Poor health among healthcare workers is linked to how often they access wellness center resources, researchers say.
High levels of stress are leading to negative health behaviors among healthcare professionals, research shows.
Researchers measured stress and health behaviors (exercise, nutrition, sleep, etc.) by examining the results of series of five annual surveys administered to employees at Mayo Clinic who had access to a wellness center. The annual survey was completed by 676 worksite wellness members between 2009 and 2013.
The study was published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
The research showed a significant relationship between the stress levels of an employee and four quality of life domains:
- Poor physical health
- Low mental health
- Poor nutritional habits
- Lower perceived overall health
Employees who reported the high stress levels and perceived poor quality of life also reported the lowest usage of wellness programs.
"It's important to teach individuals to monitor their stress levels over time and practice effective, ongoing stress-reduction strategies," Matthew Clark, PhD, lead author of the study and resiliency expert at the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program, said in a statement.
EHR Burdens Leave Docs Burned Out, in Critical Condition
Medical industry professionals face burnout at every turn, from compassion fatigue to the responsibilities associated with administrative work. Mayo Clinic has been at the forefront of studying it.
Earlier this year, a Mayo Clinic-led national study found that physicians who use EHRs and particularly CPOEs within their practices are not just less satisfied with their clerical burden, but also at higher risk for professional burnout.
Another Mayo Clinic study analyzed physician surveys in conjunction with payroll records, and found that for every point increase in the seven-point scale of "emotional exhaustion" in the Maslach Burnout Inventory, there was a 40% greater likelihood a physician would cut back his or her work hours over the next 24 months.
The study found a similar relationship for every one-point decrease in the five-point scale measuring professional satisfaction.
And last year, Mayo Clinic research looked at the relationship between physician burnout and leadership, and found that better leadership was linked with a reduced likelihood of burnout.
Physician Burnout Heavily Influenced by Leadership Behaviors
Mayo's latest study linking burnout and high stress levels to poor health behaviors among healthcare workers also found that those with lower stress levels used the wellness center more often, and frequently engaged in other physical activity.
Workers reporting lower stress levels used the center about two to three times per week on average, "which is indicative that they were meeting the recommended goal of engaging in physical activity most days per week," the study said.
Those who reported levels of high stress in at least two survey years averaged about one wellness center visit per week, however. And those with three years or more of high stress averaged only 68 usage days per year," the study said.
"Increasing the awareness of wellness centers and programs in academic medical environments will increase the quality of life of employees and lead to less physician and staff burnout," Clark said.