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Psychosocial and organizational work environment of nurse managers and self-reported depressive symptoms: Cross-sectional analysis from a cohort of nurse managers

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health

Abstract

Objectives

The association between depressive symptoms and psycho-organisational work environment has been established in the literature. Some studies have evaluated depressive symptoms in healthcare workers, but little research has been carried out among nurse managers. The aim of the study is to evaluate the depressive symptoms prevalence among nurse managers’ population and work environment factors.

Material and Methods

A descriptive correlational research design was used. Data were collected from 296 nurse managers in five hospitals in the eastern area of France between 2007 and 2008. Health outcomes were evaluated by measuring depressive symptoms (CES-D scale), the exposure data by assessing psycho-organisational work environment with effort-reward imbalance-model of Siegrist. Multiple logistic regressions were used to describe the strength of the association between depressive symptoms and effort-reward imbalance adjusted for personal and occupational characteristics of the nurse managers.

Results

Among the nurse managers, a third had depressive symptoms, and 18% presented an effort-reward imbalance (ratio: ≥ 1). A significant association was found between depressive symptoms and effort-reward imbalance (OR = 10.81, 95% CI: 5.1–23, p < 10−3), and with esteem as a reward (OR = 3.21, 95% CI: 1.6–6.3, p < 10−2).

Conclusion

In view of the hierarchical situation of nurse managers and their primary roles in hospitals, it is necessary to take prevention measures to improve their work environment and health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Occupational Medicine and of Occupational Pathology, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France

    Nathalie Nourry

  2. Laboratory of Management and Economics (LEG), FRE 3496, University of Bourgogne, CNRS, Dijon, France

    Nathalie Nourry & Sophie Béjean

  3. INGRES, EA7298, University of Lorraine, Nancy, France

    Amandine Luc

  4. Department of Biostatistics, Teaching Hospitals of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France

    François Lefebvre

  5. Department of Organisation and Human Resources, School of Sciences and Management, University of Québec in Montréal (UQAM), Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Biologie, Health, Society and the Environment (CINBIOSE), Montréal, Canada

    Hélène Sultan-Taïeb

  6. Department of Occupational Medicine and Occupational Pathology, University of Strasbourg, Faculty of Medicine, 1 place de l’hôpital, 67091, Strasbourg Cedex, France

    Nathalie Nourry

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  1. Nathalie Nourry
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  2. Amandine Luc
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Nourry, N., Luc, A., Lefebvre, F. et al. Psychosocial and organizational work environment of nurse managers and self-reported depressive symptoms: Cross-sectional analysis from a cohort of nurse managers. IJOMEH 27, 252–269 (2014). https://doi.org/10.2478/s13382-014-0264-x

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