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Risks of Ecosystems’ Degradation: Portuguese Healthcare Professionals’ Mental Health, Hope and Resilient Coping

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  • Rute F. Meneses

    (Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, University Fernando Pessoa (FCHS-UFP), Praça 9 de Abril, 349, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal
    Research, Innovation and Development Institute of Fernando Pessoa Foundation (FP-I3ID), Praça 9 de Abril, 349, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal
    Health Research Network, University Fernando Pessoa (RISE-UFP), 4249-004 Porto, Portugal)

  • Carla Barros

    (Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, University Fernando Pessoa (FCHS-UFP), Praça 9 de Abril, 349, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal
    Research, Innovation and Development Institute of Fernando Pessoa Foundation (FP-I3ID), Praça 9 de Abril, 349, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal
    Health Research Network, University Fernando Pessoa (RISE-UFP), 4249-004 Porto, Portugal)

  • Helder Sousa

    (Department of Mathematics, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
    Center for Computational and Stochastic Mathematics (CEMAT), 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • Ana Isabel Sani

    (Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, University Fernando Pessoa (FCHS-UFP), Praça 9 de Abril, 349, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal
    Research, Innovation and Development Institute of Fernando Pessoa Foundation (FP-I3ID), Praça 9 de Abril, 349, 4249-004 Porto, Portugal
    Research Centre on Child Studies (CIEC), University of Minho (UM), 4710-057 Braga, Portugal)

Abstract

Healthcare professionals constantly face situations that reflect ecosystems’ degradation. These can negatively affect their mental health. Research suggests that hope and resilience can play an important role in this scenario, since they are related to/predict mental health in highly heterogeneous samples (considering geography, age, profession, health, etc.). In this context, the aims of the present study are the following: to characterize and explore the relationship between hope, resilient coping and mental health in Portuguese healthcare professionals. Using Google Forms, 276 healthcare professionals answered the GHQ-28, the (adult) Trait Hope Scale, and the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (retrospective, analytical observational, cross-sectional, descriptive and correlational research design). The minimum and maximum possible scores were reached, with the exception of the maximum score of GHQ-28-Total. Regarding Hope, 19.6% scored below the midpoint ( M = 43.46, SD = 11.97); 29.3% revealed low resilience ( M = 14.93, SD = 4.05); and the average of four of the five Mental Health scores (exception: Severe depression) indicates the probability of a psychiatric case. Hope correlated with Social dysfunction and GHQ-28-Total; resilient coping proved to be a (weak) predictor of four of the five GHQ-28 indicators (exception: Severe depression). The results support the need to promote the sample’s mental health, hope and resilient coping. They also suggest that stimulating resilient coping may contribute to improving healthcare professionals’ mental health. Prior research (e.g., on therapies to enhance hope, resilience and, thus, mental health), to which the current study contributes, supports optimism towards the necessary internal sustainability transition.

Suggested Citation

  • Rute F. Meneses & Carla Barros & Helder Sousa & Ana Isabel Sani, 2024. "Risks of Ecosystems’ Degradation: Portuguese Healthcare Professionals’ Mental Health, Hope and Resilient Coping," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-16, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:12:p:5123-:d:1415854
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mateusz Babicki & Ilona Szewczykowska & Agnieszka Mastalerz-Migas, 2021. "The Mental Well-Being of Health Care Workers during the Peak of the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Nationwide Study in Poland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-12, June.
    2. Kele Ding & Jingzhen Yang & Ming-Kai Chin & Lindsay Sullivan & Giyasettin Demirhan & Veronica Violant-Holz & Ricardo R. Uvinha & Jianhui Dai & Xia Xu & Biljana Popeska & Zornitza Mladenova & Waheeda K, 2021. "Mental Health among Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown: A Cross-Sectional Multi-Country Comparison," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-16, March.
    3. Jennifer Cheavens & David Feldman & Amber Gum & Scott Michael & C. Snyder, 2006. "Hope Therapy in a Community Sample: A Pilot Investigation," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 77(1), pages 61-78, May.
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