Exploring Psychosocial Risk Factors Among Spanish Nurses: Links to Health and Professional Variables

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health Psychology
• Nursing Workforce Research
• Psychosocial Risk Assessment

Background:

• Psychosocial risks pose significant threats to healthcare professionals' well-being.
• Understanding factors influencing nurses' perception of these risks is crucial for targeted interventions.
• Previous research highlights the impact of work environment and personal characteristics on nurse mental health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors associated with perceived psychosocial risks among Spanish nurses.
• To examine the relationship between perceived psychosocial risks and nurses' personal, professional, and health attributes.

Main Methods:

• An observational, cross-sectional, and correlational study involving 2765 nurses in Spain.
• Data collected via an online questionnaire (March-June 2023) distributed through professional networks.
• Statistical analyses included descriptive, bivariate, and categorical regression using the ISTAS_Enfermería scale.

Main Results:

• Female sex, age under 41, night/rotating shifts, recent psychotropic medication use, and anxiety/depression symptoms correlated with higher perceived psychosocial risks.
• These identified factors explained 29.6% of the variance in perceived psychosocial risks.
• The cross-sectional design precludes causal inference, suggesting potential bidirectional relationships.

Conclusions:

• Specific nurse profiles (younger, female, shift workers, those with mental health symptoms) are more vulnerable to psychosocial risks.
• Associations between personal, occupational, and health characteristics and perceived risks are likely bidirectional and context-dependent.
• Longitudinal research is recommended to elucidate causal mechanisms and inform personalized preventive strategies for nurses.