Work Ability and Psychosocial Factors in Healthcare Settings: Results from a National Study

Abstract

Interactions between the ageing process, heath status, lifestyle and work strongly influence the work ability. In this paper, the healthcare workers were the selected professional group and their Work Ability was analysed in order to develop Portuguese reference values and to determine the influence of socio-demographic and psychosocial factors in the WAI. The methodology encompassed the work ability analysis using the Portuguese Version of the Work Ability Index and the characterization of the psychosocial factors using the Portuguese Version of Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire. The sample included 1016 individuals from Portuguese hospitals with different professional categories. In average our sample had good work ability. WAI did not correlate with age. Among those with better WAI, physicians and nursing aides were the seniors, pointing to a probable healthy worker effect. The COPSOQ showed critical values in the scales’ cognitive and emotional demands. The scales quantitative demands, role conflicts, sleep troubles, burnout, stress, depressive symptoms and offensive behaviors correlated negatively with WAI meaning that when these risk factors are lower the work ability is better. The scales role clarity, recognition, social community at work, quality of leadership, justice, self-efficacy, meaning of work, job satisfaction and development opportunities correlated positively with WAI probably acting as work ability protecting factors.