Stress in Medical Staff and Controls

It is expected that medical personnel is exposed to more work-related psychic stress compared to controls and that this burden manifests itself by an increased activity level of the resulting in higher cortisol levels and a decreased HRV. In addition, one is interested in the stress-response/coping strategies of the individuals and believe that regular physical activity might "buffer" the influence of stress on the HPAA-hormones and HRV.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Stress
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Cortisol awakening response

Detailed Description

Background Medical personnel is increasingly exposed to psychological stress e.g. caused by work intensification combined with time pressure, fear of job loss, lacking appreciation and/or freedom of decision, causing psychopathological or psychosomatic symptoms involving, inter alia, the cardiovascular system. The aims of the present study are the investigation of the current amount of work-related psychological stress, its perception and underlying reasons, as well as applied recovering strategies (e.g. physical activity) in Austrian health care professionals and in controls.

Material and methods In total, 140 female and male participants (70 participants belong to medical staff; 70 participants belong to non-medical staff) between the ages of 25-65 years will be recruited. The individual stress perception will be evaluated using questionnaires (e.g. Trier Inventory for Chronic Stress, TICS; Brief Symptom Inventory, BSI-18, Short Work Evaluation). 24h salivary cortisol (at 5 time points) and heart rate variability (HRV) measurement will be performed to objectify the influence of stress on the physical body. The physical activity level will be tested by performing a cardiopulmonary exercise test (bicycle spiroergometry).

Expected results From the present study the investigators expects insight into: first, the individual perception of work-related psychological stress among health care professionals compared to the controls; second, the association of occupational stress, HRV and laboratory stress parameters and third, the role of a good physical performance on psychological stress perception.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 80

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Austria
  • Vienna, Austria, 1090
    • Medical University of Vienna

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 25 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population consists of 140 female and male participants aged 25-65 years.

• Group 1 consists of 70 participants belonging to medical staff of the Medical University of Vienna/University Hospital of Vienna and is divided into subgroups consisting of medical technical assistants, nurses, assistant physicians and physicians.
• Group 2 consists of 70 participants and is recruited from the general staff of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Defence and Sports, Austrian Armed Forces.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• female and male participants aged 25-65 years
• for Group 1: Affiliation to medical staff
• for Group 2: No Affiliation to medical staff

Exclusion Criteria:

• Age <25 or >65 years
• Body weight >130 kg
• Current pregnancy
• Anamnestic current infectious or oncologic disease
• Disability to perform a bicycle stress test
• Atrial fibrillation
• Pace maker/ICD implantation
• Current cortison and/or dexamethasone therapy

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Other
• Time Perspectives: Other

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Group 1 - Medical personnell; Group 1 consists of 70 participants belonging to medical staff of the Medical University of Vienna/University Hospital of Vienna and is divided into subgroups consisting of medical technical assistants, nurses, assistant physicians and physicians.	Other: Cortisol awakening response; Cortisol awakening response; Other Names: Heart rate variability measurement; questionnaires, spiroergometry, laboratory analysis
Group 2 - Control; Group 2 consists of 70 participants and is recruited from the General non-medical staff of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Defence and Sports, Austrian Armed Forces.	Other: Cortisol awakening response; Cortisol awakening response; Other Names: Heart rate variability measurement; questionnaires, spiroergometry, laboratory analysis

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Cortisol 1	Measurement of salivary cortisol right after awakening	Measurement of salivary cortisol right after awakening within 24 hour testing period
Cortisol 2	Measurement of salivary cortisol 30 minutes after awakening	Measurement of salivary cortisol 30 minutes after awakening within 24 hour testing period
Cortisol 3	Measurement of salivary cortisol at 10 am	Measurement of salivary cortisol at 10 am within 24 hour testing period
Cortisol 4	Measurement of salivary cortisol at 4 pm	Measurement of salivary cortisol at 4 pm within 24 hour testing period
Cortisol 5	Measurement of salivary cortisol before going to sleep	Measurement of salivary cortisol before going to sleep within 24 hour testing period

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Score of the Work ability Index	Comparison of the score of the Work ability Index	once at inclusion

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Score of the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire (ERI)	Comparison of the score of the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire (ERI) by Siegrist	once at inclusion
Heart rate variability	Measurement of low frequencies (LF) and high frequencies (HF) by heart rate variability measurement for 24h. The measurement runs for 24h, a median value of the 24h-measurement will be provided.	once at inclusion over 24 hours, measurement of the parameters every 10 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Medical University of Vienna
• Collaborators: Austrian Federal Ministry of Defence

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 30, 2017
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 20, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): October 20, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 31, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 23, 2019
• First Posted (Actual): April 29, 2019

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): October 24, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 21, 2023
• Last Verified: October 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Hydrocortisone
• Other Study ID Numbers: 1939/2016

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Data is available only for the study team

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No