BackgroundWe studied the prevalence of common mental disorders among Dutch hospital physicians and investigated whether the presence of a mental disorder was associated with insufficient self-reported work ability.MethodsA questionnaire was sent to all (n = 958) hospital physicians of one academic medical center, using validated scales to assess burnout, work-related fatigue, stress, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression. Furthermore, respondents were asked to rate their current work ability against the work ability in their own best period (adapted version of the first WAI item). The prevalence of each common mental disorder was calculated. In addition, odds ratios of reporting insufficient work ability for subjects with high complaint scores compared to physicians with low complaint scores were calculated for each mental disorder.ResultsThe response rate was 51%, and 423 questionnaires were eligible for analysis. The mental disorder prevalence rates were as follows: work-related fatigue 42%, depression 29%, anxiety 24%, posttraumatic stress complaints 15%, stress complaints 15% and burnout 6%. The mean score for self-reported work ability was 8.1 (range 0–10), and 4% of respondents rated their own work ability as insufficient. Physicians with high mental health complaints were 3.5- for fatigue, 5.6- for PTSD, 7.1- for anxiety, 9.5- for burnout, 10.8- for depression and 13.6-fold for stress more likely to report their work ability as insufficient.ConclusionsThe prevalence of common mental disorders among hospital physicians varied from 6% for burnout to 42% for work-related fatigue. Those physicians with high complaints had significantly 4- to 14 times increased odds of reporting their own work ability as insufficient. This work suggests that to ensure future workers health and patients safety occupational health services should plan appropriate intervention strategies.

PurposeSurgeons’ poor physical health and high physical job demands might threaten good quality of care. We aimed to compare the prevalence of physical complaints of surgeons, their physical work ability and the physical job demands of surgeons with that of other hospital physicians.MethodsAll medical doctors (n = 958) of one academic medical center were invited to complete the online questionnaire to assess the physical work ability and the prevalence of regional musculoskeletal complaints. A purposive sample of 44 surgeons and 82 other hospital physicians were systematically observed during work to quantify the physical job demands for an average working day.ResultsMore surgeons found their work to be physically strenuous (41 vs. 13 %, p < .000) and more were bothered by working in uncomfortable or exhausting postures (73 vs. 27 %, p < .001). Both groups reported that most of their physical complaints were in the neck (39 and 32 %) and arm regions (36 and 27 %). The majority of surgeons (86 %) and other hospital physicians (79 %) experienced difficulties coping with their job demands because of their physical state once a month or less. Compared with other hospital physicians, surgeons stand longer (4 vs. 3 h, p = .004) and perform fine repetitive movements longer (80 vs. 3 min, p < .001) during an average working day.ConclusionsExposure to several physical job demands that are perceived as uncomfortable and exhausting and the presence of physical health complaints reduce surgeons’ work functioning.

The objective of the present study was to explore associations between psychosocial workload and mental health complaints in different age groups. A questionnaire was sent to 2021 employees of a Dutch railway company. Six aspects of psychosocial workload (work pressure, mental workload, emotional workload, autonomy, social support from colleagues and social support from supervisors) and three mental health outcomes (work-related fatigue, stress and burnout) were assessed. Associations between the aspects of psychosocial workload (distributed into tertiles) and health complaints were analysed by logistic regression analysis in four age groups (22-35, 36-45, 46-55 and 56-66 years old). In all age groups, worse work pressure was a significant risk factor for having mental health complaints. Worse emotional load in the younger employees and lack of social support in older employees were associated with a higher risk of having mental health complaints. Age-specific preventive measures should be implemented on both individual and group levels. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: With an ageing workforce, understanding relationships between age and work-related health ailments is increasingly important. This study found that emotional workload in younger and lack of social support in older employees were associated with a higher risk of mental health complaints. Work pressure was a risk factor in all age groups.