Mental Illness and Work-Related Limitations in Healthcare Workers: A Preliminary Retrospective Study

Sara Gostoli, Laura Nicolucci, Carlotta Malaguti, Chiara Patierno, Danilo Carrozzino, Cristian Balducci, Sara Zaniboni, Vittorio Lodi, Carmine Petio and Chiara Rafanelli
Additional contact information
Sara Gostoli: Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Laura Nicolucci: Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Carlotta Malaguti: Department of Psychiatry, Bologna University Hospital Authority St. Orsola-Malpighi Polyclinic IRCCS, 40138 Bologna, Italy
Chiara Patierno: Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Danilo Carrozzino: Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Cristian Balducci: Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Sara Zaniboni: Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Vittorio Lodi: Occupational Health Unit, Bologna University Hospital Authority St. Orsola-Malpighi Polyclinic IRCCS, 40138 Bologna, Italy
Carmine Petio: Department of Psychiatry, Bologna University Hospital Authority St. Orsola-Malpighi Polyclinic IRCCS, 40138 Bologna, Italy
Chiara Rafanelli: Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 15, 1-14

Abstract: This retrospective observational study investigated hospital staff requests for job fitness visits, addressed to occupational medicine. Specific objectives were to analyze: (1) health workers’ requests, sociodemographic characteristics, psychiatric diagnoses, assigned doctor’s fit notes, and (orthopedic, psychiatric) limitations; (2) associations between psychiatric diagnoses, sociodemographic (sex, age), and work-related (job, department) characteristics; (3) associations between the same psychiatric diagnoses/orthopedic limitations, fit notes, and/or psychiatric limitations. Data of St. Orsola-Malpighi Polyclinic health workers (N = 149; F = 73.8%; mean age = 48 ± 9.6 years), visited by both the occupational medicine physician and psychiatrist (January 2016–May 2019), were analyzed. 83.2% of the sample presented with at least one psychiatric diagnosis, including mood (47%), anxiety (13.4%), and anxious-depressive (10.7%) disorders. Significant differences between psychiatric diagnoses according to sex and fit notes (both p < 0.01) have been found, whereas no significant associations based on age and work-related characteristics have been observed. Analysis of frequencies of participants with the same psychiatric diagnosis (orthopedic limitation being equal), according to doctor’s fit notes and psychiatric work limitations, showed a high heterogeneity of assignments. The current occupational medicine procedure for fit notes/job limitations assignments does not allow taking into consideration clinical factors possibly associated with more specific assignments. To standardize the procedure and translate the psychiatrist’s clinical judgment into practice, further studies to test the usefulness of clinimetrics, which might represent a reliable approach in considering different fit notes and job limitations, are needed.

Keywords: clinimetrics; fit note; job limitation; occupational medicine; psychiatric diagnosis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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