Lilian Tzivian
University of Latvia, Latvia
Title: Does age modify the association between work stress and workability of nurses?
Biography
Biography: Lilian Tzivian
Abstract
Statement of the Problem: In aging societies there is increased interest in keeping older people in the workforce. This is especially true in the health care system where at the same time due to increasing age of the population more people need medical help and nursing, while the staff becomes older too and tends to leave the work force prematurely, thus leading to a shortage of health care workers. The development of technologies increases the professional duties of nurses but doesn’t reduce work stress. Association between work stress of nurses and their workability is still underestimated. In this study we aimed to investigate the association between work stress and workability of nurses from three major hospitals in Riga, Latvia.
Methodology: We assessed cross-sectionally work- and health-related factors of nurses using structured questionnaires. Workability was assessed by self-reported 1 to 10 scale. Work stress was assessed using eight questions on anxiety, two questions on depressive symptoms, and three question on burnout. Multiple linear regression models adjusted for presence of children, year of experience, wage and position were built to investigate the association between work stress and workability. We investigated the effect measure modification of this association by age (dichotomized on median of 45 years).
Conclusion & Significance: Nurses should be particularly treated to reduce their level of stress to prevent a shortage of health care workers.