Influence of work conditions on nurses mental health disorders: a cross sectional study among 132 nurses

Background: Hospital caregivers are particularly exposed to several constraints related to work environment, which can affect them mental health and the quality of care delivered. The aim of this study was to determine the degree of psychic suffering and evaluate its determinants among Tunisian nurses. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in seven district hospitals in Tunisia. The study was conducted over a period of three months. Data collection was assessed by a pre-established survey describing socio-professional characteristics of participants. The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) was used to study participants' mental health. Results: One hundred thirty two nurses have participated, of which 62.6% were women. The study population was relatively young, with a mean age of 41 ± 11 years and average job tenure of 17 ± 11 years. In this study, 13.7% of participants worked on permanent night shift. The rate of psychic suffering among nurses is estimated at 73.3%. A mental health disorder was reported by 73.3% of health care workers, correlated after logistic regression to job tenure (p = 0.02, OR = 2.26, CI = [1.08-4.7]) and poor relationship within the health care and medical team (p = 0.05, OR = 1.2, CI [0.9-1.5]). Conclusion: further studies are needed to better assess these risks and plan appropriate preventive actions.