Strategy for improving the distress level in healthcare workers
Main Article Content
Keywords
Working Conditions, Psychological Distress, Occupational Stress, Stress Management Interventions, Healthcare Workers
Abstract
Background: Healthcare workers are at higher risk of work-related issues due to constant exposure to distress, which has an impact on their well-being and performance.
Objective: To evaluate distress levels and causes of emotional discomfort among healthcare workers before and after a sensitization workshop.
Material and methods: Observational, longitudinal, analytical, and retrospective study based on assessments conducted by SPPSTIMSS on healthcare workers who participated in the Mind, Body, and Emotions workshop from August 1, 2022, to August 21, 2023, at the Hospital of Traumatology, Orthopedics, and Rehabilitation "Dr. Victorio de la Fuente Narváez." Variables analyzed included age, gender, workplace, shift, employment category, distress levels, causes of emotional discomfort, and intervention latency, using the Distress Thermometer. The protocol was approved by the Health Ethics and Research Committee (R-2023-3401-076).
Results: Data from 101 participants with complete records were analyzed (mean age: 38.8 ± 8.7 years, 71.2% were females). Distress levels showed a significant reduction (6.2 ± 2.8 vs. 4.7 ± 2.9, p = 0.0002), with an intervention latency of 6.3 ± 4.8 months. Causes of emotional discomfort included practical (90%), physical (88.1%), emotional (86.1%), family-related (52.4%), and spiritual (9.9%) issues.
Conclusions: Participation of healthcare workers in the sensitization workshop significantly reduced self-perceived distress levels.
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