RESULTS

Three main categories were identified as important factors for experiencing recovery during working hours: variation (including changes in location, tasks and tempo) companionship (including helpfulness, appreciation, social chat and laughter) and manageability (including completion, satisfaction, influence, control and reflection).

CONCLUSIONS

Recovery during working hours is multifaceted. The categories identified in this study will be further elaborated and tested.

Moms in medicine: Job satisfaction among physician-mothers in obstetrics and gynecology

BACKGROUND

Physician satisfaction is linked to positive patient outcomes. Mothers form an increasing fraction of the obstetrics and gynecology (ob/gyn) workforce.

OBJECTIVE

Define factors that affect physician satisfaction among ob/gyn physicians who are also mothers.

METHODS

We constructed and validated a Redcap survey and invited members of online ob/gyn-mom groups to participate. Characteristics of participants' professional and personal lives were evaluated for possible association with the satisfaction outcomes. Comparison testing was performed using Chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test for categorical variables, Student's t-test for parametric variables, and Wilcoxon Rank-Sum test for non-parametric variables.

RESULTS

Responses were received from 232 participants. A majority reported being unsatisfied with their time to spend with children (66%), partner (70%), and on personal hobbies/activites (75%). Eighty-percent rate professional morale as very/somewhat positive. Women who rated their morale as very/somewhat positive worked fewer hours per week than women with neutral/negative responses (43.6 vs 49.7, p = 0.01). Women with positive morale were also less likely to work over 50 h/week (39.5% vs 56.8%, p = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Ob/gyn physician-mothers have high professional morale but are dissatisfied with time for extra-professional activities. Longer clinical hours correlate with dissatisfaction based on several measurements.

Occupational imbalance and the role of perceived stress in predicting stress-related disorders

BACKGROUND

Stress-related disorders are the main reason for sick leave in many European countries. The aim of the present study was to explore whether perceived occupational imbalance predicts stress-related disorders, potential gender differences, and to explore the mediating role of perceived stress.

METHOD

Longitudinal data on 2223 employees in a public organization in Sweden were collected by surveys, and analyzed by logistic regression.

RESULTS

Occupational imbalance predicted stress-related disorders among both women and men. However, what aspects of occupational imbalance which predicted stress-related disorders differ by gender. Perceived stress was not a mediator in these associations.

CONCLUSION AND SIGNIFICANCE

How women and men perceived their occupational balance affected the risk of stress-related disorders. The results may be used to develop effective strategies to decrease stress-related disorders.