title: Workplace stress, job satisfaction, job performance, and turnover intention of health care workers in rural Taiwan.
abstract: Workplace stress (WS) has been found to affect job satisfaction (JS), performance, and turnover intentions (TIs) in developed countries, but there is little evidence from other countries and especially rural areas. In rural Taiwan, especially, there is an insufficient health care workforce, and the situation is getting worse. To demonstrate the relationship, we used a cross-sectional structured questionnaire, and data from 344 licensed professionals in 1 rural regional hospital were analyzed using the structural equation model. The results showed that WS had a positive effect on both TI and job performance (JP) but a negative effect on satisfaction. JS did improve performance. For the staff with an external locus of control, stress affected JP and satisfaction significantly. For the staff with lower perceived job characteristics, JS affected performance significantly. The strategies to decrease stress relating to work load, role conflict, family factors, and working environment should be focused and implemented urgently to lower the turnover rate of health care workers in rural Taiwan.
authors.affiliation: Puli Christian Hospital, Puli, Taiwan National Chi Nan University, Nantou, Taiwan dreame79.tw@yahoo.com.tw lcc23@mail.pch.org.tw.
authors.forename: Ming-Che
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.affiliation: National Chi Nan University, Nantou, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Rong-Chang
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Jou
authors.affiliation: Puli Christian Hospital, Puli, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Cing-Chu
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Aletheia University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chung-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Kuo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology; D006780:Hospitals, Rural; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010563:Personnel Turnover / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D000066477:Work Performance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: health care; job performance; job satisfaction; rural Taiwan; turnover intention; workplace stress