Skip to main content

Working hours, job stress, work satisfaction, and accident rates among medical practitioners and allied personnel

International Journal of Stress Management volume 4, pages 79–87 (1997)Cite this article

Abstract

Predictors of accident behavior among German medical staff revealed that work-related injuries/accidents experienced during a recent 12-month period were significantly related to working hours per week, distance from home to practice, number of dependent children, gender, and job-related stress. The average yearly number of car accidents was predicted by age and number of working hours. Furthermore, driving accidents going to or coming from work during the last year was determined by working climate, hours of work, length of lunchtime break, distance traveled to and from work, number of dependent children, and gender. Physicians working in excess of 48 hours per week displayed significantly more driving accidents but not work-related accidents, and they reported significantly higher levels of job-related stress than those colleagues working fewer than 48 hours per week. The implications of these results are discussed in the framework on risk management in the health services.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

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

References

  • Buell, P., & Breslow, L. (1960). Mortality from CHD in Californian men who work long hours.Journal of Chronic Disease, 11(b), 615–626.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burke, R. J., & Richardsen, A. M. (1990). Sources of satisfaction and stress among Canadian physicians.Psychological Reports, 67, 1335–1344.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, C. L. (1996). Working hours and health. Editorial.Work and Stress, 10, 1–3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, C. L., Rout, U., & Faragher, B. (1989). Mental health, job satisfaction, and job stress among general practitioners.British Medical Journal, 298, 366–370.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, C. L., Kirkcaldy, B. D., & Furnham, A. (1995). Psychological stress among managerial personnel (Psychische Belastung von Führungskräften). In A. Kieser, G. Reber, & R. Wunderer (Eds.)Handwörterbuch der Führung (p. 1794–1808). Stuttgart: Schäffer-Poeschel Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dreary, I. J., Blenkin, H., Agius, R. M., Endler, N. S., Zealley, H., & Wood, R. (1996). Models of job-related stress and personal achievement among consultant doctors.British Journal of Psychology, 87, 3–2.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harrington, J. M. (1994). Working long hours and health.British Medical Journal, 308, 1581–1582.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kirkcaldy, B. D., & Furnham, A. (1995). Coping, seeking social support and stress among German police officers.European Review of Applied Psychology, 45, 121–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • McIvor, A. J. (1987). Employers, the government and industrial fatigue in Britain: 1890–1918.British Journal of Industrial Medicine, 44, 724–732.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Paoli, P. (1992).The first European survey on the work environment. Dublin: European Foundation for Living and Working Conditions.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rees, D., & Cooper, C. L. (1992). Occupational stress in health service workers in the U.K.Stress Medicine, 8, 79–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Revicki, D. A., & May, H. J. (1985). Occupational stress, social support, and depression.Health Psychology, 4, 61–77.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Russek, H. I., & Zohman, B. L. (1958). Relative significance of hereditary diet, and occupational stress in CHD of young adults.American Journal of Medical Science, 235, 266–275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sappa, N. (1996). Downsizing: A new form of abandonment.The APA Monitor, May, pp. 1, 29.

  • Trimpop, R. (1994). Motivation zur Arbeitssicherheit.Der Sicherheitsingenieur, 4, 26–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trimpop, R., & Kirkcaldy, B. D. (1996).Arbeitsbedingte Teilnahme am Straßenverkehr: Unfallrisiken und Präventionsmöglichkeiten für Ärzte, Zahnärtze und Praxisangehörige. Intermediate Report to the BGW (Occupational Accident Insurance Society of Health and Welfare Care), Hamburg.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Work and Organisational Psychology, Jena University, Jena, Germany

    Bruce D. Kirkcaldy & Rüdiger Trimpop

  2. Manchester School of Management, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 88, M60 1QD, Manchester, England

    Cary L. Cooper

Authors
  1. Bruce D. Kirkcaldy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rüdiger Trimpop
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Cary L. Cooper
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kirkcaldy, B.D., Trimpop, R. & Cooper, C.L. Working hours, job stress, work satisfaction, and accident rates among medical practitioners and allied personnel. Int J Stress Manage 4, 79–87 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02765302

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02765302

Key words

  • job stress
  • work satisfaction
  • working hours
  • accidents
  • medical personnel