ORIGINAL PAPER
Workload and coping with stress and the health status of emergency medical staff in the context of work–life balance
 
More details
Hide details
1
Uniwersytet Medyczny w Łodzi / Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland (Zakład Psychologii Lekarskiej / Department of Medical Psychology)
 
2
Uniwersytet Medyczny w Łodzi / Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland (Studenckie Koło Naukowe Psychologii w Medycynie / Student Scientific Association of Psychology in Medicine)
 
3
Uniwersytet Medyczny w Łodzi / Medical University of Lodz, Łódź, Poland (Zakład Medycyny Sportowej / Department of Sports Medicine)
 
 
Online publication date: 2020-07-23
 
 
Corresponding author
Paweł Rasmus   

Uniwersytet Medyczny w Łodzi, Zakład Psychologii Lekarskiej, ul. Lindleya 6, 90-131 Łódź
 
 
Med Pr Work Health Saf. 2020;71(5):587-93
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Background: Emergency medical staff (EMS) are a professional group at a high risk of burnout and an imbalance between work and private life, the so-called work–life balance (WLB). This affects their mental state and physical health. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between the number of hours of work and the state of health as well as coping with the stress among emergency medical staff, as factors conditioning the maintenance of WLB. Material and Methods: The study involved 129 people employed in the medical emergency sector. The study was conducted as a diagnostic survey using tools such as: the Mini-COPE Inventory for Measuring Coping with Stress, a specially designed questionnaire regarding the work schedule, and sociodemographic data. Results: The examined people were able to manage stress in an active way, and they most often rated their health as good. Most of the respondents also received family support, and both men and women declared it. However, only about half of the respondents declared their satisfaction with the income earned. The correlation between the number of hours and age was r = –0.156 (p = 0.077), and that between the number of hours and physical health r = –0.12 (p = 0.171). Conclusions: Generally, EMS are able to cope with stress and are satisfied with the support they receive from their families. However, the number of on-call times at work has a negative impact on their health status, which, together with a lack of satisfaction with the financial situation, may contribute to disturbed WLB. Further research on the WLB phenomenon, along with monitoring the number of working hours of people employed in emergency medicine, are recommended. Med Pr. 2020;71(5):587–93
eISSN:2353-1339
ISSN:0465-5893
Journals System - logo
Scroll to top