Impact of work environment characteristics on work‐related stress and depression in emergency medicine residents: A longitudinal study

Abstract

AbstractThis study examined the effect of work environment characteristics on work‐related stress and depression in emergency medicine residents. Data were collected from three cohorts of emergency medicine residents between 1989 and 1991 and followed to 1992. There were 556 first year, 369 second year and 192 third year medical residents in this ongoing study. Each year, residents were administered mail surveys including the Work‐Related Strain Inventory, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale and scales assessing task–role clarity and work group support. Regression analyses indicated that work‐related stress and first year depression were significant predictors of depression in the second residency year (r2 = 0.32). and In the third residency year, women and those with high work‐related stress had more depression (r2 = 0.38). Results also showed that residents with low task–role clarity were most likely to report depression, even when work group support was strong. These findings suggest that task and role conflict and work‐related stress contribute to symptoms of depression in emergency medicine residents.