Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Association of work-related stress with depression and anxiety in radiologists

  • Resources Management and Health Economy
  • Published:
La radiologia medica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Since radiologists and radiotherapists can be occupationally exposed to significant psychosocial risk factors, some may find themselves in a state of distress. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of work-related stress with the presence of symptoms of anxiety, depression and psychological malaise and to evaluate the risk of psychic disorder in radiologists suffering from work-related stress.

Methods

A total of 654 radiologists responded to our invitation to complete a questionnaire designed to evaluate work-related stress and associated medical conditions: the General Health Questionnaire and Goldberg’s Anxiety and Depression scales.

Results

Scores on the anxiety, depression and psychological malaise scales rise with an increase in effort and over-commitment, while control and support exert a protective effect. In radiologists who are aware of an effort/reward imbalance, there is a marked increase in the risk of anxiety [odds ratio (OR) 14.14, 95 % CI 9.15–21.86], depression (OR 7.00, 95 % CI 4.76–10.30) and psychic disorders (OR 3.95, 95 % CI 2.62–9.57). Radiologists who perceive demand as excessive in relation to their power of control also have an increased risk of being anxious (OR 2.98, 95 % CI 2.05–4.31), depressed (OR 1.73, 95 % CI 1.21–2.48) and affected by psychic disorders (OR 2.26, 95 % CI 1.48–3.45) compared to fellow workers who are not in a state of distress.

Conclusions

Outstanding technical progress has been made in the field of radiology which today plays an invaluable role in public health. Now a major effort must also be made to improve the mental wellbeing of radiologists, both in the interests of the workers themselves, and also in those of their patients and the quality of the treatment they have the right to receive.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Magnavita N, Fileni A, Magnavita G et al (2008) Work stress in radiologists. A pilot study. Radiol Med 113:329–346

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Sehlen S, Vordermark D, Schäfer C et al (2009) Job stress and job satisfaction of physicians, radiographers, nurses and physicists working in radiotherapy: a multicenter analysis by the DEGRO Quality of Life Work Group. Radiat Oncol 4:6

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Fileni A, Magnavita N, Mammi F et al (2007) Malpractice stress syndrome in radiologists and radiotherapists. Perceived causes and consequences. Radiol Med 112:1069–1084

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Magnavita N, Rossi I, Bergamaschi A (2009) A comparison between two models of stress perception in different job categories. G It Med Lav Ergon 3(Supp. 2):20–22

    Google Scholar 

  5. Nieuwenhuijsen K, Bruinvels D, Frings-Dresen M (2010) Psychosocial work environment and stress-related disorders, a systematic review. Occup Med (Lond) 60:277–286

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Alonso J, Angermeyer MC, Bernert S et al (2004) Prevalence of mental disorders in Europe: results from the European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders (ESEMeD) project. Acta Psychiatr Scand Suppl 420:21–27

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. O’Connor DB, O’Connor RC, White BL, Bundred PE (2000) The effect of job strain on British general practitioners’ mental health. J Mental Health 9:637–654

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Tanaka M, Tanaka K, Takano T et al (2012) Analysis of risk of medical errors using structural-equation modelling: a 6-month prospective cohort study. BMJ Qual Saf 21:784–790

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Garelick AI, Gross SR, Richardson I et al (2007) Which doctors and with what problems contact a specialist service for doctors? A cross sectional investigation. BMC Med 5:26–31

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Dwyer AJ, Morley P, Reid E, Angelatos C (2011) Distressed doctors: a hospital-based support program for poorly performing and “at-risk” junior medical staff. Med J Aust 194:466–469

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Kuusio H, Heponiemi T, Sinervo T, Elovainio M (2010) Organizational commitment among general practitioners: a cross-sectional study of the role of psychosocial factors. Scand J Prim Health Care 28(2):108–114

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Ministero del Lavoro e delle PS (2010) Lettera circolare in ordine alla approvazione delle indicazioni necessarie alla valutazione del rischio da stress lavoro-correlato di cui all’art.28, comma 1-bis, del decreto legislativo 9 aprile 2008, n.81, e successive modifiche e integrazioni. 18-11-2010

  13. Karasek RA (1979) Job demands, job decision latitude, and mental strain. Implication for job redesign. Adm Sci Q 24:285–308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Siegrist J (1996) Adverse health effects of high-effort/low-reward conditions. J Occup Health Psychol 1:27–41

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Magnavita N (2007) Two tools for health surveillance of job stress: the Karasek job content questionnaire and the Siegrist effort reward imbalance questionnaire. G Ital Med Lav Ergon 29:667–670

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Magnavita N, Fileni A (2013) Work stress and metabolic syndrome in radiologists. First evidence. Rad Med. doi:10.1007/s11547-013-0329-0 (in press)

  17. Piccinelli M, Bisoffi G, Bon MG, Cunico L, Tansella M (1993) Validity and test-retest reliability of the Italian version of the 12-item GHQ in general practice: a comparison between three scoring methods. Compr Psychiatry 34:198–205

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Magnavita N (2007) Ansia e depressione nei luoghi di lavoro. Il questionario A/D di Goldberg. Anxiety and depression at work. The A/D Goldberg questionnaire. G Ital Med Lav Ergon 29:670–671

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Goldberg D (1972) The detection of psychiatric illness by questionnaire. Oxford University Press

  20. Jackson C (2007) The general health questionnaire. Occup Med (Lond) 57:79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Goldberg D, Bridges K, Duncan-Jones P, Grayson D (1988) Detecting anxiety and depression in general medical settings. Br Med J 297:897–899

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Karlsson ML, Björklund C, Jensen I (2010) The effects of psychosocial work factors on production loss, and the mediating effect of employee health. J Occup Environ Med 52:310–317

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Goetzel RZ, Long SR, Ozminkowski RJ et al (2004) Health, absence, disability, and presenteeism cost estimates of certain physical and mental health conditions affecting U.S. employers. J Occup Environ Med 46:398–412

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Kessler R, White LA, Birnbaum H et al (2008) Comparative and interactive effects of depression relative to other health problems on work performance in the workforce of a large employer. J Occup Environ Med 50:809–816

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Lee YM (2010) Loss of productivity due to depression among Korean employees. J Occup Health 52:389–394

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Johnston K, Westerfield W, Momin S et al (2009) The direct and indirect costs of employee depression, anxiety, and emotional disorders–an employer case study. J Occup Environ Med 51:564–577

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Haslam C, Atkinson S, Brown S, Haslam RA (2005) Perceptions of the impact of depression and anxiety and the medication for these conditions on safety in the workplace. Occup Environ Med 62:538–545

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Magnavita N, Cirese V, De Lorenzo G et al (2001) Documento di consenso. Idoneità al lavoro e salute pubblica nei lavoratori ospedalieri. Med Lav 92:295–306

    Google Scholar 

  29. Magnavita N, Cicerone M, Cirese V et al (2006) Aspetti critici della gestione dei “lavoratori rischiosi” nei servizi sanitari. Documento di Consenso. Med Lav 97:715–725

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Stansfeld S, Candy B (2006) Psychosocial work environment and mental health–a meta-analytic review. Scand J Work Environ Health 32:443–462

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Netterstrøm B, Conrad N, Bech P et al (2008) The relation between work-related psychosocial factors and the development of depression. Epidemiol Rev 30:118–132

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Waldenström K, Ahlberg G, Bergman P et al (2008) Externally assessed psychosocial work characteristics and diagnoses of anxiety and depression. Occup Environ Med 65:90–96

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Theorell T, Hasselhorn HM (2005) On cross-sectional questionnaire studies of relationship between psychosocial conditions at work and health-are they reliable? Int Arch Occup Environ Health 78:517–522

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Magnavita N (2008) Questionnaires for psychosocial risk assessment at work. Strumenti per la valutazione dei rischi psicosociali sul lavoro. G Ital Med Lav Ergon 30:A87–A97

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Magnavita N (2007) The unhealthy physician. J Med Ethics 33:210–214

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Magnavita N (2006) Management of the impaired physician in Europe. Med Lav 97:762–773

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Isaksson Ro KE, Tyssen R, Hoffart A et al (2010) A 3-year cohort study of the relationships between coping, job stress and burnout after a counselling intervention for help-seeking physicians. BMC Public Health 10:213

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of interest

N. Magnavita and A. Fileni declare no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Sanità Pubblica (Department of Public Health), Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Gemelli 8, 00168, Rome, Italy

    N. Magnavita

  2. Istituto Nazionale Malattie Infettive Lazzaro Spallanzani IRCCS, Rome, Italy

    A. Fileni

Authors
  1. N. Magnavita
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Fileni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to N. Magnavita.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Magnavita, N., Fileni, A. Association of work-related stress with depression and anxiety in radiologists. Radiol med 119, 359–366 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-013-0355-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11547-013-0355-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation