A Systematic Review and Evaluation of the Tools Measuring Work-Related Psychosocial Factors in Prospective Research on Sickness Absence of Health Care Workers.

Abstract

Purpose: This systematic literature review aims to list the validated tools measuring work-related psychosocial factors (WRPFs) influence health care workers' (HCWs) sickness absence (SA), and to evaluate their psychometric and practical properties.

Methods: Using the PsycINFO, Medline, and Web of Science databases, the search targeted prospective studies on WRPFs and SA in HCWs published between 2012 and 2023. The validated, self-report tools that measured WRPFs and that yielded at least one significant predictor of SA in HCWs were identified. An evaluation of the psychometric and practical properties was performed.

Results: Based on inclusion criteria, three prospective studies on HCWs were included, and twelve tools were listed. Psychometric and practical properties were "excellent" for six tools, "good" for four, and "questionable" for two.

Conclusions: Researchers and occupational health practitioners can use tools with "good" to "excellent" overall quality to measure traditional WRPFs that predict SA in HCWs. There is a need to develop and validate tools that measure WRPFs representing the specific characteristics of the health care working environment. Other WRPFs relevant to the work context of HCWs can be measured by extant tools that could be used in research and program development and evaluation.