%0 Journal Article %T Health risk behaviors and morbidity among hospital staff − comparison across hospital ward medical specialties in a study of 21 Finnish hospitals %A Virtanen­, Marianna %A Vahtera, Jussi %A Batty, G. David %A Tuisku, Katinka %A Oksanen, Tuula %A Elovainio, Marko %A Ahola, Kirsi %A Pentti, Jaana %A Salo, Paula %A Vartti, Anne-Marie %A Kivimäki, Mika %J Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health %D 2012 %8 May 38 %N 3 %@ 0355-3140 %F Virtanen­2012 %X '

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OBJECTIVE ': 'This study examined whether indicators of poor health and health risk behaviors among hospital staff differ between the ward specialties.

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METHODS ': 'Across 21 hospitals in Finland, 8003 employees (mean age 42 years, 87% women, 86% nurses) working in internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, intensive care, and psychiatry responded to a baseline survey on health and health risk behaviors (response rate 70%). Responses were linked to records of sickness absence and medication over the following 12 months.

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RESULTS ': 'Psychiatric staff had higher odds of smoking [odds ratio (OR) 2.58, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 2.14–3.12], high alcohol use (OR 1.55, 95% CI 1.21–1.99), physical inactivity (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.11–1.53), chronic physical disease (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.04–1.36), current or past mental disorders (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.50–2.17), and co-occurring poor health indicators (OR 2.65, 95% CI 2.08–3.37) as compared to those working in other specialties. They also had higher odds of sickness absence due to mental disorders (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.02–1.92) and depression (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.02–2.55) at follow-up after adjustment for baseline health and covariates. Personnel in surgery had the lowest probability of morbidity. No major differences between specialties were found in the use of psychotropic medication.

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CONCLUSION ': 'The prevalence of hospital employees with an adverse health risk profile is higher in psychiatric wards than other specialties.

%K Finland %K health risk %K health risk behavior %K healthcare personnel %K hospital %K hospital staff %K hospital ward %K medical speciality %K medication %K mental health %K prospective study %K risk behavior %K sickness absence %R 10.5271/sjweh.3264 %U https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=3264 %U https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.3264 %P 228-237