Emotional demands and depression: The buffering role of positive work-related factors in clinical veterinary practice.

Abstract

Background: Emotional demands are high in the veterinary profession. In this study, we examine whether positive factors buffer (i.e., weaken) the association between emotional demands and depression among veterinary employees.

Methods: We surveyed psychosocial working conditions and depression in a population of 885 employees in clinical veterinary practice. The data were analysed using logistic regression analysis.

Results: An increased risk of depression was found for participants reporting high emotional demands (odds ratio [OR] 4.21; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.68‒6.60). Participants reporting high emotional demands in combination with low levels of meaning at work (OR 5.08; 95% CI 2.64‒9.79), cooperation with their immediate supervisor (OR 4.09; 95% CI 2.27‒6.45), influence at work (OR 3.69; 95% CI 2.11‒6.45) and cooperation between colleagues (OR 3.85; 95% CI 2.04‒7.28) had an increased risk of depression compared to participants reporting high emotional demands in combination with high levels of the above-mentioned factors. A statistically significant buffering effect for the combination of high emotional demands and high meaning at work was observed (relative excess risk due to interaction ‒3.35; 95% CI ‒6.40 to ‒0.30).

Limitation: This was a cross-sectional study, meaning that causal associations between the variables cannot be established.

Conclusions: High levels of meaning at work buffered the association between emotional demands and the risk of depression in the study population. Positive work-related factors are important for promoting wellbeing among employees in clinical veterinary practice.