Psychosocial risks in healthcare

Medical and allied health professions are characteristic of an everyday intense contact with patients and clients. However, these interactions also bring about increased danger of psychosocial risks. Psychosocial risks involve job content, its organization and management, as well as its social context. As such they may pose serious consequences for health and well-being of the professionals. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work counts among major psychosocial risks: stress at work, burnout syndrome, mobbing/bullying, violence at work, working hours and substance abuse. The aim of the presented article is to give a brief survey of the basic psychosocial risks and their consequences for both health care workers and their patients. Keywords: psychosocial risks, psychosocial deprivation, mobbing, bullying, working hours, violence, drug abuse, workplace stress, occupational burnout, occupational safety.