[Status of job burnout and its influential factors in seafarers].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the status of job burnout and its main influential factors in seafarers and to provide a scientific basis for ensuring the physical and psychological health of seafarers and increasing their working performance. METHODS: A total of 1027 seafarers, who underwent physical examination at Fujian International Travel Health Care Center from January to June, 2013, and left and entered China through the Fujian port, were selected. The status of job burnout was investigated using a job burnout scale. A total of 1027 questionnaires were sent out, and 989 valid ones (96.30%) were returned. RESULTS: The scores of emotional exhaustion and cynicism were the highest in the youngest age group (<30 years), divorced or widowed group, or those with a monthly income per person over 10,000 yuan (P < 0.05). The score of reduced personal accomplishment was the highest in seafarers with a degree of junior high school or less or those with a monthly income per person of 3 000-6 000 yuan (P < 0.05). The highest scores of emotional exhaustion and cynicism were also seen in seafarers with the highest frequency of overtime working, high occupational stress, less than 6 hours' sleep per day, or poor sleep quality (P < 0.05). The highest score of reduced personal accomplishment was also seen in seafarers with the latest sail time lasting for more than six months, low occupational stress, or good sleep quality (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that poor sleep quality and occupational stress were the main risk factors for job burnout in seafarers, while physical exercise was a protective factor. CONCLUSION: Job burnout among seafarers is influenced by many factors. Therefore, measures should be taken by relevant administrative departments and seafarers themselves to reduce the incidence of job burnout.

Workplace violence and influencing factors among medical professionals in China.

BACKGROUND: Workplace violence has attracted increasing public attention over the past few decades in China. This study was conducted to evaluate the frequency of workplace violence in healthcare settings by various job titles and hospital departments, and to explore the related risk factors among Chinese medical professionals. METHODS: A total of 2,464 medical professionals in 12 hospitals of two provinces were surveyed by using a stratified cluster sampling method. The Chinese version of the Workplace Violence Scale was used to measure the frequencies of workplace violence, classified as physical assault, emotional abuse, threat of assault, verbal sexual harassment and sexual assault experienced by the subjects over the previous 12 months. A structured questionnaire was administered to collect information on potentially influencing factors for workplace violence. Multivariate analysis was applied to determine the risk factors for workplace violence. RESULTS: About 50% of study subjects reported at least one type of workplace violence. The rates of experiencing two episodes or more of physical assault, emotional abuse, threat of assault, verbal sexual harassment, and sexual assault were 11%, 26%, 12%, 3%, and 1%, respectively. Identified risk factors for workplace violence included working in the departments of psychiatry, emergency, pediatrics and surgery, male gender, divorce/widowed status, long working hours (≥10 hr/day), and night shift. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggested that workplace violence occurs commonly in Chinese healthcare settings. Effective intervention strategies targeting workplace violence should be formulated in terms of major risk factors.

A study on workplace violence and its effect on quality of life among medical professionals in China.

The present study was conducted to investigate workplace violence and to examine how it is associated with quality of life (QOL) among medical professionals in China. A total of 2,464 medical professionals were selected from Fujian Province and Henan Province by using stratified cluster-sampling method. A Chinese version of the workplace violence scale was used to measure the incidence of workplace violence. The Short Form-36 Health Survey was employed to assess their QOL. Approximately 50% of the participants reported at least one type of workplace violence occurring in the previous 12 months. The multivariate analysis demonstrated workplace violence as a significant predictor for QOL among medical professionals, after controlling for other potential predictors. It suggests that the implementation of violence prevention policies and strategies to reduce workplace violence may improve QOL of medical professionals in China.

Effect of work stressors, personal strain, and coping resources on burnout in Chinese medical professionals: a structural equation model.

The present study analyzes the effect of work stressors, personal strain and coping resources on burnout among Chinese medical professionals. A total of 2,721 medical professionals were selected using the stratified cluster sampling method. A Chinese version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey was used to measure burnout, whereas the Occupation Stress Inventory-Revised Edition was used to evaluate work stressors, personal strain, and coping resources. The structural equation model (SEM) was established to test the effect of work stressors, personal strain, and coping resources on burnout. Among the predictive factors for burnout, work stressors and personal strain were the primary risk factors, whereas coping resources make up the important protective factor. The result from SEM indicated that work stressors had both direct and indirect effects on burnout, with the indirect effect mediated by both personal strain and coping resources. Coping resources only affected burnout indirectly, as mediated by personal strain, whereas personal strain affected burnout independently. The results suggest that work stressors, personal strain, and coping resources play important roles in burnout among medical professionals. To prevent burnout, such countermeasures as controlling the work stressors, reducing personal strain, and strengthening coping resources are recommended.