Occupational stress and psychopathology in health professionals: An explorative study with the Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes (MIMIC) model approach

Abstract

Occupational stress is a multivariate process involving sources of pressure, psycho-physiological distress, locus of control, work dissatisfaction, depression, anxiety, mental health disorders, hopelessness, and suicide ideation. Healthcare professionals are known for higher rates of occupational-related distress (burnout and compassion fatigue) and higher rates of suicide. The purpose of this study was to explain the relationships between occupational stress and some psychopathological dimensions in a sample of health professionals. We investigated 156 nurses and physicians, 62 males and 94 females, who were administered self-report questionnaires to assess occupational stress [occupational stress inventory (OSI)], temperament (temperament evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego autoquestionnaire), and hopelessness (Beck hopelessness scale). The best Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes model with five OSI predictors yielded the following results: χ2(9) = 14.47 (p = 0.11); χ2/df = 1.60; comparative fit index = 0.99; root mean square error of approximation = 0.05. This model provided a good fit to the empirical data, showing a strong direct influence of casual variables such as work dissatisfaction, absence of type A behavior, and especially external locus of control, psychological and physiological distress on latent variable psychopathology. Occupational stress is in a complex relationship with temperament and hopelessness and also common among healthcare professionals.

Dysfunctional psychological responses among Intensive Care Unit nurses: a systematic review of the literature

“…In any case, such symptoms may have an effect on the quality and safety of delivered care. As mentioned earlier, it appears that anxiety and depressive symptoms coexist most of the times with burnout symptoms (19,30) . Furthermore, it has been shown that CCNs who suffer from professional burnout may develop feelings of despair and hopelessness.…”

“…Furthermore, it has been shown that CCNs who suffer from professional burnout may develop feelings of despair and hopelessness. These conditions are of particular importance, since they are considered to represent risk factors for suicidal behavior (30) . All the above should be taken into consideration in future research, as well as for targeted interventions aiming to alleviate CCNs from such symptoms.…”

Supporting Physicians Who Work in Challenging Contexts: A Role for the Academic Health Center

“…Physicians and other healthcare providers come face to face with suffering on a daily basis that might be singularly life-changing and traumatic events for another sort of witness. The toll expresses itself in a number of ways and under a variety of different names, such as vicarious or secondary trauma, [1][2][3] occupational stress, 4 burnout, 5 or compassion fatigue. 1,6 Although all healthcare providers may experience these phenomena as occupational hazards, those who serve in identifiably more difficult contexts have the difficulty compounded by geographic (rural) or organizational isolation, relatively low compensation, poor or unsafe working conditions, or more draining patient interactions.…”

Calidad de vida relacionada con la salud en una muestra de médicos internos residentes que realizan guardias en un Servicio de Urgencias: una perspectiva de género

“…Una adecuada atención a este respecto puede redundar en beneficios directos para los propios trabajadores y la atención a los pacientes. Además, de forma más general, se reducirían incidencias, bajas laborales, y otros aspectos de interés para el sistema sanitario que pudieran derivarse de una situación aguda o prolongada de estos problemas [14][15] . A nivel de gestión y coordinación de los SU, estos datos también pueden suponer una ayuda a los responsables a la hora de establecer acciones en sus áreas.…”

“…Sin embargo, a diferencia de lo que ocurre en países vecinos 11,12 , hasta ahora en España muy pocos trabajos han abordado la CVRS en este grupo, siendo el médico interno residente la figura menos estudiada 12 . En general, los datos indican que los sanitarios presentan una peor salud percibida que su población de referencia 12 y registran una alta in-cidencia de depresión, ansiedad y, en algunos paí-ses, también suicidio [13][14][15][16] . Además, especialidades tales como cirugía, oncología, cuidados intensivos o urgencias, pueden favorecer situaciones con una alta carga emocional 17,18 .…”