OBJECTIVE: To examine if the associations between psychosocial work environment factors and perceived quality of care provided by healthcare professionals are mediated by burnout, and if there are variations in this mediation across healthcare professions. METHODS: This cohort study utilized two-wave panel data (2022 perceived quality of care provided was self-reported. Each measurement was on a 1-5 scale. Path modeling tested mediation while adjusting for demographic covariates. RESULTS: All psychosocial work factors and burnout complaints showed a direct effect on healthcare professionals' perceived quality of care provided, although the effect from managerial support did not reach statistical significance. Job control was associated with perceived quality of care provided both directly and indirectly through burnout complaints across all professions. Profession-specific patterns also emerged, with illegitimate work tasks among physicians and quantitative demands among registered nurses showing direct and indirect effects (Physicians, unstandardized beta coefficient b = -0.045, 95% Confidence interval CI -0.061; -0.029; Registered nurses, b = -0.037, 95% CI -0.051; -0.023). CONCLUSION: Psychosocial work factors and burnout complaints are closely associated with perceived quality of care provided, with control at work standing out as a key factor for improvement across various healthcare professions. Strengthening control and addressing profession-specific demands alongside general workplace interventions may help improve perceived quality of care provided.
Gynning et al. (Thu,) studied this question.