Occupational Stress and Employees Complete Mental Health: A Cross-Cultural Empirical Study

The interaction of occupational stress and job burnout on depressive symptoms in railway workers in Fuzhou city

BACKGROUND

To explore the relationship between occupational stress, burnout and depressive symptoms among railroad workers in Fuzhou, and to analyze the interaction of burnout and occupational stress on depressive symptoms.

METHODS

In this study, 861 railway employees of Fuzhou railway bureau were randomly selected from January to April, 2022. Occupational stress inventory revised edition (OSI-R), China job burnout inventory (CMBI) and Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) were used to investigate the occupational stress, job burnout and depressive symptoms of railway workers. Interactions associated with depressive symptoms were assessed by linear hierarchical regression analysis and SPSS macros (PROCESS).

RESULTS

Occupational stress, job burnout and depressive symptoms accounted for 50.58%, 93.47%, and 11.19% of the study population, respectively. There were intergroup differences between age, marriage status, and length of service (P < 0.05). Occupational stress and job burnout are the main risk factors for depressive symptoms (OR: 2.01, 95% CI: 1.17-3.45; 1.94, 1.69-2.23, respectively). More importantly, further analysis of the interaction between occupational stress and job burnout showed that those with high levels of job burnout had a high-risk effect on depressive symptoms at high levels of occupational stress.

CONCLUSION

Occupational stress and job burnout are risk factors for depressive symptoms among railroad workers in Fuzhou City. The interaction of job burnout and occupational stress increases the risk of depressive symptoms.

Correlation analysis between occupational stress and metabolic syndrome in workers of a petrochemical enterprise: based on two assessment models of occupational stress

BACKGROUND

Occupational stress is becoming a common phenomenon around the world. Being in a high occupational stress state for a long time may destroy the metabolic balance of the body, thereby increasing the risk of metabolic diseases. There is limited evidence regarding the correlation between occupational stress and metabolic syndrome (MetS), particularly in the petrochemical workers.

METHODS

A total of 1683 workers of a petrochemical enterprise in China were included in the survey by cluster sampling method. The occupational stress assessment was carried out by the Job Content Questionnaire and the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire, and the general demographic characteristics, work characteristics, occupational hazards, lifestyle and health examination data of the participants were collected. Logistic regression and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the correlations and influencing factors between occupational stress and its dimensions with MetS and its components.

RESULTS

A total of 1683 questionnaires were sent out, and 1608 were effectively collected, with an effective recovery rate of 95.54%. The detection rates of occupational stress in Job Demand-Control (JDC) and Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) models were 28.4% and 27.2%, respectively. In this study, 257 participants (16.0%) were diagnosed with MetS. Compared with the non-MetS group, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), triglycerides (TG) and fasting blood-glucose (FBG) levels were significantly higher in the MetS group, and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were significantly lower (P < 0.001). The results of multiple linear regression showed that after adjusting for nation, marital status, education, work system, smoking and drinking, and further adjusting for occupational hazards, the D/C ratio was significantly negatively correlated with SBP in the JDC model. Social support was negatively correlated with WC. In the ERI model, there was a significant positive correlation between over-commitment and FBG.

CONCLUSIONS

The detection rates of occupational stress and MetS were high in workers of a petrochemical enterprise. In the JDC model, occupational stress was negatively correlated with SBP, and social support was negatively correlated with WC. In the ERI model, there was a significantly positive correlation between over-commitment and FBG.

Climate anxiety, environmental attitude, and job engagement among nursing university colleagues: a multicenter descriptive study

BACKGROUND

Climate change, a pervasive global phenomenon, exerts discernible impacts on the physical, social, and psychological dimensions of well-being. The apprehension surrounding this complex environmental issue has reached a critical juncture, with over 76,000 individuals across more than thirty nations expressing profound levels of concern, characterizing their anxiety as either "very" or "extremely" pronounced. This surge in awareness regarding the potential consequences of climate change has given rise to an emergent and escalating challenge known as climate anxiety. This distinctive form of anxiety manifests through profound feelings of fear, helplessness, and despair elicited by the impending repercussions of climate change. Notably, the intersection of climate anxiety with occupational domains, particularly within the context of Nursing University Colleagues, suggests a nuanced relationship with job engagement, wherein the psychological responses to climate change may influence professional commitment and involvement.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To examine the correlation among Climate Anxiety, Environmental Attitude, and Job Engagement among Nursing University Colleagues comprising eight distinct nursing faculties.

DESIGN

A multicenter descriptive, cross-sectional research design study followed.

SUBJECT

Three hundred fifty-nine participants from the Centre, Delta, West, Suez Canal, and Upper regions of Egypt using a stratified random cluster sampling technique.

MEASUREMENTS

Social and health related to climate data structured questionnaire, climate anxiety scale, environmental attitude inventory, and job engagement scale.

RESULTS

The influence of demographics on climate anxiety, environmental attitude, and job involvement was not observed. Nevertheless, geographical variations emerged as a noteworthy factor. A statistically significant inverse correlation was identified between climate anxiety, job engagement dimensions, and the overall score of environmental attitudes.

CONCLUSION

Climate anxiety was strongly associated with environmental attitudes and job engagement among nursing university colleagues. Higher climate anxiety is associated with a lower attitude towards the environment and decreased job engagement. Additionally, a higher attitude towards the environment is associated with decreased overall engagement in participants' jobs.

IMPLICATIONS

The study's patterns make it clear how important it is to provide targeted psycho-educational interventions to help reduce climate anxiety among the group of nursing university colleagues. The imperative lies not only in alleviating the immediate psychological distress associated with heightened climate anxiety but also in fostering adaptive coping mechanisms. By doing so, these interventions serve as instrumental tools in nurturing resilience, thereby fortifying the mental well-being of nursing professionals amidst the evolving landscape of climate-related concerns.

The effects of resourcefulness-based instrumental reminiscence therapy on psychological adjustment in nursing home residents: a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Older adults do not always adapt successfully to nursing homes. Learning resourcefulness and instrumental reminiscence may contribute to the psychological adjustment made by nursing home residents. How both attributes can be combined to enhance residents' adjustment remains unclear.

OBJECTIVES

This study examined the effects of resourcefulness-based instrumental reminiscence therapy (RBIRT) on psychological adjustment, learned resourcefulness, self-efficacy, social support and quality of life (QoL) of nursing home residents.

METHODS

A randomised, controlled, assessor-blinded, parallel-arm trial was conducted between January 2022 and February 2023 in Fujian, China, with 120 participants (intervention = 60, comparison = 60) from two separate nursing homes. The intervention group participants received a 6-week RBIRT, involving Reminiscence Interview, Emotional Venting, Reconstruction Strategies, Planning for the Future and Strengthening Support. The control group participants received routine institutional care. Participants were assessed using the Nursing Home Adjustment Scale, Resourcefulness Scale, General Self-efficacy Scale, Perceived Social Support Scale and the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey. Outcomes were evaluated at baseline (T0), immediately post intervention (T1) and at 1-month (T2) and 3-months (T3) post-intervention.

RESULTS

Participants in the intervention group showed significant improvement in 'psychological adjustment,' 'learned resourcefulness,' 'self-efficacy,' 'social support' and 'QoL-mental health dimension' compared to the control group (P < 0.001). These effects were sustained at the 1- and 3-month follow-ups.

CONCLUSIONS

Innovative RBIRT improved psychological adjustment, learned resourcefulness, self-efficacy, social support and mental health-related QoL among nursing home residents.

Investigating the effects of stress on achievement: BIOSTRESS dataset

The effects of chronic stress on academic and professional achievement can have a substantial impact. This relationship is highlighted through a dataset that includes questionnaires and physiological data from a group of individuals. The questionnaire data of 48 individuals, the physiological data of 20 individuals during sessions with a psychologist, and the exam data of 8 individuals were analyzed. The questionnaire data collected includes demographic information and scores on the TOAD stress scale. Physiological data was captured using the Empatica e4, a wearable device, which measured various signals such as blood volume pulse, electrodermal activity, body temperature, interbeat intervals, heart rate, and 3-axis accelerometer data. These measurements were taken under different stress conditions, both high and low, during therapy sessions and an exam respectively. Overall, this study significantly contributes to our understanding of how stress affects achievement. By providing a large dataset consisting of questionnaires and physiological data, this research helps researchers gain a better understanding of the complex relationship between stress and achievement. It also enables them to develop innovative strategies for managing stress and enhancing academic and professional success.

Comparison between Standard Expository Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT-E) and Immersive Virtual Reality CBT (CBT-VR) for Rehabilitation of Patients Affected by Occupational Stress Disorders: Study Protocol

Work-related stress presents a significant impact on work performance and physical health. It has been associated with the onset of a multitude of symptoms that can lead to occupational stress diseases, namely Adjustment Disorder and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The literature has evidenced that "exposure therapy" of cognitive-behavioral training (CBT-E) seems to be the most effective technique to manage stress symptoms, including work stress diseases, and several studies have considered Virtual Reality (VR) as an adjuvant tool to exposure-based psychotherapy (CBT-VR) for the treatment of multiple psychiatric disorders. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of CBT with exposure to stressful work scenarios in imaginative (CBT-E) and in immersive virtual reality (CBT-VR) scenarios in a group of workers affected by work-related stress disorders and compare the clinical and physiological outcomes between the two exposure techniques. A long-term goal would be to develop an evidence-based rehabilitation program as a treatment for the reintegration into work of patients affected by these psychiatric disorders.

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

Background

A 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 methods

A 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.

Results

The 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.

Conclusion

The 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.

The Association between Occupational Stress and Mental Health among Chinese Soccer Referees in the Early Stage of Reopening Soccer Matches during the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak: A Moderated Mediation Model

BACKGROUND

The sudden and unpredictable changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are a serious threat to the occupational stress and mental health of referees worldwide, which has not attracted widespread attention. The mental health of football referees has a certain influence on their job satisfaction or the accuracy of judgments.

METHODS

This study constructed a moderated mediation model to explore the buffer factors between occupational stress and mental health in Chinese soccer referees in the early stage of reopening soccer matches during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. Data from 317 Chinese soccer referees (aged 19-45) were collected through an online questionnaire in September-October 2022. Occupational stress, mental health, job burnout and perceived social support were measured, and moderated mediation model was analyzed.

RESULTS

The results of this study showed that occupational stress was negatively correlated with mental health through the mediating effect of job burnout and the moderated effect of perceived social support after controlling for demographic variables. Specifically, the association between occupational stress and mental health was weaker when perceived social support was higher and stronger.

CONCLUSIONS

The results demonstrate that job burnout and perceived social support played important roles in buffering the negative effects of occupational stress on the mental health of Chinese soccer referees in the early stage of reopening soccer matches during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. The findings provide implications for mental health interventions in soccer referees during the public health crises.

Association of psychological symptoms with job burnout and occupational stress among coal miners in Xinjiang, China: A cross-sectional study

Objective

The study aimed to investigate the influencing factors of psychological symptoms in relation to job burnout and occupational stress among coal miners in Xinjiang, so as to provide data support for enterprises in an effort to help them identify internal psychological risk factors and improve the mental health of coal miners.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out. A total of 12 coal mines were selected using the stratified cluster random sampling method and 4,109 coal miners were investigated by means of online electronic questionnaires. The Symptoms Check List-90 (SCL-90), Chinese Maslach Burnout Inventory (CMBI), and Job Demand-Control (JDC) model were respectively used to measure the status of psychological symptoms, job burnout, and occupational stress among coal miners. The mediation analysis was performed through structural equation modeling (SEM) by using Analysis of Moment Structure (AMOS).

Results

The prevalence of psychological symptoms was higher in the occupational stress group than in the non-occupational stress group, and increased with job burnout (P < 0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis results showed that mild (OR = 1.401, 95% CL: 1.165, 1.685), moderate (OR = 2.190, 95% CL: 1.795, 2.672), or severe levels of burnout (OR = 6.102, 95% CL: 3.481, 10.694) and occupational stress (OR = 1.462, 95% CL: 1.272, 1.679) were risk factors for psychological symptoms in coal miners. The results of structural equation modeling indicated that occupational stress (β = 0.11, P = 0.002) and job burnout (β = 0.46, P = 0.002) had significant positive direct effects on psychological symptoms, and job burnout was an intermediate variable between occupational stress and psychological symptoms.

Conclusion

High levels of job burnout and occupational stress were risk factors for psychological symptoms. Both occupational stress and job burnout had direct effects on psychological symptoms, and occupational stress could also have an indirect effect on coal miners' psychological symptoms through the intermediate variable of job burnout.

Factor Analysis and Mental Health Prevention of Employee Turnover under the Profit-Centered Development of Modern Service Industry

Recently, the employee turnover rate of the modern service industry has continued to increase, leading to a decline in the service quality, customer turnover, and an increase in human costs. Meanwhile, fierce competition and enterprises' internal pressure have brought great psychological trauma to employees and affected their mental health. Understanding and finding out the factors that affect employees' resignations are the solutions to employees' mental health problems. The research innovation lies in building a relationship model between turnover intention, psychological contract, and job satisfaction; analyzing the influence mechanism and interaction of various variables in the model; and providing reference and thinking for the service industry to solve the problem of excessive turnover of employees. Besides, the questionnaire design and investigation are carried out, and 60 front-line employees of a service company are selected as the research objects. The results show that the overall internal consistency coefficient of SCL-90 is 0.96, and the overall consistency coefficient is directly proportional to the scale's reliability. The validity coefficient of SCL-90 is 0.79, which has good compatibility validity. Moreover, the correlation coefficient between the psychological contract and turnover intention is 0.621, and the Sig value is 0.00. The correlation coefficient between job satisfaction and turnover intention is −0.663, and the Sig value is 0.00. The psychological contract is positively correlated with turnover intention, and job satisfaction is negatively correlated with turnover intention. After the standard dance experiment, the P values of psychological indicators such as somatization, interpersonal relationship, depression, anxiety, and psychosis factors of employees in the control and experimental groups are all less than 0.05, indicating a significant correlation. Therefore, through 12 weeks of standard dance practice, all psychological indicators of the experimental group are significantly improved. However, the change results of the terror factor and paranoia factor are P > 0.05, showing no significant difference. After the standard dance experiment, there is a significant difference between the control and experimental groups in mental health factors, but no significant difference in terror and paranoia factors. This study has significant reference value for the prevention of employee turnover and mental health.

Unsafe and Unsettling: An Integrative Review on Correctional Nursing Work Environments and Stressors

BACKGROUND

Stress remains a major occupational hazard among nurses. As the United States maintains the largest correctional system in the world, little is understood regarding the occupational stress of correctional nurses and how that stress impacts their overall health and well-being.

QUESTION ADDRESSED

What are the occupational/environmental stressors and professional burnout factors experienced by correctional nurses?

REVIEW METHODS

Guided by Whittemore and Knafl's methodology, an integrative review was conducted using online databases of Scopus, CINAHL, NIOSH-tic, and PubMed in July of 2021 for peer-reviewed articles ever published internationally. Key concepts of "correctional health nursing" and "occupational stress" were used in our search.

REVIEW RESULTS

One hundred fifty-two articles were identified. Eleven articles met eligibility criteria and were included in this review. Three key themes emerged: conflict , fear , and demands .

DISCUSSION

Conflict arose from ethical and relational issues among coworkers, management, and incarcerated patients. Fear stemmed from physical safety concerns and workplace violence, whereas demands involved high workloads paired with a lack of organizational support. Findings revealed evidence on the unique occupational environment of correctional nursing professionals that impacted levels of stress and burnout across all types of correctional settings (e.g., jails and prisons).

IMPLICATIONS

Better assessment and consistent evaluation of the health and well-being of correctional nurses and their correctional nursing environments are needed. Additional resources to reduce stress, along with ensuring policies that mitigate ethical challenges, workplace violence, and bullying, may promote professional and safe workspaces.

Assessing population-level stress through glucocorticoid hormone monitoring in wastewater

Stress is oftentimes overlooked in societies, despite its life-threatening impact. Here, we assessed the feasibility of measuring endogenous stress hormones to estimate population-level stress by wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE). Two primary glucocorticoids, cortisol and cortisone, were monitored in wastewater by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), to assess changes in these physiological markers of stress in a student population (n = 26,000 ± 7100) on a university campus in the southwestern U.S. Daily composite samples were collected for seven consecutive days each month during the Fall (Autumn) 2017 and Spring 2018 academic semesters (n = 134). Reproducible weekly patterns were seen in stress hormone excretion, with the highest levels occurring on Mondays (124 ± 44 μg d^-1 per person) and Tuesdays (127 ± 54 μg d^-1 per person) and the lowest on Sundays (87 ± 32 μg d^-1 per person). Stress levels on weekdays (defined by class schedules Monday-Thursday) were significantly higher than on weekends (p < 0.05). During both Fall and Spring semesters, per person stress levels of these hormones were significantly higher (p < 0.05) during the first two months of each semester, 162 ± 28 μg d^-1 per person (August), 104 ± 29 μg d^-1 per person (September), 180 ± 14 μg d^-1 per person (January), and 114 ± 54 μg d^-1 per person (February) than in the remaining measured weeks in the semester, including finals week captured in both semesters. Overall Spring semester stress levels (113 ± 45 μg d^-1 per person) were significantly higher than the Fall (94 ± 42 μg d^-1 per person), p < 0.01. This study is the first to demonstrate the utility of endogenous biomarkers, specifically glucocorticoid hormones, to monitor population health status (in this instance community stress) in near real-time by wastewater assessments.

Workload and job satisfaction among Austrian pediatricians: gender and generational aspects

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate different factors that may contribute to workload and job satisfaction among Austrian pediatricians.

METHODS

We conducted an online survey with 16 questions and performed statistical analyses.

RESULTS

Of 375 participating pediatricians, 61% were female, 39% male, 61% clinicians, 21% panel doctors and 12% private doctors. Overall, job satisfaction was moderate (6 ± 2.4 on a positive scale of 0-10). Higher working hours (p = 0.014) and higher patient numbers (p = 0.000) were significantly associated with lower job satisfaction. Lowest satisfaction was described for administrative or other nonmedical work. Lack of time for patient consultation was also correlated with poor satisfaction. Pediatricians older than 65 years reported the highest job satisfaction whereas pediatricians between 55 and 65 years and younger than 36 years showed the lowest scores. Although male pediatricians worked significantly more often more than 40 h per week than females (75% vs. 53%, p = 0.000), female pediatricians were less satisfied about the proportion of administrative (p = 0.015) and other nonmedical work (p = 0.014).

CONCLUSION

New working models considering less workload, particularly less nonmedical work and intensified collaboration between pediatric clinicians and practitioners are needed to allow more available time per patient, to increase job satisfaction and thus to raise attractivity for pediatric primary care.

Relationship between Psychological Distress, Basic Psychological Needs, Anxiety, Mental Pressure, and Athletic Burnout of Chinese College Football Athletes during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 poses a significant threat to mental health, which may lead to psychological stress in a number of individuals. Athlete burnout is a common psychological phenomenon that has a negative influence on their sports career. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between psychological distress and athletic burnout among Chinese college football athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the mediating role of basic psychological needs, anxiety and mental pressure. In an online cross-sectional survey conducted in February 2022, the team coaches sent an electronic questionnaire to college football athletes. Participants completed questionnaires on relevant variables. Pearson correlation analysis and mediation effect analysis were carried out by using SPSS software and its plug-in process V3.3. The study included 672 participants and the results showed that: (1) psychological distress, basic psychological needs, anxiety, mental pressure and athletic burnout were significantly pairwise correlated, (2) mental pressure, anxiety and basic psychological needs play a mediating role between psychological distress and athletic burnout respectively, and (3) basic psychological needs and anxiety, basic psychological needs and mental pressure, anxiety and mental pressure, as well as mental pressure, anxiety and basic psychological needs respectively play a chain mediating role between psychological distress and athletic burnout. In conclusion, psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important factor leading to athletic burnout among Chinese college football athletes and may further affect the level of athletic burnout through basic psychological needs, anxiety and mental pressure. The government and schools should strengthen the recognition of these factors in order to improve the situation of athletic burnout among Chinese college football athletes.

The mediating role of work-family conflicts in the association between work ability and depression among Egyptian civil workers

BACKGROUND

Work ability and work-family conflicts (total-WFCs) were associated with the risk of depression among the working population.

METHODS

We recruited 3104 Egyptian civil workers between October 2019 and January 2020. The Work Ability Index (WAI), Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) and Midlife Development in the United States questionnaires were used to collect the data. Following Baron and Kenny criteria, the mediation effect of total-WFCs on the association between WAI and CES-D scores was tested by multivariable linear regression models.

RESULTS

Findings revealed a high prevalence of depressive symptoms (CES-D score ≥ 16) among Egyptian civil servants (43.4%). There were negative relationships between WAI score and both CES-D score (B = -0.70, P < 0.001) and total-WFCs score (B = -0.22, P < 0.001). Moreover, WAI score was still significantly associated with CES-D score after controlling for total-WFCs score (B = -0.40, P < 0.001) that suggests partial mediation. We estimated that ~44%, 38% and 20% of the total effect of work ability on the risk of depressive symptoms were mediated by total-WFCs, family-to-work conflict and work-to-family conflict, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions aiming for mitigation total-WFCs can help improve employees' mental health and reduce the risk of impaired work ability-related depression.

Three Mental Health Symptoms of Frontline Medical Staff Associated With Occupational Stressors During the COVID-19 Peak Outbreak in China: The Mediation of Perceived Stress and the Moderation of Social Support

The outbreak of COVID-19 epidemic has increased work demands for medical staff and has a certain impact on their mental health. The present study aimed to examine the role of perceived stress and social support in explaining the association between the occupational stressors and three mental health symptoms (i.e., anxiety, depression, and insomnia) of frontline medical staff. Five hundred twenty five frontline medical staff were investigated online after the outbreak of the COVID-19 (16 February, 2020-2 March, 2020) in China. The results found that the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and insomnia among frontline medical staff were 39.8, 29.9, and 37.9%, respectively. Occupational stressors were associated with anxiety, depression, and insomnia symptoms. Perceived stress significantly mediated this link. Social support moderated the second half of the indirect effect of occupational stressors on anxiety and depression symptoms. Under the epidemic situation of COVID-19, for frontline medical staff, high perceived stress and low social support may increase vulnerability for mental health symptoms triggered by occupational stressors. Thus, improving the social support and promoting the cognitive reappraisal of perceived stress may help to maintain mental health among medical staff.

Do Autistic Traits Correlate with Post-Traumatic Stress and Mood Spectrum Symptoms among Workers Complaining of Occupational Stress?

The adult autism subthreshold spectrum model appears to be a useful tool for detecting possible vulnerability factors in order to develop mental disorders in the contest of work-related stress. The aim of the present study is to analyze the relationship between autism, mood, and post-traumatic spectrum in a cohort of subjects complaining of work-related stress before the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors carried out a retrospective investigation of both medical records and self-assessment tools of a sample of subjects evaluated at the Occupational Health Department of a University hospital in central Italy. Data showed significant correlations between the AdAS spectrum, TALS-SR, and MOODS total and domain scores. A multiple linear regression evidenced that both the AdAS spectrum and TAL-SR significantly predict the MOODS scores. In particular, mediation analysis showed both a direct and indirect, mediated by TALS-SR, effect of the AdAS Spectrum on the MOODS-SR. These results corroborate the role of autistic traits in influencing the traumatic impact of work-related stress and the development of mood spectrum symptoms.

Correlation between Frequency of Eating Out of Home and Dietary Intake, Sleep, and Physical Activity: A Survey of Young CDC Employees in China

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the correlation between the frequency of eating out of home and dietary intake, sleep, and physical activity among young employees from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in China. Methods: Using the cluster sampling method, 6099 employees aged 40 years or below from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 32 provinces in China were interviewed using an online questionnaire survey. The frequency of eating out of home, dietary intake, sleep, and physical activity of all participants was described, and correlation analysis was used to study the relationships between eating out of home frequency and related indicators. Results: A total of 5353 valid questionnaires were collected with the recovery rate of 87.77%. The results show that 85.8% of participants eat out of home one to five times per week, 10.1% eat out of home more than six times, and 4.1% never eat out. Correlation analysis showed that eating out of home is negatively correlated with a daily vegetable and fruit intake. The lower the intake of vegetables and fruits, the more obvious this tendency. Eating out of home is positively correlated with a daily intake of meat as well as a weekly intake of aquatic products. The higher the intake of meat and aquatic products, the more obvious this tendency. There was a negative correlation between eating out of home and sleep duration and physical activity. The lower the duration of sleep and physical activity, the more obvious this tendency. Conclusions: Based on existing survey data, young employees from the CDC eat out of home regularly, which may affect dietary intake, sleep, and physical activity. Targeted health education programs are urgently needed to assist in the promotion of a healthy lifestyle and reduce the potential risk of chronic disease.

Negative emotional status and influencing factors among young employees in center of disease control and prevention

BACKGROUND

Negative emotions among employees have become a public problem that increase the risk of developing the disease and accelerate its progression. This study aimed to investigate the status and influencing factors of negative emotions among young employees in center of disease control and prevention.

METHODS

Participants included 6099 employees aged 40 or below in center of disease control and prevention (CDC) of 32 province of China were interviewed by online questionnaire survey. The emotional conditions of anxiety and depression, and their influencing factors were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 5353 valid questionnaires were collected with the recovery rate of 87.77%. 2871 cases of young employees had different degrees of negative emotions at work, accounting for about 53.60%. Regression analysis showed that gender, professional title, educational level, job satisfaction, chronic diseases, daily sleep duration, average weekly overtime, physical activity time, and sugary beverage intake were the influencing factors of negative emotions (P < 0.05). Male, primary and below, never working overtime and daily physical activity time more than 30 min were protective factors for negative emotions (OR vale were 0.79, 0.68, 0.39 and 0.63, respectively, P < 0.05). Bachelor degree or above, poor job satisfaction, chronic disease, daily sleep duration less than 8 h and drinking one to three sugary drinks a week were the risk factors for negative emotion (OR vale were1.21, 4.32, 2.16, 2.75 and 1.20, respectively, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Due to the influence of work pressure, lifestyle, chronic diseases and other factors, young employees in CDC have a certain degree of negative emotions at work, which should be paid enough attention. Meanwhile, corresponding measures should be taken according to the influencing factors to reduce the occurrence of negative emotions.

Development of a Conceptual Model of Occupational Stress for Athletic Directors in Sport Contexts

Previous studies have reported that occupational stress is a determinant risk factor for both chronic diseases and job performance among organizational leaders. Every occupation has its own culture and occupational climate influencing organizations within the industries. Thus, due to the idiosyncratic features inherent in sports, athletic directors may experience different occupational stressors. To date, there has been no comprehensive review of the occupational stress in athletic director contexts. Thus, based on the literature on both occupational stress and sport leadership, this study proposes a conceptual framework of occupational stress in sport leadership. The model identifies the five higher-order themes of occupational stressors and their associations with the first-level outcomes of individuals and the second-level outcomes of organizations. It also includes the two higher-order moderators of personal and organizational factors. It is hoped that this initiative can invoke interest in this topic to provide health-enhancing environments for athletic directors and quality sport services to society.

The relationship between occupational stress, mental health and work ability of coal chemical workers in Xinjiang

OBJECTIVE

To understand the current working ability of coal chemical workers in Xinjiang, and analyze the impact of occupational stress, mental disorders, and their interaction on work ability. To provide a scientific basis for improving the working ability and quality of life of coal chemical workers.

METHODS

In this study, a stratified random sampling method was used to conduct a questionnaire survey of 1,400 workers in six coal mining enterprises from June to December 2019. The Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire (ERI), the Symptoms Checklist 90 (SCL-90), and the Work Ability Index Scale (WAI) were used to evaluate the level of occupational stress, mental disorders, and the ability to work as coal chemical workers.

RESULTS

The results showed that WAI scores had statistically significant differences between gender, age, length of service, shift, education, marital status, and monthly income (P < 0.05). The ability to work and its dimensions were inversely correlated with occupational stress, and mental disorders (P < 0.001). Occupational stress and mental disorders are risk factors affecting the ability to work. Workers with high occupational stress^* mental disorders (OR = 10.666, 95% CI: 6.443-17.658) are 10.666 times more likely to be at risk for developing poor work ability than low occupational stress^* no mental disorders. Structural equation models show that occupational stress and mental health conditions had a direct impact on work ability, and mental health conditions were the mediators of the relationship between occupational stress and work ability.

CONCLUSION

Occupational stress, mental disorders, and their interaction are risk factors affecting the ability of coal chemical workers to work. Occupational stress can indirectly affect the ability to work through mental health conditions.

A multilevel analysis of the role personality play between work organization conditions and psychological distress

BACKGROUND

Psychological distress in the workplace is usually attributed to work-related variables as well as non-work-related variables. Individuals working in the same organization can differ in terms of their appraisal of work-related stressors and coping strategies used to face them. The present study aims to evaluate the moderating role personality plays between work organizations conditions and psychological distress in a large sample of Canadian participants working in various occupations and workplaces.

METHODS

Multilevel regression analyses were conducted on a sample that followed a hierarchical structure with workers (N1 = 1958) nested in workplaces (N2 = 63). The direct contribution of workplace and personality was tested in a variance component model as a first step. Following this initial step, we introduced interaction variables by blocks of 11. Those interaction variables refer to each interaction combined with a specific personality variable.

RESULTS

Psychological demands, number of hours worked, job insecurity, neuroticism, and agreeableness were associated with higher levels of psychological distress. Inversely, decision authority, job recognition, self-esteem, locus of control were associated with lower levels of psychological distress. Lastly, agreeableness played a moderating role between low social support garnered from one's supervisor and psychological distress.

CONCLUSIONS

To intervene on work-related variables, organizations could reduce psychological demands, minimize the number of hours worked through job redesign, allow teleworking and encourage work schedule flexibility. To reduce job insecurity, organizations could explicitly communicate future organizational plans. In the same vein, decision authority could be targeted by reducing hierarchical steps and increasing autonomy. Lastly, the results pertaining to agreeableness stand in contrast with those of previous studies. We assumed that workers scoring high on agreeableness tend to put themselves last and please others first. These tendencies could make them more susceptible to health issues. With that said, work environments still need workers who are agreeable and nice to be around. To prevent high levels of agreeableness leading to psychological distress, training and information workshops are recommended. Those include stress management interventions and workshops pertaining to time management and relaxation techniques.

Research on psychological stress and mental health of medical staff in COVID-19 prevention and control

BACKGROUND

The characteristics of COVID-19, such as the long incubation period, the fast transmission speed, the high demand for treatment, and the lack of prior treatment experience, have brought tremendous psychological stress to the medical staff involved in the epidemic prevention and control, seriously affecting the mental health of medical staff. Therefore, this paper conducts a discussion on the psychological stress and mental health of medical staff.

METHODS

(1)Interview 28 medical staff fighting against COVID-19 from Wuhan Central Hospital and Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese medicine. They have worked as doctors in mental health departments, surgery departments and emergency departments, nurses and management staffs; (2)Based on interviews and literature, the questionnaire survey is conducted among 528 medical personnel from all over the country who have participated in the fight against COVID-19 in Wuhan; (3)Use the structural equation modeling to explore the influence mechanism of medical staff's psychological stress and mental health in the prevention and control of COVID-19. Results: The epidemic severity in hospital and the work intensity are the important psychological stressors for the front-line medical staff. Self-risk perception has a mediating effect on the severity of epidemic in hospitals and mental health of medical staff. Social identification has no moderating effect between the self-risk perception and the mental health.

Research on the Effects of Occupational Stress and the DRD2 Gene on the Psychological Health of Workers in the Xinjiang Desert Oil Field

Background: This study investigated the relationship between occupational stress and the mental health of people working in oil fields in the arid desert environment of Xinjiang, and revealed the causal relationship between occupational stress and psychological disorders, while furthermore exploring the relationship between psychological disorders and genetic levels. Methods: The participants of this study included oil field company workers from the Xinjiang Petroleum Administration of Karamay City, Xinjiang, who underwent occupational health examinations. The Occupational Stress Inventory Revised Edition (OSI-R) was used to measure the occupational stress of the oil workers. The mental health status of oil workers was evaluated using the Symptoms Checklist-90. Results: Occupational tasks: The total scores of the personal strain and mental health questionnaires were positively correlated with somatization, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, hostility, terror, paranoia, and psychosis (P < 0.05). Individual coping resources and the mental health total score was negatively correlated with somatization, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety, hostility, terror, paranoia, and psychosis. The following factors were identified as mental health risk factors: female gender; age 45 and above (relative to ≤30 years old); high scores on the personal strain questionnaire; occupational stress; external effort; internal investment; and high effort-low return. The following factors were identified as protective factors for mental health: Han nationality; oil transportation (relative to drilling); individual resilience; and work returns. In respect to the abnormal psychological group and the normal psychological group, statistically significant differences were found in the distribution of genotypes and allele frequencies at the rs1800497 locus (P < 0.05). The depression and paranoia scores observed between different genotype groups at the rs1800497 locus were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusions: This study shows that occupational stress and the D2 dopamine receptor (DRD2) gene have an impact on the mental health of oil field workers in the arid desert environment of Xinjiang. Effort-reward imbalance and occupational stress were identified as risk factors for mental health, while rewards for work were protective factors. Higher levels of occupational stress may lead to depression and other psychological disorders, adversely affecting mental health. In oil field operators in the arid desert environment of Xinjiang, the AA genotype of the DRD2 gene in the rs1800497 locus was identified as a genotype specific to susceptibility to mental health problems, and a correlation was found between the A allele and an increased risk of psychological problems. Therefore, it is necessary to devise relevant measures to alleviate occupational stress among oil workers and increase their job rewards, so as to improve their mental health.

Associations of musculoskeletal disorders with occupational stress and mental health among coal miners in Xinjiang, China: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), a common type of occupational diseases, have become the main cause of absenteeism and early retirement in the occupational population, as well as a major risk factor for occupational disability. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of occupational stress and mental health on MSDs in coal miners in Xinjiang, China, to provide a theoretical basis for reducing the incidence of MSDs in coal miners and improving their physical and mental health.

METHODS

In this study, stratified cluster random sampling was used to randomly select six coal mining companies in Xinjiang, and 1675 coal miners were surveyed by questionnaire. The status of occupational stress, mental health and MSDs among coal miners was investigated by means of the Effort-Reward Imbalance questionnaire (ERI), Symptom Checklist-90(SCL-90), and Musculoskeletal disorders scale (MSDs) questionnaire.

RESULTS

The prevalence of MSDs among coal miners was higher, and there were statistical differences among different sexes, ages, working years, shifts, types of work, educational level and monthly income (P < 0.001). The prevalence of MSDs in different body parts in the occupational stress group and mental disorder group was higher than that in the normal group. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that females had an increased risk of developing MSDs (OR = 2.23, 95% CI.:1.50,3.33). The risk of MSDs was higher with age < 30 years (30-39 years,OR = 2.39, 95% CI.,1.68,3.40; 40-49 years,OR = 2.15, 95% CI.:1.52,3.04; 50-60 years:OR = 3.25, 95% CI.:2.09,5.07), and the longer the working years, the higher the risk of MSDs (OR = 1.90, 95% CI.:1.38,2.62). The two shifts group (OR = 2.18, 95% CI.:1.59,2.98) had an increased risk of developing MSDs compared with the fixed day shift group. The risk of MSDs was lower in heading drivers (OR = 0.41, 95% CI.:0.29,0.60,) and transport workers (OR = 0.30, 95% CI.:0.20,0.43). The higher the education level, the lower the risk of MSDs (high school: OR = 0.46, 95% CI.:0.34,0.62, junior college and above: OR = 0.12, 95% CI.:0.08,0.17), and the higher the monthly income, the lower the risk of MSDs (OR = 0.50, 95% CI.:0.34,0.74). Occupational stress (OR = 1.32, 95% CI.:1.05,1.67) and mental disorder(OR = 2.94, 95% CI.:2.25,3.84) increased the risk of MSDs. A Bayesian network diagram showed that occupational stress and MSDs have direct effects on mental disorders, and occupational stress can have indirect effects on mental disorders through MSDs.

CONCLUSION

Our research shows that MSDs are common among coal miners. Occupational stress and psychological disorders can increase the incidence of MSDs.

Perceived Psychological Feelings Make Important Contributions to the Symptoms of Common Mental Disorders of Medical Staff During the COVID-19

OBJECTIVE

Lack of information about mental health status among medical staff during the epidemic of COVID-19 in China is one of the major barriers to psychological interventions. This paper aims to evaluate the contributions of perceived psychological feelings to the symptoms of common mental disorders among medical staff during the epidemic of COVID-19 in China.

METHOD

A large sample of medical staff based on a non-probability sampling design was collected from February 17 to 24, 2020. The symptoms of common mental disorders were screened based on self-reported instruments to evaluate psychological distress, anxious symptoms, and depressive symptoms during the past week. Perceived psychological feelings were based on self-report. Logistic regressions and elastic net regularizations were used to evaluate the independent effect of the psychological feelings controlled by hospitals and participants characteristics.

RESULTS

Totally 4,677 medical staff completed the survey. The prevalence of psychological distress, anxious symptoms, and depressive symptoms were 15.9% (95% CI 14.8-16.9), 16.0% (95% CI 15.0-17.1), and 34.6% (95% CI 33.2-35.9). Feelings of having adequate personal protective equipment, receiving enough emotional supports from both family members and colleagues were significantly associated with fewer symptoms of common mental disorders, while the feelings of overloaded work and insufficient rest times contributed to more psychological problems.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychological feelings make important contributions to the symptoms of common mental disorders of medical staff during the epidemic of COVID-19. Strategies of psychological aids or interventions could be developed based on these feelings.

Job Dissatisfaction Mediated the Associations Between Work Stress and Mental Health Problems

Objective: This study aimed to explore the relationships and the underlying mechanisms between work stress and mental health problems, and potential mediation effects through job dissatisfaction in a working population. Methods: A large population-based study among workers in China was conducted. The self-reported scales of assessing job dissatisfaction and work stress were included in the questionnaire. Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 and Patient Health Questionnaire-2 were used for assessment of mental health. Univariate logistic regression was conducted to test the associations between work stress and mental health. Path analysis was conducted to test the proposed mediation model. Results: Of the 6,190 included employees, 27.72% reported that they perceived work stress, 14.84% of them reported that they were not satisfied with their work, 5.01% of the employees reported depressive symptoms, and 3.75% of the employees reported anxiety symptoms. The results of univariate logistic regression showed that employees who perceived work stress were more likely to report anxiety symptoms (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.78; 95% CI: 2.03-3.79) or depressive symptoms (AOR = 1.61; 95% CI: 1.22-2.12). The path analysis showed that work stress was positively associated with job dissatisfaction. Job dissatisfaction mediated the relationship between work stress and mental health problems among Chinese working adults. Conclusion: This study suggests the importance of psychosocial work environment for mental health among Chinese working adults. Work dissatisfaction is a stressor that may induce negative consequences on the mental health among Chinese workers. Interventions to help workers with stress management may be beneficial for their mental health.

Constraints and Consequences of Online Teaching

In Romania, like in many other European countries, schools and universities were closed and classes were transferred entirely online at the beginning of March 2020, due to the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) outbreak, declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). In the context of drastic changes and uncertainty, teachers across Romania had to face the challenges of transferring lectures online. The small window of time left to adapt to new technologies, along with other stressors, called into question their work engagement and performance, as key factors for the sustainability of the educational system. An approach based on the dimensions of induced stress, resilience behavior, professional support, and work engagement was implemented to highlight the impact of socio-professional changes during the COVID-19 on the activity of 400 teachers from Romania. The designed construct was validated and subsequently a model was proposed, by using factor analysis and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The article brings updated information on the complex relationship between stress and resilience in the case of employees from the area of education. Among other results, the present research highlights the structure of work engagement and the mediating role of professional support in the relationship between stressors and resilience mechanisms.

Dispositional Optimism, Burnout and Their Relationship with Self-Reported Health Status among Nurses Working in Long-Term Healthcare Centers

The mental health of nurses working in long-term healthcare centers is affected by the care they provide to older people with major chronic diseases and comorbidity and this in turn affects the quality of that care. The aim of the study was to investigate dispositional optimism, burnout and self-reported health among nurses working in long-term healthcare centers. A descriptive, cross-sectional survey design was used. Survey questionnaires were distributed in 11 long-term health care centers (n = 156) in Catalonia (Spain). The instruments used were LOT-R (dispositional optimism), MBI (burnout) and EuroQol EQ-5D (self-reported health). Bivariate analyses and multivariate linear regression models were used. Self-reported health correlated directly with dispositional optimism and inversely with emotional exhaustion and cynicism. Better perceived health was independently associated with greater dispositional optimism and social support, lower levels of emotional exhaustion level and the absence of burnout. Dispositional optimism in nurses is associated with a greater perception of health and low levels of emotional exhaustion.