Risk Perceptions of Health Care Workers and Occupational Health Experts on Psychological Distress: A Qualitative
Lima M Emal1, Sietske J Tamminga, Annechien Beumer
1From the Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, the Netherlands (L.M.E., S.J.T., A.B., S.K., F.G.S., H.F.v.d.M.); and Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit van Amsterdam, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, the Netherlands (D.R.T.).
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
|December 2, 2024
Summary
Healthcare workers
Area of Science:
- Mental health research
- Occupational psychology
Background:
- Understanding healthcare workers' (HCWs) perspectives on psychological distress is crucial.
- Existing research may not fully capture the nuances of HCWs' mental models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore HCWs' mental models of psychological distress.
- To compare HCWs' mental models with those of experts in the field.
Main Methods:
- Conducted semistructured interviews with 28 HCWs and 13 experts.
- Thematic analysis of interview transcripts covering risk perception, symptoms, causes, consequences, and prevention of psychological distress.
Main Results:
- Identified similarities in risk perception, symptoms, causes, and consequences of psychological distress.
- Highlighted differences in reliance on personal experience (HCWs) versus scientific perspective (experts).
- Observed significant variation in HCWs' mental models across all studied aspects.
Conclusions:
- Effective interventions require acknowledging HCWs' personal values and experiences.
- Recognizing the heterogeneity of HCWs' mental models can improve engagement with preventive strategies.
- Bridging the gap between HCW and expert perspectives is key for successful psychological distress management.
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