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Occupational Health and Wellbeing for Healthcare Providers
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Occupational Health and Wellbeing for Healthcare Providers

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Care Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 8762

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Leodoro Labrague

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Nursing, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL 60660, USA
Interests: health services; healthcare policy; patient safety; leadership; nurse work environment
Dr. Sulaiman Al Sabei

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Nursing, Sultan Qaboos University, Al Khoudh, Muscat 123, Oman
Interests: nursing leadership; practice environment; interprofessional collaboration; quality of care

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Occupational health and wellbeing are central to the intricate landscape of healthcare, significantly influencing the performance, satisfaction, and overall quality of care provided by healthcare providers. The literature underscores the urgency of addressing occupational stress and burnout among healthcare professionals, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions. Concurrently, investigations into the mental health of healthcare professionals reveal a complex interplay of stressors necessitating comprehensive approaches to support psychological wellbeing. Exploring the physical health aspects, ergonomic challenges in healthcare settings have been documented as significant contributors to musculoskeletal issues, and other work-related diseases. Implementing evidence-based ergonomic solutions is crucial to prevent injuries and ensure the sustained physical and mental health of healthcare providers.

In this Special Issue, we delve into the nuanced dimensions impacting the physical and mental health of healthcare professionals. Navigating the challenges inherent to the healthcare environment, this Special Issue strives to illuminate evidence-based practices, interventions, and innovative strategies enhancing the holistic wellbeing of those dedicated to patient care. The Special Issue extends its focus to topics like work-life balance, flexible scheduling, professional development, and the dynamics of teamwork, intricately linked to the overall wellbeing of healthcare providers. With a foundation rooted in literature-backed insights, this Special Issue aspires to contribute substantially to the ongoing discourse on occupational health and wellbeing. By exploring these critical aspects, we aim to offer a nuanced understanding resonating with researchers, practitioners, and experts alike, fostering a healthier and more sustainable work environment for dedicated healthcare providers.

Dr. Leodoro Labrague
Dr. Sulaiman Al Sabei
Guest Editors

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • occupational health
  • wellbeing
  • healthcare providers
  • burnout
  • mental health
  • ergonomics
  • work–life balance
  • professional development
  • team dynamics
  • evidence-based interventions

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 772 KiB  
Article
Measuring the Risk of Violence Through Health Surveillance
by Nicola Magnavita, Igor Meraglia, Giacomo Viti and Martina Gasbarri
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(12), 1708; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21121708 - 22 Dec 2024
Viewed by 920
Abstract
Workplace violence (WV) is a ubiquitous, yet under-reported and under-studied phenomenon. Prevention measures may be ineffective because risk assessment is often based on unvalidated algorithms. After monitoring the risk of WV in a healthcare company for over 20 years, this paper presents the [...] Read more.
Workplace violence (WV) is a ubiquitous, yet under-reported and under-studied phenomenon. Prevention measures may be ineffective because risk assessment is often based on unvalidated algorithms. After monitoring the risk of WV in a healthcare company for over 20 years, this paper presents the results collected in 2023 and details of the methodology used. Monitoring WV in health surveillance can involve three actions: (1) asking all the workers who attend periodic medical examinations in the workplace whether they have suffered physical aggression, threats, or harassment in the previous year; (2) investigating WV at the end of workplace inspections by setting up participatory ergonomics groups (PEGs) to suggest solutions; (3) investigating the characteristics and consequences of WV through anonymous online questionnaires. In 2023, 6.9% of the healthcare workers (HCWs) reported having experienced one or more physical attacks during the previous year; 12.7% reported having been threatened, and 12.9% reported other types of violent, harassing behavior. The HCWs observed an increase in violence after the pandemic years and, in the PEGs, suggested using different preventive measures in different health departments. The online survey provided further information on the characteristics of WV and its consequences. The risk of WV can be effectively characterized and measured through health surveillance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health and Wellbeing for Healthcare Providers)
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21 pages, 2108 KiB  
Article
Tracking Workplace Violence over 20 Years
by Nicola Magnavita, Igor Meraglia, Giacomo Viti and Martina Gasbarri
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(11), 1438; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21111438 - 29 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2300
Abstract
Introduction. Violence against healthcare workers (HCWs) is a widespread, underreported, and inadequately prevented problem. Only a few companies have efficient systems for assessing the extent of the phenomenon. Methods. In 2005, the health surveillance service of a public health company introduced a [...] Read more.
Introduction. Violence against healthcare workers (HCWs) is a widespread, underreported, and inadequately prevented problem. Only a few companies have efficient systems for assessing the extent of the phenomenon. Methods. In 2005, the health surveillance service of a public health company introduced a system that monitored violence experienced by HCWs by means of three items from the Violent Incident Form (VIF) integrated with departmental in-depth analyses using the participatory ergonomics group technique. Results. In 2005, the annual rate of physical assaults was 8.2%, that of threats was 12.0%, and the harassment rate was 19.6%. Over the past twenty years of observation (2005–2024), the percentage of workers who reported experiencing a physical attack in the previous year at their periodic medical examination has fluctuated between 5.8% and 11.1%, except for the years 2020 and 2021 when, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate was 3.9% and 3.2%, respectively. During the same pandemic period, the annual threat rate, which ranged from 9.4% to 20.1%, dropped to 7.7%, while the prevalence of harassment, which was between 13.5 and 19.6, fell to 7.2%. HCWs believe that (i) limiting visitor access, (ii) a better balance of the demand for services, and (iii) a better attitude towards HCWs were the causes of the reduced rate of violence during the pandemic. Conclusions. Recording the violence experienced during health surveillance is an economical, reliable, and sustainable risk assessment method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health and Wellbeing for Healthcare Providers)
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12 pages, 631 KiB  
Article
Hospital Chaplain Burnout, Depression, and Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Patricia K. Palmer, Zainab Siddiqui, Miranda A. Moore, George H. Grant, Charles L. Raison and Jennifer S. Mascaro
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(7), 944; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21070944 - 19 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2463
Abstract
Healthcare personnel experienced unprecedented stressors and risk factors for burnout, anxiety, and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. This may have been particularly true for spiritual health clinicians (SHCs), also referred to as healthcare chaplains. We administered a daily pulse survey that allowed SHCs [...] Read more.
Healthcare personnel experienced unprecedented stressors and risk factors for burnout, anxiety, and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. This may have been particularly true for spiritual health clinicians (SHCs), also referred to as healthcare chaplains. We administered a daily pulse survey that allowed SHCs to self-report burnout, depression, and well-being, administered every weekday for the first year of the pandemic. We used a series of linear regression models to evaluate whether burnout, depression, and well-being were associated with local COVID-19 rates in the chaplains’ hospital system (COVID-19 admissions, hospital deaths from COVID-19, and COVID-19 ICU census). We also compared SHC weekly rates with national averages acquired by the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey (HPS) data during the same timeframe. Of the 840 daily entries from 32 SHCs, 90.0% indicated no symptoms of burnout and 97.1% were below the cutoff for depression. There was no statistically significant relationship between any of the COVID-19 predictors and burnout, depression, or well-being. Mean national PHQ-2 scores were consistently higher than our sample’s biweekly means. Understanding why SHCs were largely protected against burnout and depression may help in addressing the epidemic of burnout among healthcare providers and for preparedness for future healthcare crises. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health and Wellbeing for Healthcare Providers)
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10 pages, 1310 KiB  
Article
“Back Health 24/7/365”—A Novel, Comprehensive “One Size Fits All” Workplace Health Promotion Intervention for Occupational Back Health among Hospital Employees
by Timothy Hasenoehrl, Margarete Steiner, Felix Ebenberger, Philipp Kull, Julia Sternik, Lukas Reissig, Galateja Jordakieva and Richard Crevenna
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(6), 772; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21060772 - 14 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1961
Abstract
Background: Projects for workplace health promotion (WHP) for back pain traditionally focus exclusively on work-related but not on leisure-time stress on the spine. We developed a comprehensive WHP project on the back health of hospital workers regardless of the physical characteristics of their [...] Read more.
Background: Projects for workplace health promotion (WHP) for back pain traditionally focus exclusively on work-related but not on leisure-time stress on the spine. We developed a comprehensive WHP project on the back health of hospital workers regardless of the physical characteristics of their work and compared its effects on sedentary and physically active hospital workers. Methods: Study assessments were carried out before and six months after participation in the WHP intervention. The primary outcome parameter was back pain (Oswestry Disability Index, ODI). Anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7), work ability (Work Ability Index), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), stress (Perceived Stress Scale-10), and quality of life (Short Form-36) were assessed via questionnaires as secondary outcome parameters. Physical performance was measured via the 30 seconds Sit-to-Stand test (30secSTS). Results: Sixty-eight healthcare workers with non-specific back pain were included in the evaluation study of the WHP project “Back Health 24/7/365”. After six months, back pain, physical performance, and self-perceived physical functioning (SF-36 Physical Functioning subscale) improved significantly in both groups. Not a single parameter showed an interaction effect with the group allocation. Conclusions: A comprehensive WHP-intervention showed significant positive effects on hospital workers regardless of the physical characteristics of their work. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health and Wellbeing for Healthcare Providers)
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