Patricia Vu-Eickmann1, Jian Li1, Andreas Müller2, Peter Angerer1, Adrian Loerbroks3. 1. Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Medical Faculty of the Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany. 2. Institute of Psychology, Work and Organizational Psychology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstrasse 2, 45141, Essen, Germany. 3. Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Medical Faculty of the Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany. adrian.loerbroks@uni-duesseldorf.de.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Numerous epidemiological studies among health care staff have documented associations of adverse psychosocial working conditions with poorer health-related outcomes, a reduced quality of patient care and intentions to leave the profession. The evidence for physician assistants in Germany remains limited though. METHODS: We surveyed a total of 994 physician assistants between September 2016 and April 2017. Psychosocial working conditions were measured by the established effort-reward imbalance (ERI) questionnaire and by a questionnaire specifically developed to capture psychosocial working conditions among physicians. Health outcomes (i.e., self-rated health, depression, anxiety), self-rated quality of care and the intention to leave the profession were assessed by established measures. We ran multivariable logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: The prevalence of work stress in terms of ERI equalled 73.77%. Work stress according to the ERI model was associated with significantly poorer self-rated health [odds ratio (OR) 3.62], elevated symptoms of depression (OR 8.83) and anxiety (OR 4.95), poorer quality of care (OR for medical errors 4.04; OR for interference of work with patient care 3.88) and an increased intention to leave one's current profession (OR 3.74). The PA-specific questionnaire showed similar, albeit weaker, associations (all ORs > 1.22). CONCLUSIONS: Our results are in line with previous findings among health care staff and provide specific and novel evidence for physician assistants. Interventions aiming at the improvement of working conditions seem needed given their potential adverse consequences in terms of employee health, quality of care, and personnel policy.
BACKGROUND: Numerous epidemiological studies among health care staff have documented associations of adverse psychosocial working conditions with poorer health-related outcomes, a reduced quality of patient care and intentions to leave the profession. The evidence for physician assistants in Germany remains limited though. METHODS: We surveyed a total of 994 physician assistants between September 2016 and April 2017. Psychosocial working conditions were measured by the established effort-reward imbalance (ERI) questionnaire and by a questionnaire specifically developed to capture psychosocial working conditions among physicians. Health outcomes (i.e., self-rated health, depression, anxiety), self-rated quality of care and the intention to leave the profession were assessed by established measures. We ran multivariable logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: The prevalence of work stress in terms of ERI equalled 73.77%. Work stress according to the ERI model was associated with significantly poorer self-rated health [odds ratio (OR) 3.62], elevated symptoms of depression (OR 8.83) and anxiety (OR 4.95), poorer quality of care (OR for medical errors 4.04; OR for interference of work with patient care 3.88) and an increased intention to leave one's current profession (OR 3.74). The PA-specific questionnaire showed similar, albeit weaker, associations (all ORs > 1.22). CONCLUSIONS: Our results are in line with previous findings among health care staff and provide specific and novel evidence for physician assistants. Interventions aiming at the improvement of working conditions seem needed given their potential adverse consequences in terms of employee health, quality of care, and personnel policy.
Entities:
Keywords:
Health; Health care staff; Intention to leave; Psychosocial working conditions; Quality of care
Authors: Colin P West; Mashele M Huschka; Paul J Novotny; Jeff A Sloan; Joseph C Kolars; Thomas M Habermann; Tait D Shanafelt Journal: JAMA Date: 2006-09-06 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: Matthias Weigl; Severin Hornung; Peter Angerer; Johannes Siegrist; Jürgen Glaser Journal: BMC Health Serv Res Date: 2013-10-09 Impact factor: 2.655
Authors: Adrian Loerbroks; Patricia Vu-Eickmann; Annegret Dreher; Viola Mambrey; Jessica Scharf; Peter Angerer Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-05-30 Impact factor: 4.614
Authors: Jessica Scharf; Patricia Vu-Eickmann; Jian Li; Andreas Müller; Stefan Wilm; Peter Angerer; Adrian Loerbroks Journal: J Occup Med Toxicol Date: 2019-06-01 Impact factor: 2.646
Authors: Jessica Scharf; Patricia Vu-Eickmann; Jian Li; Andreas Müller; Peter Angerer; Adrian Loerbroks Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2019-06-26 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Jessica Scharf; Patricia Vu-Eickmann; Peter Angerer; Andreas Müller; Jürgen In der Schmitten; Adrian Loerbroks Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-01-26 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Anke Wagner; Elena Tsarouha; Eylem Ög; Christine Preiser; Monika A Rieger; Esther Rind Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2022-02-24 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: Elena Tsarouha; Christine Preiser; Birgitta Weltermann; Florian Junne; Tanja Seifried-Dübon; Felicitas Stuber; Sigrid Hartmann; Andrea Wittich; Monika A Rieger; Esther Rind Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-09-28 Impact factor: 3.390