IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i18p9693-d635672.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Associations between Psychosocial Working Conditions and Quality of Care (i.e., Slips and Lapses, and Perceived Social Interactions with Patients)—A Cross-Sectional Study among Medical Assistants

Author

Listed:
  • Viola Mambrey

    (Centre for Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University of Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany)

  • Patricia Vu-Eickmann

    (Centre for Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University of Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany)

  • Peter Angerer

    (Centre for Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University of Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany)

  • Adrian Loerbroks

    (Centre for Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, University of Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany)

Abstract

Adverse psychosocial working conditions in the health care sector are widespread and have been associated with a reduced quality of patient care. Medical assistants (MA) assume that their unfavorable working conditions predominantly lead to a poorer quality of care in terms of slips and lapses, and poorer social interactions with patients. We examined those associations for the first time among MAs. A total of 944 MAs in Germany participated in a survey (September 2016–April 2017). Psychosocial working conditions were measured by the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) questionnaire and a questionnaire specifically designed for MAs. Slips and lapses (3 items, e.g., measurement or documentation errors) and the quality of interactions (3 items) with patients were measured by a questionnaire developed by the study team based on prior qualitative research. We ran Poisson regression to estimate multivariable prevalence ratios (PRs). The ERI ratio and MA-specific working conditions were significantly associated with frequent self-reported slips and lapses (PR = 2.53 and PR ≥ 1.22, respectively) or poor interactions with patients (PR = 3.62 and PR ≥ 1.38, respectively) due to work stress. Our study suggests that various types of adverse psychosocial working conditions are associated with perceptions of slips and lapses or poorer interaction with patients due to work stress among MAs.

Suggested Citation

  • Viola Mambrey & Patricia Vu-Eickmann & Peter Angerer & Adrian Loerbroks, 2021. "Associations between Psychosocial Working Conditions and Quality of Care (i.e., Slips and Lapses, and Perceived Social Interactions with Patients)—A Cross-Sectional Study among Medical Assistants," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-15, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:18:p:9693-:d:635672
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/18/9693/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/18/9693/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dragano, Nico & Siegrist, Johannes & Nyberg, Solja T. & Lunau, Thorsten & Fransson, Eleonor I. & Alfredsson, Lars & Bjorner, Jakob B. & Borritz, Marianne & Burr, Hermann & Erbel, Raimund & Fahlen, Gör, 2017. "Effort-Reward Imbalance at Work and Incident Coronary Heart Disease: A Multi-Cohort Study of 90,164 Individuals," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 28(4), pages 619-626.
    2. Jessica Scharf & Patricia Vu-Eickmann & Jian Li & Andreas Müller & Peter Angerer & Adrian Loerbroks, 2019. "Work-Related Intervention Needs and Potential Occupational Outcomes among Medical Assistants: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-14, June.
    3. Anja Viehmann & Christine Kersting & Anika Thielmann & Birgitta Weltermann, 2017. "Prevalence of chronic stress in general practitioners and practice assistants: Personal, practice and regional characteristics," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(5), pages 1-13, May.
    4. Siegrist, Johannes & Starke, Dagmar & Chandola, Tarani & Godin, Isabelle & Marmot, Michael & Niedhammer, Isabelle & Peter, Richard, 2004. "The measurement of effort-reward imbalance at work: European comparisons," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 58(8), pages 1483-1499, April.
    5. Elena Tsarouha & Christine Preiser & Birgitta Weltermann & Florian Junne & Tanja Seifried-Dübon & Felicitas Stuber & Sigrid Hartmann & Andrea Wittich & Monika A. Rieger & Esther Rind, 2020. "Work-Related Psychosocial Demands and Resources in General Practice Teams in Germany. A Team-Based Ethnography," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-19, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jean-Baptist du Prel & Johannes Siegrist & Daniela Borchart, 2019. "The Role of Leisure-Time Physical Activity in the Change of Work-Related Stress (ERI) over Time," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Michael Gast & Janina Lehmann & Elena Schwarz & Christian Hirning & Michael Hoelzer & Harald Guendel & Elisabeth Maria Balint, 2022. "A Single-Day Training for Managers Reduces Cognitive Stigma Regarding Mental Health Problems: A Randomized Trial," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-12, March.
    3. Braunheim, Lisa & Dragano, Nico & Khachatryan, Kristine & Beutel, Manfred E. & Brähler, Elmar, 2024. "The effects of effort-reward imbalance on the job, overcommitment, and income on life satisfaction in Germany from a longitudinal perspective," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 341(C).
    4. Adrian Loerbroks & Patricia Vu-Eickmann & Annegret Dreher & Viola Mambrey & Jessica Scharf & Peter Angerer, 2022. "The Relationship of Medical Assistants’ Work Engagement with Their Concerns of Having Made an Important Medical Error: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-9, May.
    5. Mario Schnalzenberger & Nicole Schneeweis & Rudolf Winter-Ebmer & Martina Zweimüller, 2014. "Job Quality and Employment of Older People in Europe," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 28(2), pages 141-162, June.
    6. Nektaria Nicolakakis & Maude Lafantaisie & Marie-Claude Letellier & Caroline Biron & Michel Vézina & Nathalie Jauvin & Maryline Vivion & Mariève Pelletier, 2022. "Are Organizational Interventions Effective in Protecting Healthcare Worker Mental Health during Epidemics/Pandemics? A Systematic Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-18, August.
    7. repec:iab:iabfda:201601(de is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Liebig, Stefan & Schupp, Jürgen, 2008. "Leistungs- oder Bedarfsgerechtigkeit? Über einen normativen Zielkonflikt des Wohlfahrtsstaats und seiner Bedeutung für die Bewertung des eigenen Erwerbseinkommens," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 59(1), pages 7-30.
    9. Oliver Weigelt & J. Charlotte Seidel & Lucy Erber & Johannes Wendsche & Yasemin Z. Varol & Gerald M. Weiher & Petra Gierer & Claudia Sciannimanica & Richard Janzen & Christine J. Syrek, 2023. "Too Committed to Switch Off—Capturing and Organizing the Full Range of Work-Related Rumination from Detachment to Overcommitment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-29, February.
    10. Mandy Schult & Verena Tobsch, 2012. "Freizeitstress: wenn die Arbeit ständig ruft," SOEPpapers on Multidisciplinary Panel Data Research 485, DIW Berlin, The German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP).
    11. Annegret Dreher & Mirjam Theune & Christine Kersting & Franziska Geiser & Birgitta Weltermann, 2019. "Prevalence of burnout among German general practitioners: Comparison of physicians working in solo and group practices," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(2), pages 1-13, February.
    12. Jessica Scharf & Patricia Vu-Eickmann & Peter Angerer & Andreas Müller & Jürgen in der Schmitten & Adrian Loerbroks, 2022. "Work-Related Intervention Needs of Medical Assistants and How to Potentially Address Them according to Supervising General Practitioners: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-17, January.
    13. Roman Raab, 2020. "Workplace Perception and Job Satisfaction of Older Workers," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 943-963, March.
    14. João Silvestre da Silva-Junior & Frida Marina Fischer, 2014. "Long-Term Sickness Absence Due to Mental Disorders Is Associated with Individual Features and Psychosocial Work Conditions," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(12), pages 1-14, December.
    15. Cildoz, Marta & Ibarra, Amaia & Mallor, Fermin, 2020. "Coping with stress in emergency department physicians through improved patient-flow management," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    16. Shimazu, Akihito & de Jonge, Jan, 2009. "Reciprocal relations between effort-reward imbalance at work and adverse health: A three-wave panel survey," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(1), pages 60-68, January.
    17. Ioannis A. Sakellaris & Dikaia E. Saraga & Corinne Mandin & Célina Roda & Serena Fossati & Yvonne De Kluizenaar & Paolo Carrer & Sani Dimitroulopoulou & Victor G. Mihucz & Tamás Szigeti & Otto Hännine, 2016. "Perceived Indoor Environment and Occupants’ Comfort in European “Modern” Office Buildings: The OFFICAIR Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-15, April.
    18. Orawan Kaewboonchoo & Grace Sembajwe & Jian Li, 2018. "Associations between Job Strain and Arterial Stiffness: A Large Survey among Enterprise Employees from Thailand," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-13, April.
    19. Maki Tei-Tominaga & Kyoko Asakura & Takashi Asakura, 2018. "Generation-Common and -Specific Factors in Intention to Leave among Female Hospital Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study Using a Large Japanese Sample," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-17, July.
    20. Angela Rauch & Anja Burghardt & Johannes Eggs & Anita Tisch & Silke Tophoven, 2015. "lidA–leben in der Arbeit. German cohort study on work, age and health [lidA–leben in der Arbeit. Kohortenstudie zu Gesundheit und Älterwerden in der Arbeit]," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 48(3), pages 195-202, October.
    21. Eduardo Gismera & José Luis Fernández & Jesús Labrador & Laura Gismera, 2019. "Suffering at Work: A Challenge for Corporate Sustainability in the Spanish Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-18, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:18:p:9693-:d:635672. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.