Mental health
Thursday 9 October 2025, 9.30 – 10.30 Neon
Chair: Reiner Rugulies, Isabelle Niedhammer
Burnout and engagement in medical education: a longitudinal analysis of demands, resources, and personality traits
Anke Boone (presenter)
Boone, A., Steel, J., Lavreysen, O., Lambrechts, M.-C., Vandenbroeck, S., Braeckman, L., Michels, N., Devroey, D., Roex, A., Kindermans, H., Godderis, L.
Abstract
Objective. Burnout is a growing concern in medical education. Despite the increasing interest in this topic, there is a lack of longitudinal studies capturing when individuals are most at risk and which factors contribute to burnout and engagement throughout training. Further, existing studies rarely consider the combined role of demands, resources, and personality traits over time. This study aims to assess the evolution of burnout and engagement across different stages of medical training, and to identify key moments and risk factors that may influence these outcomes. Material and Methods. A longitudinal survey was conducted among medical students and postgraduate medical trainees (n = 1.257) across five universities in Flanders, Belgium. Using an open cohort design, data were collected annually at three time points (T0, T1, T2). Linear mixed-effects models, t-tests and cross-lagged panel analyses examined relationships between burnout dimensions, engagement, and risk factors. Results. Results indicated significant increases in burnout dimensions and lower levels of engagement in later stages of medical education. High perceived workload and work-home conflict were identified as key demands, while meaningfulness and learning opportunities were key resources. Furthermore, neuroticism and perfectionistic concerns were positively associated with burnout and negatively with engagement, while perfectionistic strivings demonstrated the opposite pattern. Conclusion. Burnout increases throughout medical education, with work-home conflict, lack of meaningfulness and high neuroticism among the key determinants. Effective interventions that reduce these demands and strengthen these resources are crucial for mitigating burnout and stimulating engagement among medical students and postgraduate medical trainees. Note: This study has received internal funds from KU Leuven (Category 3) under C3/20/040.
Can restorative breaks mitigate the effects of occupational stressors in bus drivers?
Irina Guseva Canu (presenter)
Viviane Remy
Abstract
Objective Rest and restorative breaks should protect workers from work-stress accumulation and overload. Bus drivers’ work entails many occupational stressors, including long working hours, night shift, aggression, and fear of accident frequency, but little is known on their rest possibilities. We investigated the relationship between bus drivers’ working conditions and occupational stress and tested two hypotheses: 1-Break duration mitigates the effect of workload on stress, 2-Career duration mitigates the effect of incivility exposure on stress. Material and Methods We used data from the Transportation Personal Health Cohort study (TRAPHEAC) collected at baseline (June-October 2024). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed with three latent variables: Workload, Break facility quality (e.g., access to toilets, number of positive elements in break areas such as armchairs, sofas, relaxation areas), and Incivility/threats. Other predictors included break duration in quiet areas. Total score of perceived occupational stress (POS) was measured using the corresponding 4-item scale. The model was adjusted for age, gender, and work environment. Career duration as bus drivers and average break duration were tested as moderators. Results The sample included 347 bus drivers ((16.7% females, age=48.6 (SD=9.4) years, career duration=11.4 (SD=8.6) years). Severe POS was reported in 36% of drivers (mean score=3.2 (SD=0.9)). The SEM model explained substantial proportion of the variance in POS (R²=0.52) and showed acceptable fit indices. Both workload and exposure to incivility/threats were positively associated with POS, while break facility quality was negatively associated. Longer restorative breaks reduced the effect of workload on POS, whereas longer career reduced the effect of incivility on POS, as confirmed by significance in two interaction terms. Conclusion To be restorative and effective in preventing occupational stress in bus drivers, breaks must be optimized in terms of timing and conditions. This cross-sectionally based results should be confirmed in longitudinal analyses of TRAPHEAC
Prospective associations between psychosocial work factors and mental health service use
Isabelle Niedhammer (presenter)
Maël Quatrevaux, Christophe Gousset, Sandrine Bertrais
Abstract
Objective: The objective was to study the prospective associations between various psychosocial work factors and mental health service use. Material and methods: The study was based on data from the national French periodical ESPS survey (Enquête Santé et Protection Sociale) collected in 2010, 2012 and 2014 and linked to national medico-administrative data. Psychosocial work factors, measured using questionnaires at baseline, included quantitative demands, tensions with the public, low freedom at work, low possibilities for learning new things, low support from colleagues, low recognition at work, low satisfaction with salary, job insecurity, temporary contract, and redundancy plan. The number of exposures to these factors was calculated. Mental health service use from the medico-administrative data was measured by visits to office- and hospital-based psychiatrists within the 2-year period following each survey wave. The prospective associations between psychosocial work factors and mental health service use were studied using Cox proportional hazard models for clustered data with adjustment for covariates (gender, age, marital status, employee/self-employed worker, private/public sector, occupation, full/part‐time work, and survey wave). Results: The study sample included 8094 working men and women who were free of depression at baseline. The 2-year incidence of mental health service use was 3.5%. Low freedom at work and low social support from colleagues were predictive of mental health service use. The higher the number of exposure to psychosocial work factors, the higher the risk of mental health service use. There was no gender-related interaction in these associations. Conclusion: The study brought support for the prospective associations between psychosocial work factors and mental health service use. More attention should be given to multiple exposures to psychosocial work factors. Funding: The French National Research Program for Environmental and Occupational Health of Anses (ANSES-23-EST-041)
Human flourishing in the context of farm characteristics and occupational hazards – Findings from the agricultural health cohort FarmCoUganda in the Elgon region
Felix Boos (presenter)
Samuel Fuhrimann, Hannah Wey, Lena Jäggi, Aggrey Atuhaire, Mirko S. Winkler
Abstract
Background Coffee farmers in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) are prone to significant occupational health challenges. In the FarmCoUganda study, human flourishing was studied in the context of exposure to occupational hazards (biological, chemical, ergonomic, physical, environmental, and psychosocial) and farm characteristics in 992 adult coffee farmers from the Mbale district. Methods The data was collected in October and November 2024 via a farmer survey in the Mbale district, Uganda. The baseline questionnaire included, among others, personal and farm characteristics, a hazard matrix on self-reported exposures to occupational hazards during the last 12 months (Likert scale from 1 to 5), and the Secure Flourish Index (SFI on a simplified Likert scale from 1 to 5). The association between flourishing as the primary outcome and the six hazard domains, as well as farm characteristics, was investigated using a zero-one inflated beta regression model. Furthermore, the exposure to the 24 pre-selected occupational hazards was prioritized based on their frequency in the last 12 months among the study participants. Results Farmers reported being most frequently exposed to ergonomic hazards (mean 3.19, SD = 1.35), followed by biological (2.51, SD = 1.32), and psychosocial hazards (2.41, SD = 1.16). Increased exposure to biological hazards was associated with a lower overall flourishing score (-0.67, 95% CI: -0.98 – -0.37). Similarly, increased exposure to psychosocial hazards was associated with a lower overall flourishing score (-0.52, 95% CI: -0.86 – -0.18). On the other hand, being literate, being a male farmer, and having more agricultural farming tools were associated with higher overall flourishing scores (Literate: 0.14, 95% CI: 0.01 – 0.27; Male 0.23, 95% CI: 0.11 – 0.34; Tools 0.05, 95% CI: 0.02 – 0.09). Conclusions The study underscores the importance of a comprehensive methodology in the examination of farmers’ wellbeing. To promote sustainable and equitable agriculture development in rural LMICs, it is essential to enhance the prevention of psychosocial, biological, and ergonomic hazards.