Abstract
Background: Nurses experience high levels of distress due to the nature of their work and workplaces; Antonovsky’s salutogenic theory shows that individual and work-related factors can influence human health. The aim of this paper is to analyze the possible correlations with different work-related and individual variables, which influence or are influenced by Sense of Coherence (SOC) and verify the possible use of SOC scales to prevent negative health determinants in workplaces. Methods: Electronic databases were searched with selected studies compared for sample, sample size, study design and basic results. Cross-sectional studies were reviewed for correlations between individual physical and mental health, distress, burnout, job satisfaction and SOC, with intervention studies used to assess the possible impact of training on nurses’ SOC. Results: The review found several correlations between SOC and different work-related variables; but also with several individual characteristics. Conclusion: The review found that SOC was predictor of depressive state, burnout, job dissatisfaction among female nurses; therefore, SOC could be a health promoting resource.
Highlights
535 records were screened initially by title and abstract and by full text assessment. This process led to the exclusion of n = 454 and n = 42 articles respectively, yielding a total of 39 records included in the present review (Figure 1)
The majority of nurses spend more time at work than on their private life and report significantly higher Sense of Coherence (SOC) scores for those whose percentages were proportionally lower, and the lowest scores were for nurses with higher percentages of time spent on working activities [2,17]
It has been proposed that nursing management could focus on building a healthy work environment, which fosters SOC, rather than concentrating on resolving the effects of stress and its management at individual level [33]
Summary
According to the salutogenic theory [4], one of the most critical determinants of the capacity to cope successfully with distress is the Sense of Coherence (SOC), which shapes the individual experience of a stressful event and allows it to be perceived as meaningful, manageable and comprehensible. This can be achieved by mobilizing efficiently the so-called GRRs (generalized resistance resources), which include biological, material and psychosocial factors, triggering a virtuous cycle and in turn strengthening the personal SOC [5]. The aim of this paper is to analyze the possible correlations with different work-related and individual variables, which influence or are influenced by Sense of Coherence (SOC)
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