scholarly journals Mental Health of Elementary Schoolteachers in Southern Brazil: Working Conditions and Health Consequences

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Regina Cezar-Vaz ◽  
Clarice Alves Bonow ◽  
Marlise Capa Verde de Almeida ◽  
Laurelize Pereira Rocha ◽  
Anelise Miritz Borges

The mental health of educators is a growing problem in many countries. This study sought to identify self-reported stressful working conditions of elementary schoolteachers and the biopsychosocial consequences of those working conditions and then identify working conditions that promote well-being for teachers in the workplace. Exploratory study was done with 37 teachers. Data collection was performed using a structured interview with a questionnaire. Results show that stressful working conditions are related to inadequate salary, an excessive number of activities, and having to take work home. Biopsychosocial consequences include anxiety, stress, and sleep disorders. There was a statistically significant association between inadequate salary and anxiety (p= 0.01) and between an excessive number of activities and stress (p= 0.01). Teachers reported that a good relationship among colleagues is a working condition that promotes well-being in the workplace. The identification of stressful working conditions for teachers, the biopsychosocial consequences, and working conditions that promote well-being in the workplace are relevant to determining actions that improve the work environment and, consequently, the health of teachers.

Author(s):  
Mikaelly Duarte Leite ◽  
Márcia Maria Mont' Alverne de Barros

Resumo: A Rede de Atenção Psicossocial-RAPS é constituída por serviços e dispositivos voltados para a superação da lógica manicomial, priorizando dentre outros aspectos, o exercício da cidadania e inserção social das pessoas com transtornos mentais. Neste cenário, compreende-se que a Residência Multiprofissional em Saúde Mental é relevante para o processo de qualificação dos serviços, no que concerne ao fortalecimento da rede de atenção psicossocial, à integralidade da atenção e qualificação das práticas dos trabalhadores dos serviços de saúde. Objetivou-se nesse estudo, conhecer as concepções da primeira turma da Residência Multiprofissional em Saúde Mental da Paraíba acerca do cuidado em saúde mental prestado na RAPS de João Pessoa e Cabedelo. Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva-exploratória, desenvolvida por abordagem qualitativa, realizada com 8 residentes. Utilizou-se uma entrevista semiestruturada, e para sua interpretação, seguiu-se a análise de conteúdo. Os resultados indicaram, a partir dos relatos das residentes, fragilidades concernentes à desvalorização do trabalhador e da saúde mental e condições de trabalho precárias, por exemplo, dificuldades relevantes que estão em discordância com as propostas do novo modelo de atenção psicossocial e da reforma psiquiátrica brasileira. No entanto, os achados da pesquisa também evidenciaram potencialidades da RAPS e contribuições importantes dos residentes nestes serviços, às quais estão em consonância com os pressupostos do cuidado ancorado na atenção psicossocial, como o apontamento de profissionais identificados com a saúde mental e práticas das residentes que favoreceram o empoderamento, autonomia e protagonismo dos usuários. AbstractThe Psychosocial Attention Network (RAPS) consists of services and devices designed to overcome the asylum logic, prioritizing, among other aspects, the exercise of citizenship and social insertion of people with mental disorders. In this scenario, it is understood that the Multiprofessional Residency in Mental Health is relevant to the qualification process of the services, regarding the strengthening of the psychosocial care network, to the integral attention and qualification of the practices of health service workers. The objective of this study was to understand the conceptions of the first group of the Multiprofessional Residency in Mental Health of Paraíba regarding the mental health care provided in the RAPS of João Pessoa and Cabedelo. It is a descriptive-exploratory research, developed in the qualitative approach, carried out with 8 residents. A semi-structured interview was used, and for its interpretation, content analysis was followed. The results indicated, from the residents' reports, weaknesses concerning worker devaluation and mental health and precarious working conditions, for example, relevant difficulties that are in disagreement with the proposals of the new psychosocial care model and the Brazilian psychiatric reform. However, the research findings also highlighted the potential of RAPS and the important contributions of residents in these services, which are in line with the assumptions of care anchored in psychosocial care, such as the assignment of professionals identified with mental health and practices of residents who favored the empowerment, autonomy and protagonism of users.Keywords: Psychosocial Attention Network; Multiprofessional Residence; Mental health.


Author(s):  
Muchtar ◽  
Ray Wagiu Basrowi

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers have physical and psychosocial pressure in carrying out their work. The requirement for healthcare workers in dealing with the pandemic is so high, the identification process for the resilience of healthcare workers is not going well. The purpose of this article is to review about how to optimize the resilience of healthcare workers exposed to COVID-19 outbreak working conditions. Methods: This literature review is conducted in October 2021. Research related to the resilience of healthcare workers during COVID-19 Pandemic by using valid keywords, including resilience, healthcare workers, COVID-19 through ProQuest, ScienceDirect and SpingerLink. Results: A total of 10 articles were selected for the literature review. The process of self-reflection is one of the important things for healthcare workers. Optimizing relisience of healthcare workers by carrying out an efficient division of tasks to reduce workloads, give more attention to their needs, provide training and knowledge about digital applications to increase capacity in carrying out their work, provide mental health support for healthcare workers and creating a safe and comfortable work environment for them. Conclusions: Maintaining health during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important thing that needs to be done by healthcare workers. Stress management is an important factor in dealing with a pandemic. Create an assessment of the resilience of healthcare workers by detecting gaps, determining priorities, developing plans to prevent psychosocial hazards at all levels both individual and organizational levels.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anam Iqbal ◽  
Warren Mansell

Research studies have identified various different mechanisms in the effects of nature engagement on well-being and mental health. However, rarely are multiple pathways examined in the same study and little use has been made of first-hand, experiential accounts through interviews. Therefore, a semi-structured interview was conducted with seven female students who identified the role of nature engagement in their well-being and mental health. After applying thematic analysis, 11 themes were extracted from the data set, which were: “enjoying the different sensory input,” “calm nature facilitates a calm mood,” “enhancing decision making and forming action plans,” “enhancing efficiency and productivity,” “alleviating pressure from society's expectations regarding education,” “formation of community relations,” “nature puts things into perspective,” “liking the contrast from the urban environment,” “feel freedom,” “coping mechanism,” and “anxious if prevented or restricted.” The results indicate complementary mechanisms for how nature-related activities benefit mental health and well-being that may occupy different levels of experience within a hierarchical framework informed by perceptual control theory.


BUILDER ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 284 (3) ◽  
pp. 56-59
Author(s):  
Joanna Krajewska

Workplace stress is a common cause of many diseases. It may be intensified by staying in one room for many hours and being exposed to unfavorable environmental stimuli. The role of designers may be important in shaping the work environment favorable to the mental comfort of building users. The aim of the article is to review the solutions used in the architecture of public and commercial (office) buildings, as well as in interior designs and landscape projects, helpful to reduce the level of stress that may arise in the workplace. The adopted research methodology includes the analysis of selected examples of design solutions, literature studies and the anthropological research carried out by the author using the structured interview method. The result of the review is the collection of a rich set of design methods, which allow to shape the work environment favorable to the mental health of users of public and commercial buildings. The conducted research allows to conclude that designers have a wide range of measures which enables to shape a work environment that is beneficial for mental health. The range of these possibilities in the hands of architects is constantly growing, and they should be constantly aware of it. In addition, listening to the needs of users of existing buildings may lead designers to new solutions.


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Narendra Kumar Arya ◽  
Kamlesh Singh ◽  
Anushree Malik

Impact of five days spiritual practice in Himalayan Ashram of Sahaj Marg on well-being related parameters and selected physiological indicators has been studied on 55 participants (25 male, 30 female; age range 18-65 years; mean age = 49 years & SD = 12.5 years). It was found that mental health and its dimensions like emotional well- being and social well-being; positive experience and negative experience; Sat-Chit-Ananda; depression anxiety and stress had significant change towards improved well-being. However, psychological well-being, flourishing Scale and mindfulness did not show significant improvement after the sessions. Observations during the Semi-structured interview corroborated with the above results.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. i26
Author(s):  
Shane L Rogers ◽  
Stephen J Edwards ◽  
Rebecca Perera

Objective:  The primary objective was to investigate the impact of shared versus individual office space on therapist appraisal of the work physical and social environment, and overall appraisal of working conditions. Method:  Therapists (n = 59) from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Western Australia were surveyed about their appraisal of the social and physical work environment, in addition to their overall appraisal of working conditions. Results:  Compared to therapists with individual offices, therapists occupying shared office space reported lower appraisal of the work physical environment and lower overall appraisal of working conditions. No difference was found between groups for appraisal of the work social environment. Additionally, when statistically controlling for office space, both the appraisal of the social and physical environment made an independent contribution to the prediction of overall work satisfaction. Conclusion:  This research reveals that shared office space can negatively impact therapist appraisal of their work environment and reduce overall appraisal of working conditions. Additionally, results reveal the high importance of the physical environment for staff satisfaction in a mental health service.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinghua Li ◽  
Jingdong Xu ◽  
Huan Zhou ◽  
Hua You ◽  
Xiaohui Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Public health workers at Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) and primary health care institutes (PHI) constitute one of the main workforces for implementing prevention and control measures to contain the COVID-19 epidemic, but their efforts and health status have not been well documented. We aimed to investigate the working conditions and health status of frontline public health workers in China during the epidemic. Methods: Between February 18 to March 1, 2020, we conducted a cross-sectional survey among 2,313 CDC workers and 4,004 PHI workers in five provinces across China experiencing different scales of COVID-19 epidemic. We interviewed all participants about their work conditions, roles, burdens, perceptions, mental health, and self-rated health using a self-constructed questionnaire and standardized measurements (i.e., Patient Health Questionnaire and General Anxiety Disorder scale). To examine the independent associations between working conditions and health outcomes, we used multivariate regression models controlling for potential confounders. Results: The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and poor self-rated health was 21.3%, 19.0%, and 9.8%, respectively, among public health workers (27.1%, 20.6% and 15.0% among CDC workers; and 17.5%, 17.9% and 6.8% among PHI workers). The majority (71.6%) participated in both field and non-field work and gave immense efforts. Nearly 20.0% have worked all night for more than 3 days and 45.3% had worked during the whole period of Chinese New Year. Three risk factors and two protective factors were found independently associated with all three health outcomes in our final multivariate models, including working all night for >3 days (ORm=1.67~1.75, p<0.001), concerns about being infected at work (ORm=1.46~1.89, p<0.001), perceived troubles at work (ORm=1.10~1.28, p<0.001), starting COVID-19 prevention work after January 23 (ORm=0.78~0.82, p=0.002~0.008), and capability to persist for more than 1 month at the current work intensity (ORm=0.44~0.55, p<0.001). Conclusions: Chinese public health workers gave immense efforts and personal sacrifices to curb the COVID-19 epidemic and were exposed to risk of mental health problems. Efforts should be taken to improve the working condition and health status of public health workers to maintain the morale and effectiveness of public health workers in the fight against the epidemic.


Author(s):  
Remigijus Bubnys ◽  
Eglė Milašiūtė

The main precondition for good care of people with disabilities is not only social workers’ knowledge of pedagogical, psychological or social work but also their own personal qualities, values, attitudes, empathy and psychological resilience in difficult situations. Professional motivation encompasses employees’ motives and needs guiding them to purposefully certain personal and organisational goals. Motivation is the basis and the cause of the professional activity, which is related to the satisfaction of the employee's needs and which may be conditioned by the employee's experience. Problems of the research: What are the intrinsic and extrinsic factors of social worker’s motivation to work? The aim is to analyse the motivation factors of professional activities of social workers working with people with disabilities. Research methods: 1) A semi-structured interview for data collection; 2) A qualitative content analysis based on the content of the analysed text. Sample. The survey involved 12 social workers from Lithuania who work with with people having disabilities. The results disclose intrinsic and extrinsic factors of social workers’ professional motivation in Lithuania. Extrinsic factors that stimulate social workers are not the main source of motivation for work. Social workers point out that the main factors driving employees to work are the pay, working conditions and work environment, well-being in the work environment, positive feedback from the manager, co-workers’ support and trust, client appreciation, manager praise. Intrinsic factors promoting social workers' professional activities are self-realization, opportunities for improvement, clients’ well-being, training in supervision, qualification improvement. 


Author(s):  
Ingibjörg H. Jonsdottir ◽  
Alessio Degl’Innocenti ◽  
Linda Åhlström ◽  
Caterina Finizia ◽  
Helle Wijk ◽  
...  

Background. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on workload, mental health, and well-being of healthcare workers, and particularly those on the front-line, has received considerable attention.Design and methods. We surveyed hospital employees about their working environment during the pandemic and identified departments which were negatively affected in comparison to the pre-pandemic situation, as well as factors contributing to this.Setting and participants We surveyed all hospital employees at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden in September 2020 and compared results across departments and to the results of a large employee survey from October 2019.Results. The overall impact of the pandemic on perceived working conditions and possibility for recovery differed among departments. During the pandemic, healthcare workers working with COVID-19 patients reported poorer working environments than other employees. Factors significantly related to perception of work environment and recovery during the pandemic included worries of being infected, departmental transfer, and having insufficient access to personal protective equipment. Men reported better working conditions than women in all, but one item and higher age was related to better perceived working environment.Conclusions. Our results indicate that the pandemic differentially affects hospital departments and underscores the multifactorial nature of this topic. Contributing factors to poor perceived working environment could be addressed at times of high workload, such as during the pandemic, including providing appropriate support to managers, ensuring possibility for recovery during working hours, and acknowledging worries about infection. Young healthcare workers and staff who are relocated due to the pandemic warrant special attention.


Author(s):  
Jermaine M Ravalier ◽  
Elaine Wainwright ◽  
Nina Smyth ◽  
Oliver Clabburn ◽  
Paulina Wegrzynek ◽  
...  

Stress and mental health at work are the leading causes of long-term sickness absence in the UK, with chronically poor working conditions impacting employee physiological and psychological health. Social workers play a significant part in the fabric of UK society, but have one of the most stressful occupations in the country. The aim of this project was to work with UK social workers to co-develop, implement, and evaluate a series of smartphone-based mental health initiatives. A Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, consisting of semi-structured interviews and focus group and steering group discussions, was utilized to design the mental health and well-being interventions. Study efficacy was evaluated via a pre- and post-intervention survey and post-intervention semi-structured interviews. Interventions developed were psycho-educational, improved top-down and bottom-up communication, and provided access to a Vocational Rehabilitation Assistant for those struggling and at risk of sickness absence. Six months following dissemination, surveys demonstrated significant improvements in communication, and mean score improvements in four other working conditions. This project, therefore, demonstrates that co-developed initiatives can be positively impactful, despite post-intervention data collection being impacted by COVID-19. Future studies should build upon these findings and broaden the PAR approach nationally while taking a robust approach to evaluation.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document