[Job satisfaction and violence in the clinical relationship in Physical Therapists in Spain]

To assess the job satisfaction (JS) of physiotherapists in Spain and their relationship with occupational violence, as with other socio-demographic, health, and occupational factors.

A cross-sectional study was conducted. Setting Primary, community, and hospital attention level at public and private care in Spain.

Physiotherapists in Spain who have been working for at least 3months during the last year, and with complete answer to the required variables (n=2,590).

Information was collected through a questionnaire distributed online. A descriptive quantitative analysis and 3 logistic regression models were performed. In the first model, sociodemographic and violence variables were included as independent variables, in the second, health-related variables, and in the third, occupational variables.

The average JS of physiotherapists is 7.26 points, being 8 or more in 46.8% of the cases, with a higher percentage in men". Referring not having suffered psychological violence was related to a higher probability of having JS, even controlling for the rest of the variables studied (OR¹=0.485; OR²=0.611; OR³=0.697, respectively for each model). Variables related to health (state of health, symptoms, consumption of tobacco/alcohol/other substances) and to the work environment (working day, work area, autonomy, relationship with superiors/colleagues) were statistically significantly related to JS.

Almost 47% of the respondents had very high JS values. Certain areas of work as well as positive health factors have been linked to very high JS. Psychological violence is the form of violence that, independently of the other factors analysed, leads to lower JS.