Correlation between occupational stress, burnout, and satisfaction, and their impact on the productivity of Physical Therapists working in different work environments: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Satisfaction is a positive and pleasurable emotional state promoted by an appraisal, and putting perfection into work is a topic that received the attention of many researchers in different fields.

Objective: A connection exists between job dimensions, stress, and satisfaction at the workplace, but there is an absence of a theory that provides a conceptual understanding of these connections. The correlation between occupational exhaustion, stress, and satisfaction was investigated to find a link between different factors in the workplace that may affect productivity among physical therapists in different working environments.

Methods: : Cross-sectional study ruled out work factors that create negativity or positivity at the workplace. A job exit questionnaire was used for data collection, including questions regarding different aspects of job interpretation for stress and satisfaction, and a perceived stress scale was used to measure stress levels.  Open-epi software was used for sample size calculation. Two hundred physical therapists from various private and government clinical settings were chosen. Using the purposive sampling technique, the total number of respondents interviewed was 200, out of which 100 were from government sectors, and 100 who worked in private sectors. Working experience of physiotherapists was decided >5 years as inclusion criteria to test the potential of professional growth in terms of satisfaction.

Results: 97±2% of physical therapists had completed and submitted the questionnaire. 57% have 7±1.5 years of working experience. There is a direct relation between Job exhaustion with stress

r = 0.56, and stress is inversely related to satisfaction r = -0.42. 79% of Physiotherapists in the public sector found their occupation less stressful than physiotherapists working in the private sector. Productivity score was high in govt employees. It was determined that the promotion system based on qualification, skill, and seriousness in work positively affects the work performance.

Conclusion Physiotherapists working in the public sector are more satisfied with their job’s nature, working environment, and occupation than those working in the private sector.

Keywords: Psychological Stress, burnout, Satisfaction, Job/occupation, Physical Therapist