The association between job skill discretion, decision authority and burnout

This paper reports on the relationship between dimensions of control (skill discretion and decision authority) and burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplish-ment) among 164 human service workers. It examines the diVerential in ¯ uence of job demands, control (skill discretion and decision authority) and social support (supervisor, co-workers, others) on each burnout dimension. Then it examines the moderating eVects of higher skill discretion, higher decision authority, and higher social support on burnout. Low skill discretion was found to be associated with high emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and low personal accomplishment. The eVects of decision authority were not statistically signi ® cant. High job demands were associated with high emotional exhaustion only. Social support (supervisor, co-worker, and others) was not associated with burnout when demographic variables and job characteristics were controlled for. Neither dimension of control moderated the impact of high job demands on burnout. Social support did not moderate the impact of high demands, low skill discretion, or low decision authority on any burnout dimension. The full model explained 44 % of the variance in emotional exhaustion, 25 % in depersonalization, and 42 % in personal accomplishment. Despite its limitations, the study suggests that the Job Demand-Control model may provide a useful theoretical foundation for the study of burnout, but that the control dimensions need to be evaluated independently since they appear to be diVerentially related to the burnout dimensions. 1

Burnout in the ICU : potential consequences for staff and patient well-being

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Psychosocial work environment and leisure-time physical activity: the Stormont Study

Background: Research findings are equivocal on relations between the psychosocial work environment and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA). This might be partly due to studies having focused on a restricted set of psychosocial dimensions, thereby failing to capture all relevant domains. Aims: First, to examine cross-sectional associations between seven psychosocial work environment domains and LTPA in a large sample of UK civil servants. Second, to profile LTPA and consider this in relation to UK government recommendations on physical activity. Method: in 2012, Northern Ireland Civil Service employees completed a questionnaire including measures of psychosocial working conditions (Management Standards Indicator Tool) and LTPA. We applied bivariate correlations and linear regression analyses to examine relations between psychosocial working conditions and LTPA. Results: Of ~26,000 civil servants contacted, 5,235 (20%) completed the questionnaire. Twenty-four per cent of men and 17% of women reported having undertaken ≥30 minutes of physical activity on five or more days in the past week. Job control (-0.08) and peer support (-0.05) were weakly but significantly negatively correlated with LTPA in men. Job role (-0.05) was weakly but significantly negatively correlated with LTPA in women. These psychosocial work characteristics accounted for 1% or less of the variance in LTPA. Conclusions: Longitudinal research to examine cause-effect relations between psychosocial work characteristics and leisure-time physical activity might inform the potential for psychosocial job redesign to increase employees’ physical activity during leisure time

Predicting new major depression symptoms from long working hours, psychosocial safety climate and work engagement: A population-based cohort study

Objectives This study sought to assess the association between long working hours, psychosocial safety climate (PSC), work engagement (WE) and new major depression symptoms emerging over the next 12 months. PSC is the work climate supporting workplace psychological health. Setting Australian prospective cohort population data from the states of New South Wales, Western Australia and South Australia. Participants At Time 1, there were 3921 respondents in the sample. Self-employed, casual temporary, unclassified, those with working hours <35 (37% of 2850) and participants with major depression symptoms at Time 1 (6.7% of 1782) were removed. The final sample was a population-based cohort of 1084 full-time Australian employees. Primary and secondary outcome measures The planned and measured outcomes were new cases of major depression symptoms. Results Long working hours were not significantly related to new cases of major depression symptoms; however, when mild cases were removed, the 41–48 and ≥55 long working hour categories were positively related to major depression symptoms. Low PSC was associated with a threefold increase in risk for new major depression symptoms. PSC was not related to long working hours, and long working hours did not mediate the relationship between PSC and new cases of major depression symptoms. The inverse relationship between PSC and major depression symptoms was stronger for males than females. Additional analyses identified that WE was positively related to long working hours. Long working hours (41–48 and ≥55 hours) mediated a positive relationship between WE and major depression symptoms when mild cases of major depression were removed. Conclusion The results suggest that low workplace PSC and potentially long working hours (41–48; ≥55 hours/ week) increase the risk of new major depression symptoms. Furthermore, high WE may increase long working hours and subsequent major depression symptoms.Amy Jane Zadow, Maureen F Dollard, Christian Dormann, Paul Landsbergi

Uso combinado de modelos de estresse no trabalho e a saúde auto-referida na enfermagem

OBJETIVO: Identificar combinaciones de dos modelos de estrés psicossocial del trabajo en equipos de enfermería y su asociación con la salud auto referida. MÉTODOS: Estudio transversal con trabajadoras de tres hospitales públicos del Municipio de Rio de Janeiro, Sureste de Brasil, (N=1307). Se aplicó cuestionario multidimensional que incluyó dos escalas de estrés en el trabajo (modelo demanda-control y desequilibrio esfuerzo-recompensa) en 2006. Se consideraron el modelo demando y control parcial y completo (incluye apoyo social en el trabajo), así como el esfuerzo y recompensa parcial y completo (incluye exceso de compromiso con el trabajo). Se utilizaron modelos estadísticos múltiples para estimar razones de probabilidades ajustadas y sus respectivos intervalos con 95% de confianza. RESULTADOS: Las dimensiones de ambos modelos estuvieron independientemente asociadas con la salud autoreferida, con odds ratios entre 1,70 y 3,37. El modelo parcial demanda-control se mostró menos asociado a la salud (OR=1,79; IC 95% 1,26;2,53) al compararlo con el desequilibrio esfuerzo-recompensa (OR=2,27; IC 95% 1,57;3,30). La incorporación del apoyo social y del exceso de compromiso con el trabajo aumentó la fuerza de asociación de los modelos demanda-control y desequilibrio esfuerzo-recompensa, respectivamente. Se observó aumento en la fuerza de asociación al combinarse los dos modelos parciales. CONCLUSIONES: Los resultados indican mejor desempeño del modelo desequilibrio esfuerzo-recompensa para este grupo específico y para el resultado evaluado y ventaja en el uso de modelos completos o del uso combinado en modelos parciales.OBJETIVO: Identificar combinações de dois modelos do estresse psicossocial do trabalho em equipes de enfermagem e sua associação com a saúde auto-referida. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal com trabalhadoras de três hospitais públicos do Município do Rio de Janeiro, RJ (N=1307). Foi aplicado questionário multidimensional que incluiu duas escalas de estresse no trabalho (modelo demanda-controle e desequilíbrio esforço-recompensa) em 2006. Foram considerados o modelo demanda e controle parcial e completo (inclui apoio social no trabalho), assim como o esforço e recompensa parcial e completo (inclui excesso de comprometimento com o trabalho). Modelos de regressão múltipla foram utilizados para estimar razões de chances ajustadas e seus respectivos intervalos com 95% de confiança. RESULTADOS: As dimensões de ambos os modelos estiveram independentemente associadas à situação de saúde, com odds ratios entre 1,70 e 3,37. O modelo parcial demanda-controle mostrou-se menos associado à saúde (OR = 1,79; IC95% 1,26;2,53) quando comparado ao de desequilíbrio esforço-recompensa (OR=2,27; IC95% 1,57;3,30). A incorporação do apoio social e do excesso de comprometimento com o trabalho aumentou a força de associação dos modelos demanda-controle e desequilíbrio esforço-recompensa, respectivamente. Foi observado aumento na força de associação quando os dois modelos parciais foram combinados. CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados indicam melhor desempenho do modelo desequilíbrio esforço-recompensa para este grupo específico e para o desfecho avaliado e vantagem do uso de modelos completos ou do uso combinado em modelos parciais.OBJECTIVE: To identify combinations of two models of psychosocial stress at work among nursing teams and their associations with self-rated health. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study among workers at three public hospitals in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil (N = 1307). In 2006, a multidimensional questionnaire including two scales for measuring stress at work (demand-control and effort-reward imbalance models) was administered. Partial and complete (including social support at work) demand-control models were considered, along with partial and complete (including excessive commitment to work) effort-reward models. Multiple logistic regression models were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios and their respective 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: The dimensions of both models were independently associated with self-rated health, with odds ratios between 1.70 and 3.37. The partial demand-control model was less associated with health (OR = 1.79; 95%CI 1.26;2.53) than was the partial effort-reward imbalance model (OR = 2.27; 95%CI 1.57;3.30). Incorporation of social support and excessive commitment to work increased the strength of the demand-control and effort-reward imbalance models, respectively. Increased strength of association was observed when the two partial models were combined. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the effort-reward imbalance model performed better for this specific group and for the outcome evaluated, and that there was an advantage in using complete models or combinations of partial models