"Exploring job demands and resources influencing mental health and work engagement among physical therapists: a cross-sectional survey of Norwegian physical therapists."

BACKGROUND: Physical therapists play a vital role in the Norwegian health care system, and their work environment may be a significant determinant for their wellbeing and job performance. OBJECTIVE: 1) Assess differences in work environment, mental health problems, and work engagement between physical therapists working in specialist versus municipal health care services. 2) Assess the relationships between work environment factors and work engagement and mental health problems. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 273 physical therapists responded to the Survey for Workplace Health Promotion (response rate = 35%). Independent-sample t-tests, Pearson correlations, and multiple regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: This study did not find any significant differences between physical therapists working in Norwegian hospitals and therapists working in the municipal health care services. Analyses showed that general demands (ß = 0.21), fragmented work tasks (0.18), predictability (-0.17) and social support (-0.34) were associated with mental health problems, while meaningful work (0.41), the opportunity to use one's strengths and potential (0.14), and social support (0.25) were associated with higher work engagement. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the role of poor job design and professional isolation as hindrances to work engagement among physical therapists, whereas work related meaningfulness and peer support promote their health and wellbeing.

Working environment, work engagement and mental health problems among occupational and physical therapists.

BACKGROUND: Working environment, work engagement and health among occupational and physical therapists in Norway have rarely been investigated. OBJECTIVES: (1) To compare the psychosocial working environment, work engagement and mental health problems of occupational therapists with those of physical therapists; (2) to compare the same measures among occupational therapists working in the specialist and municipal healthcare services, respectively; and (3) to identify job demands and resources that influence the work engagement and mental health problems of occupational therapists. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The Survey for Health Promoting Workplaces was used to collect data from 170 occupational therapists and 273 physical therapists (response rate =35%) working in specialist and municipal health care in Norway. Student's t-test, Pearson correlations and multiple regression analysis were used. RESULTS: Occupational therapists experienced higher job demands and poorer health than physical therapists. Occupational therapists in the municipal healthcare services were slightly more satisfied with their job resources than colleagues in specialist healthcare services. Meaningful work and the opportunity to use one's strengths and potential contributed the most to high work engagement. Low work engagement was the most important contributor to poor mental health. CONCLUSION AND SIGNIFICANCE: The mental health of occupational therapists seems to be closely related to the opportunity to perform high-quality therapy. It is important that work is organised so that occupational therapists have meaningful work tasks and opportunity to use their strengths and potential.