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Special Issue "Workplace Health (Violence, Injury, and Stress) in the Health Care Setting"

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2023 | Viewed by 11033

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Giuseppe La Torre

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Guest Editor

Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
Interests: epidemiology; public health; occupational medicine; health technology assessment; health management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Alice Mannocci

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Guest Editor

Faculty of Economics, Unversitas Mercatorum, 00186 Rome, Italy
Interests: epidemiology; public health; occupational medicine; health economics; health management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are organizing a Special Issue on the epidemiology and prevention of workplace health in the health care setting in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The venue is a peer-reviewed, scientific journal that publishes articles and communications in the interdisciplinary area of environmental health sciences and public health. For detailed information about the journal, we refer you to https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph.

Workplace health promotion (WHP) has become a significant issue worldwide. Our main interest is on presenting a wide experience of epidemiological studies, as well as best practices concerning violence, injury, and stress in the health care sector.

Violence against Hospital health care worker (HCW) is an important issue during interactions with patients, their relatives or companions, and many authors recognize the phenomenon of violence at work is a specific risk factor predicting stress and possible stress-related pathologies in the health care sector.

On the other side, injuries among HCWs are a common occurrence, and there is a large space for improving the consequences of biological, chemical, and physical risk factors.

The Special Issue is open to contributions that focus on the aforementioned topics, as well as those that can present examples of stress management activities for HCWs, including (but not limited to) yoga, mindfulness, and tai-chi.

Prof. Dr. Giuseppe La Torre
Dr. Alice Mannocci
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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

workplace health
violence
injury
work-related stress
burnout
health care professionals

Related Special Issue

Workplace Health Promotion after the Storm in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (11 articles)

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

Open AccessArticle

Workplace Bullying among Healthcare Professionals: A Quanti-Qualitative Survey in a Sample of Women Working in an Italian Healthcare Setting

Daniela Acquadro Maran

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(10), 5859; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20105859 - 18 May 2023

Viewed by 548

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to analyze, in a sample of female healthcare workers in Italy, the training needs to improve positive relationships in the healthcare organization. To better understand these needs, perceived workplace bullying and its consequences in terms of professional commitment and well-being were analyzed from a descriptive and quantitative perspective (or mixed-methods analysis). A questionnaire was completed online in a healthcare facility in northwestern Italy. The participants were 231 female employees. The quantitative data showed that, on average, the sampled population perceived a low burden of WPB. The majority of the sample expressed moderate engagement at work and moderate perception of psychological well-being. It is interesting to note that one element seemed to be overarching in the responses to the open-ended questions: communication, which emerged as a problematic element that affects the entire organization. The research data provide useful evidence for intervention in favor of an environment that helps to recognize the phenomenon and intervene in time, offering the possibility of accepting the discomfort and fatigue of healthcare workers and offering useful interventions to the individual and the team. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Workplace Health (Violence, Injury, and Stress) in the Health Care Setting)

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Open AccessArticle

The Management of Workplace Violence against Healthcare Workers: A Multidisciplinary Team for Total Worker Health^® Approach in a Hospital

Reparata Rosa Di Prinzio

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 196; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010196 - 23 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1515

Abstract

The risk of aggression against healthcare workers (HCWs) is a globally well-known topic. However, workplace violence (WV) is often considered as part of HCW’s job, leading to a general underreporting. This cross-sectional study aims at providing a descriptive analysis of aggressive acts against HCWs registered in a 34-month period in a pediatric hospital. According to a specific protocol, each aggressive act was analyzed by a multidisciplinary team using the “Modified Overt Aggression Scale” (MOAS), the “General Health Questionnaire-12” (GHQ-12), and the “Short Form-36 Health Survey” (SF-36) to build a report addressing improvement measures. A three-domain model of WV was also developed considering: (1) assaulted HCWs, (2) attacker-related issues, and (3) environmental context. Contributing factors to overt aggression were outlined and tested using univariate analyses. Statistically significant factors were then included in a multiple linear regression model. A total of 82 aggressive acts were registered in the period. MOAS scores registered a mean value of 3.71 (SD: 4.09). Verbal abuse was the most common form of WV. HCWs professional category, minor psychiatric disorder, emotional role limitation, type of containment used, and emotion intensity were significantly associated with overt aggression (p < 0.05), as well as the attacker’s role in the hospital (p < 0.05). The multiple regression analysis confirmed these findings (p < 0.001). Raising awareness on the aggression risk and contributing factors may lead to a relevant improvement of workplace environment, individual workers’ health, and organizational well-being. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Workplace Health (Violence, Injury, and Stress) in the Health Care Setting)

Open AccessArticle

Quality of Life and Stress Management in Healthcare Professionals of a Dental Care Setting at a Teaching Hospital in Rome: Results of a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 13788; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192113788 - 23 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1020

Abstract

In the healthcare environment, more and more people experience work-related stress. The Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry of Sapienza University of Rome, having observed the need to take care of healthcare professionals, has set itself the objective of providing useful tools such as additional and necessary personal protective equipment for healthcare professionals. Objective: To promote health through better management, skills, and the use of strategies and solutions to identify, decompress, and neutralize those responsible for work-related stress mechanisms in order to take care of those who care (CURARE CURANTES). Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted. The participants were enrolled by three departments of the Department of Dental and Maxillofacial Sciences of Rome; in consideration of emotional involvement of health professionals who work there. A motivational program was offered. Results: There were 17 and 16 healthcare professionals in the intervention and control groups, respectively. Levels of the mental composite score (MCS) varied both in the pre–post phase of the intervention group (p = 0.002), and between the intervention group and control group in the post phase (p = 0.006). No significant differences were observed for the physical composite score (PCS). Similarly, there were no significant differences regarding the positivity scale (PS) and the two dimensions of work-related stress (job demand and decision latitude). Conclusion: This study demonstrates the efficacy of yoga training practiced directly in the workplace and wearing work clothes, entering the work context, not weighing further on the healthcare workload, and being a way to carry out physical activity even in those cases in which professionals do not have the time to do it in their free time. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Workplace Health (Violence, Injury, and Stress) in the Health Care Setting)

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Open AccessArticle

Tai Chi and Workplace Wellness for Health Care Workers: A Systematic Review

Rosario Andrea Cocchiara

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(1), 343; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17010343 - 03 Jan 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4297

Abstract

Several studies show the positive effects of new non-medical therapies known as complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs). In this context, the discipline of tai chi is obtaining a wider consensus because of its many beneficial effects both on the human body and mind. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review of the scientific literature concerning the relationship between tai chi practice and wellness of health care workers (HCW) in their professional setting. The research was performed in September 2019, investigating the databases Cinahl, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed. Full-text articles, written in English language and published after 1995, were taken into account. No restrictions regarding the study design were applied. A quality assessment was developed using AMSTAR, Jadad, Newcastle–Ottawa Scale, INSA, and CASE REPORT scale. Six papers were finally included: Three clinical trials, one observational study, one systematic review, and one case report. The methodological quality of the included studies was judged as medium level. In conclusion, this systematic review suggests the potential impact of interventions such as tai chi as tools for reducing work-related stress among healthcare professionals. Further research will be needed in order to gain robust evidence of its efficacy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Workplace Health (Violence, Injury, and Stress) in the Health Care Setting)

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Open AccessArticle

Exploring Perceptions of the Work Environment among Psychiatric Nursing Staff in France: A Qualitative Study Using Hierarchical Clustering Methods

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Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(1), 142; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17010142 - 24 Dec 2019

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2841

Abstract

Most studies on workers’ health are based on non-specific models of occupational stress, thereby limiting the understanding and research on efficient interventions. This qualitative approach aimed to explore the structure of resources and constraints in the working environment of nurses in a deliberately open approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 37 nurses working in closed and open inpatient psychiatric wards in a French university hospital. The data were statistically analyzed using a hierarchical clustering method. Our model highlighted a systemic structure, describing the interactions, including patients, nurses, doctors, and managers in a specific material, communicational, and organizational environment. The results show a discursive structure organized around dimensions pertaining to “environment”, “patients”, “medical-care group”, and “the individual”. Our model showed interest in an interdisciplinary approach that encompasses occupational medicine and social psychology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Workplace Health (Violence, Injury, and Stress) in the Health Care Setting)

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