Abstract

Hospital healthcare workers of emergency departments (EDs) face a variety of occupational stressors on a daily basis. We have recently published that emergency professionals display increased salivary levels of α-amylase and dehydroepiandrosterone during the working day. The pattern of these markers may suggest a counteracting mechanism of dehydroepiandrosterone against the stress reflected by amylase increases. In order to verify this hypothesis, we have analysed different psychological aspects in the same group of healthcare professionals through different tests related to behaviours resulting from stress. These include the state-trait anxiety inventory, the self-efficacy test and the sleeping quality questionnaire. The tests were provided at the beginning of the working day and collected at the end. STAI scores (trait and state) were indicative of no anxiety. Self-efficacy scores were considered optimal, as well as those from the sleeping quality questionnaire. This is supported by the modest correlation between STAI scores and salivary levels of α-amylase and dehydroepiandrosterone. In conclusion, the emergency professionals of the studied hospitals seem to have adequate work management. Altogether it means that the stress generated during work performance is controlled, allowing a correct adaptation to the demanding situations undergone in emergency departments.

Highlights

  • Work stress can appear as a behavioural and physiological reaction to harmful aspects of professional tasks, contributing to developing negative psychological and physiological outcomes

  • The obtained results could give key information regarding the influence of these stress responses in working performance and professional actions

  • We have published the variations of α-amylase and DHEA

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Summary

Introduction

Work stress can appear as a behavioural and physiological reaction to harmful aspects of professional tasks, contributing to developing negative psychological and physiological outcomes. Stress leads to a state of imbalance in the system of variables that link people to their environment [1]. Based on this definition, work stress is a multiple process linked to personality characteristics, coping processes and positive and negative work experiences [2].

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