Work-Related Intervention Needs and Potential Occupational Outcomes among Medical Assistants: A Cross-Sectional Study

Jessica Scharf, Patricia Vu-Eickmann, Jian Li, Andreas Müller, Peter Angerer and Adrian Loerbroks
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Jessica Scharf: Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
Patricia Vu-Eickmann: Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
Jian Li: Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
Andreas Müller: Institute of Psychology, Work and Organizational Psychology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Universitätsstr. 2, 45141 Essen, Germany
Peter Angerer: Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
Adrian Loerbroks: Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Centre for Health and Society, Faculty of Medicine, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 13, 1-14

Abstract: Medical assistants’ (MAs) working conditions have been characterized as precarious, and workplace-related intervention needs have been identified. However, strategies to change the MAs adverse working conditions are mostly seen on an individual level, including leaving the employer or even the profession. Since such intentions are antecedents of actual turnover, we aimed to quantify the potential link of reported unmet intervention needs with unfavorable occupational outcomes. Data were collected by means of a nationwide survey among medical assistants (n = 994) in Germany (September 2016–April 2017). The three subscales working conditions, reward from the supervisor, and task-related independence were derived from a 12-item instrument regarding work-related interventions needs (the independent variables). We used subscale-specific z-scores and a total needs z-score. The four outcome variables (i.e., intention to leave the employer, intention to leave the MA profession, choosing MA profession again, and recommending MA profession to young people) were dichotomized, and logistic regression analyses were performed and limited to MAs in employment (n = 887). We found that increasing needs according to the categorized total needs score were associated with increasing odds of all occupational outcomes. Needs pertaining to working conditions and reward from the supervisor were the strongest determinants of MAs’ consideration of leaving their employer or profession (Odds ratios: 1.55–2.61). In summary, our study identified unmet work-related intervention needs that are associated with unfavorable occupational outcomes. In light of staffing shortage in health care, the identified needs should be addressed to ensure that sufficient recruitment of junior staff in the profession of medical assistants remains feasible and that experienced staff is retained.

Keywords: health occupation; medical assistants; health care staff; working conditions; intention to leave; occupational outcomes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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