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Occupational health among swedish occupational therapists : A cross-sectional study

Lexén, Annika LU ; Kåhlin, Ida ; Erlandsson, Lena Karin LU and Håkansson, Carita LU orcid (2020) In International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17(10).
Abstract

The Swedish public sector is facing great challenges in recruiting and retaining healthcare professionals, due to increasing sick leave numbers. The aim of this study was to describe Swedish occupational therapists’ occupational health in terms of risk factors in the social and organizational work environment, occupational balance, and work-related mental health problems. A web survey was emailed to all working members of the Swedish Association of Occupational Therapists (n = 7600) and 3658 answered the survey. The web survey included questions on sociodemographic characteristics, social and organizational environment, occupational balance, and work-related health. The occupational therapists in general rated their workload as high,... (More)

The Swedish public sector is facing great challenges in recruiting and retaining healthcare professionals, due to increasing sick leave numbers. The aim of this study was to describe Swedish occupational therapists’ occupational health in terms of risk factors in the social and organizational work environment, occupational balance, and work-related mental health problems. A web survey was emailed to all working members of the Swedish Association of Occupational Therapists (n = 7600) and 3658 answered the survey. The web survey included questions on sociodemographic characteristics, social and organizational environment, occupational balance, and work-related health. The occupational therapists in general rated their workload as high, which was described as leading to increased stress, difficulties doing a good job, and increased job turnover. They also reported having difficulties maintaining occupational balance. Almost a fifth reported having symptoms related to mild incipient exhaustion or a pronounced exhaustion disorder. Almost 60 percent reported having, during the last year, seriously considered seeking new employment as an occupational therapist and 35 percent had seriously intended to leave their profession. In conclusion, there is an urgent need to improve the work situation of occupational therapists. If not, increases in mental health problems, sick leave and job turnover rates may seriously jeopardize the welfare system by eroding healthcare.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Lund university checklist for incipient exhaustion, Occupational balance questionnaire, Self-rated exhaustion disorder
in
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
volume
17
issue
10
article number
3379
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • scopus:85086376654
  • pmid:32408696
ISSN
1661-7827
DOI
10.3390/ijerph17103379
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
80226df7-695a-4c86-8e02-07aba9c9a8a5
date added to LUP
2021-01-12 11:31:29
date last changed
2024-06-13 04:41:40
@article{80226df7-695a-4c86-8e02-07aba9c9a8a5,
  abstract     = {{<p>The Swedish public sector is facing great challenges in recruiting and retaining healthcare professionals, due to increasing sick leave numbers. The aim of this study was to describe Swedish occupational therapists’ occupational health in terms of risk factors in the social and organizational work environment, occupational balance, and work-related mental health problems. A web survey was emailed to all working members of the Swedish Association of Occupational Therapists (n = 7600) and 3658 answered the survey. The web survey included questions on sociodemographic characteristics, social and organizational environment, occupational balance, and work-related health. The occupational therapists in general rated their workload as high, which was described as leading to increased stress, difficulties doing a good job, and increased job turnover. They also reported having difficulties maintaining occupational balance. Almost a fifth reported having symptoms related to mild incipient exhaustion or a pronounced exhaustion disorder. Almost 60 percent reported having, during the last year, seriously considered seeking new employment as an occupational therapist and 35 percent had seriously intended to leave their profession. In conclusion, there is an urgent need to improve the work situation of occupational therapists. If not, increases in mental health problems, sick leave and job turnover rates may seriously jeopardize the welfare system by eroding healthcare.</p>}},
  author       = {{Lexén, Annika and Kåhlin, Ida and Erlandsson, Lena Karin and Håkansson, Carita}},
  issn         = {{1661-7827}},
  keywords     = {{Lund university checklist for incipient exhaustion; Occupational balance questionnaire; Self-rated exhaustion disorder}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{10}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health}},
  title        = {{Occupational health among swedish occupational therapists : A cross-sectional study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17103379}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/ijerph17103379}},
  volume       = {{17}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}