title: Health risk behaviors and morbidity among hospital staff--comparison across hospital ward medical specialties in a study of 21 Finnish hospitals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examined whether indicators of poor health and health risk behaviors among hospital         staff differ between the ward specialties.
  
  
  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.
  
  
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of hospital employees with an adverse health risk profile is higher in         psychiatric wards than other specialties.
authors.affiliation: Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland. marianna.virtanen@ttl.fi
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Virtanen
authors.forename: Jussi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vahtera
authors.forename: G David
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Batty
authors.forename: Katinka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tuisku
authors.forename: Tuula
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oksanen
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elovainio
authors.forename: Kirsi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ahola
authors.forename: Jaana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pentti
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salo
authors.forename: Anne-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Vartti
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kivimäki
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015438:Health Behavior; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008511:Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult