Assessment of Psychosocial Risk Factors and their Impact on Health-Care Workers’ Mental Health: An Empirical Study in Estonian Nursing Homes

According to the World Health Organization, the psychosocial work environment is one ofthe most important factors in preserving the wellbeing of healthcare workers and ensuringthe quality of healthcare services. The psychosocial environment in healthcare is complicatedand related to stressful work, high demands and working in shifts. The purpose of the studyis to explore the relationships between work-related psychosocial risk factors and the mentalhealth of care workers. The study used the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire, versionII and the statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 24.Our results show that the work environment influences the mental health of care workers.Psychosocial hazards, such as low quality of management, lack of staff, role conflicts, lowdedication among workers, physically and mentally challenging work and stress at work, areprevalent in the healthcare sector. The management of the organization including themanagement of safety issues should be proactive and oriented towards preserving the healthof the employees and offering patient-centred services.Jel classification: 123Keywords: psychosocial risk factors, mental health problems, stress, burnout, healthcare, nursinghome