BACKGROUND: Concerns have been expressed that staff burnout may make community mental health care difficult to sustain. This study compares stress and job satisfaction between community and hospital-based staff. METHOD: The GHQ-12, the Maslach Burnout Inventory and a job satisfaction measure were used to study 160 Inner London staff. RESULTS: Community staff scored significantly higher on the GHQ-12 and the "emotional exhaustion' component of the Maslach Burnout Inventory than hospital-based in-patient, day care or out-patient staff. Satisfaction did not vary significantly between settings. CONCLUSIONS: These results may be explained in several ways. Community work may be inherently more stressful than hospital work, or may currently be stressful because of inadequate resources, training or supervision. The results may also reflect widespread recent changes in community services or the specific effects of working in a deprived area.
BACKGROUND: Concerns have been expressed that staff burnout may make community mental health care difficult to sustain. This study compares stress and job satisfaction between community and hospital-based staff. METHOD: The GHQ-12, the Maslach Burnout Inventory and a job satisfaction measure were used to study 160 Inner London staff. RESULTS: Community staff scored significantly higher on the GHQ-12 and the "emotional exhaustion' component of the Maslach Burnout Inventory than hospital-based in-patient, day care or out-patient staff. Satisfaction did not vary significantly between settings. CONCLUSIONS: These results may be explained in several ways. Community work may be inherently more stressful than hospital work, or may currently be stressful because of inadequate resources, training or supervision. The results may also reflect widespread recent changes in community services or the specific effects of working in a deprived area.
Authors: Stephen Wood; Chris Stride; Kate Threapleton; Elizabeth Wearn; Fiona Nolan; David Osborn; Moli Paul; Sonia Johnson Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2010-07-16 Impact factor: 4.328
Authors: David A Richards; Penny Bee; Michael Barkham; Simon M Gilbody; Jane Cahill; Julie Glanville Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2006-01-01 Impact factor: 4.328