Article
Chronic psychosocial stress among Cardiac Surgeons – Are we exposed to job-associated psychosocial handicaps? A single-center-study using the Trier inventory for chronic stress (TICS) and the German multidimensional stress-coping inventory (SVF)
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Published: | May 20, 2011 |
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Introduction: The Cardiac surgical workplace environment may place surgeons at particular risk for overwork and imbalance between personal and professional life. The goals of this review are to analyze psychosocial stress phenomenon and coping strategies among cardiac surgeons.
Materials and methods: Two standardized written questionnaires for assessement of perceived chronic stress (TICS) and stress-coping-strategies (SVF) consisting of 57 or 120 items and 10 or 19 scales were answered by 22 cardiac surgeons owning different experience (13 males) and compared to an age-matched population representative sample. For each item, the frequency of experience within the last 3 months had to be indicated on a 5-point rating scale. Statistical analyses were performed by the use of 95% confidence intervals and of Mann-Whitney-U Test. Level of significance was set at p<0.05.
Results: Mean values and 95% confidence intervals were mostly within the normal range. High levels for dissatisfaction at work,lack of social recognition and isolation, coping strategies like play down, distraction from situation and substitutional satisfaction were significantly more frequent in unexperienced surgeons (p<0.05).Experienced colleagues show higher values without significance for pressure to succed, overwork,self accusation, social stress and for coping strategies like flight tendency, guilt defense, social retreat, self- pity, self-accusation, ego boost, resignation and aggression than younger surgeons. ”Negative“ stress-coping strategies occur more often in experienced than in younger colleagues (p=0.029). Female surgeons feel more exposed to overwork (p=0.04) and social stress (p=0.03).
Conclusion: Cardiac surgeons show a tendency to high perceived chronic stress phenomenons and vulnerability for negative coping strategies.