Abstract
ObjectiveThe aims of this study among municipal employees in rural areas of northern Sweden were to assess the prevalence of self-rated exhaustion disorder (s-ED), describe plausible between-group differences in self-reported health-related factors among employees with or without s-ED, and identify health-related factors associated with s-ED.MethodsIn a cross-sectional study, data were collected from 1093 municipal employees (76.1% women) in two rural areas using an instrument measuring s-ED and health variables drawn from the Modern Worklife Questionnaire (MWQ), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the National Board of Health and Welfare’s questions about physical activity. Comparisons were made between an s-ED and a non-s-ED group. Health-related factors associated with s-ED were identified through a logistic regression.ResultsSelf-rated exhaustion disorder was reported by 21.5% of the participants. Health-related factors associated with s-ED were cognitive problems, sleep problems, depressive symptoms, high stress, poor self-rated health, and stomach problems. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of participants who met the criteria of physical activity among s-ED and non-s-ED group.ConclusionFindings from this study suggest that s-ED is more common among municipal employees in rural areas than in other working populations in Sweden. Several health-related factors were associated with s-ED. Regular use of a self-rated instrument in evaluating the organizational and social work environment can identify people at risk of developing exhaustion disorder and requiring long-term sick leave.
Highlights
In Sweden, as in many other countries, there is an increasing trend of mental ill health
We found that self-rated exhaustion disorder (s-exhaustion disorder (ED)) was relatively common among the employees, and that cognitive problems, sleep problems, depressive symptoms, high stress, poor self-rated health, and stomach problems were the health-related factors most strongly associated with s-ED
The results showed that 21.5% of the municipal employees reported having s-ED
Summary
In Sweden, as in many other countries, there is an increasing trend of mental ill health. Stress-related disorders, mainly due to psychosocial stress are causing about half of the long-term sick leave in the country. Organizational and social issues, such as conflicts and high demands at work, can lead to harmful psychosocial workload and long-term sick leave (Holmgren et al 2009; Holmgren, Fjällström-Lundgren, & Hensing 2013). Occupations in human service sectors, such as health care, social care, and education, are at high risk for sick leave due to stress-related disorders (Health and Safety Executive 2018). The highest rates of sick leave in Sweden occur among employees in the municipal sector. Stress-related disorders dominate, and women’s sick leave rates are twice as high as men’s. Municipal employees in rural areas of northern Sweden have among the highest rates of long-term sick leave in the country (Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions 2019). Psychosocial stress exposure among municipal employees, with its accompanying risk of exhaustion disorder (ED), is a natural focus of this study
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