Correlates of working conditions and affect balance among healthcare workers in Upper Egypt

Working conditions and emotional health of healthcare workers (HCWs) are essential aspects in the delivery of qualified health services. This study aimed to explore the working conditions and the experienced positive and negative emotions among HCWs in Upper Egypt.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among HCWs in Aswan University Hospital. The studied population included 400 HCWs (215 nurses and 185 physicians). Data was collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. It inquired about demographic and job characteristics, working conditions, and the positive and negative experiences of HCWs.

Physicians had significantly higher mean values of the total poor working conditions scale and all its domains than nurses except relationships with similar co-workers. HCWs of surgical specialty have significantly worse perceptions of total working conditions than those of medical specialty. There was no significant difference in mean values of positive and negative experience and affect balance scales between physicians and nurses (P > 0.05). The adjusted linear regression models revealed being a physician was a significant predictor of poor working conditions. The increase in age was a significant positive predictor of affect balance score. Poor working conditions and the affect balance were significantly positively intercorrelated with each other.

Poor perceptions of working conditions were perceived by physicians more than nurses and by HCWs in surgical than in medical specialty. Poor working conditions and the affect balance have a positive impact on each other. There is a necessity for improving the working conditions of HCWs especially physicians in Upper Egypt. This improvement may enhance HCWs' positive emotions.