Perception of mental health and professional quality of life in Tunisian doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic: a descriptive cross-sectional study

Introduction: few research studies about mental health problems in medical staff during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic have been reported. The Aim of the study is to assess the prevalence of anxiety and insomnia, affecting the professional quality of life of physicians during COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: doctors answered an online questionnaire regarding their perception of insomnia, anxiety and professional quality of life during COVID-19 pandemic with psychological parameters including the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and Professional quality of life version 5 (ProQOL5). Results: anxiety was found in 64.8% of the participants. This disorder was respectively moderate and severe in 12.4% and 6.7% of cases. Insomnia was found in 51.4% of respondents, 29.5% of whom worked in the COVID circuit (p=0.17). Insomnia was assessed as mild, moderate and severe in respectively 38.1%, 11.4% and 1.9% of cases. Compassion satisfaction was moderate in 72.4 of cases and high in 24.8% of cases. The entire population with low CS belonged to the 20-29 age group (p=0.019). Compassion satisfaction was statistically higher in married people (32.7%) (p=0.004). This entity varied significantly with occupational grade (p=0.003), seniority in grade (p=0.011) and working in the private health sector (p=0.046). Burnout was moderate in 73.3% and low in 26.7% of cases. Burnout was significantly higher among single people (p=0.03) and statistically altered in the staff working in the COVID unit (p=0.028). Secondary traumatic disorder was above moderate in 69.6%. Conclusion: a high prevalence of psychological symptoms was found among doctors during COVID-19. Medical health workers are in need of health protection and adequate working conditions

Influence of Tunisian Revolution on Bullying at Work in Interns and Residents

This study aims to compare prevalence and determinants of workplace bullying, in interns and residents before and after Tunisian revolution and to assess its influence on their quality of life. It was a two-step-cross-sectional study, carried out in 2009 and in 2016, in547 interns and residents in 2009 and 667 in 2016.The prevalence of workplace bullying decreased significantly (p < 10−3) between 2009 (74%) and 2016 (43.6%). It was related to the professional status, gender, seniority, deliberate choice of medicine, satisfaction, serious family problems and hobbies in 2009 while it was related to professional status, nature of specialty, deliberate choice of medical studies and the satisfaction of the practice of Medicine in 2016.Most common acts were similar between both cohorts. Median mental and physical quality of life scores were below the mean baseline scores in both cohorts with no significant difference. Despite decrease in workplace bullying rate between both cohorts, its perception has not changed. Lawful criminalization, raising public awareness to reduce this phenomenon and prevent its negative effects are preventive measures to apply

Influence of shift work on the physical work capacity of Tunisian nurses: a cross-sectional study in two university hospitals

Introduction: This study has been performed to determine the influence of rotating shift work on physical working capacity of Tunisian nurses and to design recommendations to managers so that they implement effective preventive measures. Methods: It is a cross-sectional design using a standardized questionnaire and many physical capacity tests on a representative sample of 1181 nurses and nursing assistants from two university hospital centers of the school of Medicine of Monastir located in the Tunisian Sahel. 293 participants have been recruited by stratified random sampling according to gender and departments. Maximum Grip strength, 30s sit-to-stand test, one leg test, Fingertip-to-Floor test, Saltsa test and peak expiratory flow were used to assess physical capacity. Work ability was assessed through the workability index.Results: Mental and physical loads were heavily perceived in shift healthcare workers (p=0.01; p=0.02). The maximum grip force was stronger in rotating shift work nurses (p=0.0001). Regarding to the seniority subgroups in each kind of work schedule, the Body Mass Index was increasing with seniority in both schedules. All the physical tests, were better in less-than-ten-year groups. Peak Flow and grip strength were significantly better in less-than-tenyear seniority in shift work group. Conclusion: There is a need to improve the design of the existing shift systems and to reduce as much as possible shift schedule as well as to avoid shift schedule for over-10-year-seniority nurses

Préoccupations de carrière chez les médecins de travail des groupements de Médecine de travail en Tunisie

Introduction: L'insatisfaction de carrière des médecins de travail (MT) peut influencer leur performance et la qualité des prestations fournies. L'objectif de notre étude est d'évaluer la satisfaction au travail des MT du terrain de l'ensemble des Groupements de médecine de travail (GMT) de la Tunisie et préciser les facteurs déterminants.Méthodes: Il s'agit d'une étude nationale transversale portant sur les MT de 22 GMT, basée sur le questionnaire, validé SAPHORA JOB.Résultats: 58% des MT des GMT étaient insatisfaits de leur carrière. La satisfaction de carrière était statistiquement influencée par le nombre d'entreprises en charge (p=0,016), l'organisation du travail (p=0,010),le ressenti du métier (p=0,011),le salaire (p‹10-3) et l'information sur la réglementation en vigueur (p=0,047).Conclusion: L'homogénéisation des grilles salariales et des échelons de carrière des MT des GMT basée sur une révision des textes législatifs est indiquée. L'amélioration de l'organisation et des conditions de travail peut permettre un épanouissement au travail et une amélioration des prestations.Mots clés: Satisfaction au travail, carrière, salaire, médecins de travailEnglish Title: Career concerns among occupational physicians serving on the Institutes for Occupational Safety and Health in Tunisi