Impact of mindfulness and coping strategies on the well-being of hospice workers in Slovakia during the Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

Background: Working in hospice facilities is very difficult both physically and mentally. Workers are often confronted with difficult and borderline living situations, and the burden of the Covid-19 pandemic has now been added to the equation. It is essential to look for factors that increase the resilience of these workers and support their well-being. Purpose: The aim of this paper is to create a model of impact of mindfulness and coping strategies on the well-being of hospice workers in Slovakia. Results: Mindfulness correlated with negative coping strategies. The multiple regression model indicated that the combined effect of mindfulness, negative coping strategies, and positive control strategies explain the 39% variance in well-being. The negative coping strategies and control strategies mediated the relationship between mindfulness and well-being. Conclusions: Mindfulness contributes to the well-being of hospice staff both directly and indirectly through negative coping strategies and positive strategies (control). Mindful individuals are less inclined to use negative strategies and, on the contrary, they are more prone to use positive coping strategies (particularly the control strategies). Implications for hospice providers are discussed. © 2022 The Authors. Published by University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences.