Occupational Stress and Its Consequences in Healthcare Professionals: The Role of Type D Personality

Abstract

Modification of Type D personality aimed at reducing tendency to experience negative emotions and enhancing skills to express them combined with improving social relations is desired to prevent healthcare professionals from adverse health outcomes.

Impact of caring for people living with HIV on the psychosocial well-being of palliative caregivers

“…These can impact negatively on the healthcare worker's psychosocial wellbeing if not resolved in a satisfactory manner (Delobelle et al 2009;Mullins 2009;Van Dyk 2007). Some of the organisational challenges contributing to occupational stress or workplace-related stress include lack of space and privacy, insufficient organisational support and acknowledgement, heavy workload, inadequate training, insufficient funding, insufficient safety measures, and lack of medical supplies (Miller et al 2007;Mullins 2009;Ogińska-Bulik 2006).…”

“…Although studies (such as Chirwa et al 2009;FredriksenGoldsen 2007;Ogińska-Bulik 2006;Van Dyk 2007) have shown dissatisfaction and dropout amongst AIDS care workers, caring for people living with HIV infection can provide significant satisfaction (Akintola 2008). Satisfaction takes the form of the caregiver's sense of doing a good deed, obtaining the patient's appreciation, or seeing improvement in the patient's condition (Moreno-Jiménez et al 2006).…”

“…Ogińska-Bulik (2006) found that excessive stress led to various emotional and physical consequences for individuals, including somatic diseases, mental health disorders and feelings of exhaustion and burnout. Various researchers have reported on the physical effects of stress on caregivers, who complained of frequent headaches, muscle aches or general aches and pains, skin problems, change in appetite, insomnia, and inability to recover properly from colds and bronchial problems (Ogińska-Bulik 2006;Van Dyk 2012). These stressors can ultimately lead to burnout.…”

“…These stressors can ultimately lead to burnout. Burnout refers to feelings of overstrain, tiredness, and fatigue resulting from long-term involvement in an overdemanding work situation (Fredriksen-Goldsen 2007;Ogińska-Bulik 2006). Burnout in the AIDS field can be defined as a psychological state of emotional exhaustion that results when the caregiver has reached his or her limit in dealing with persons with HIV infection and the accompanying emotional stress (UNAIDS 2006).…”

“…In the healthcare profession workers often feel unable to cope with the responsibility for the health and well-being of other people (UNAIDS 2006). Occupational stress can be defined as the result of discrepancies between demands in the workplace and an individual's perceived ability to cope with or to meet these demands (Brant et al 2010;Ogińska-bulik 2006;World Health Organization [WHO] …”