Does job satisfaction predict early return to work after coronary angioplasty or cardiac surgery?

• Published in: International archives of occupational and environmental health Vol. 86; no. 5; pp. 561 - 569
• Main Authors: Fiabane, Elena, Argentero, Piergiorgio, Calsamiglia, Giuseppe, Candura, Stefano M., Giorgi, Ines, Scafa, Fabrizio, Rugulies, Reiner
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.07.2013; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Angioplasty; Angioplasty - psychology; Angioplasty - rehabilitation; Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiac Surgical Procedures - psychology; Cardiac Surgical Procedures - rehabilitation; Coronary Disease - psychology; Coronary Disease - rehabilitation; Coronary Disease - surgery; Coronary Disease - therapy; Earth and Environmental Science; Environment; Environmental Health; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Heart surgery; Humans; Job Satisfaction; Logistic Models; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Occupational health; Occupational medicine; Occupational Medicine/Industrial Medicine; Occupational psychology; Odds Ratio; Original Article; Prospective Studies; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Rehabilitation; Return to Work - psychology; Time Factors; Italy; Europe; Job satisfaction; Cardiac surgery; Coronary angioplasty; Psychosocial job factors; Return to work; Human; Angioplasty; Instrumental dilatation; Predictive factor; Psychosocial factor; Coronary vessel; Back to work
• ISSN: 0340-0131; 1432-1246
• DOI: 10.1007/s00420-012-0787-z

Purpose Few studies have analyzed the relationship between job satisfaction and return to work (RTW) in cardiac patients. The aim of this paper was to investigate whether job satisfaction predicted early RTW in patients sick listed after cardiac invasive procedures. Methods A 6-month prospective study was carried out in a sample of 83 patients in working age who had recently been treated with angioplasty or cardiac surgery. Job satisfaction was measured using the scale from the Occupational Stress Indicator during cardiac rehabilitation. Time to RTW was assessed at the 6-month occupational physician examination. Logistic regression analyses were used to study the association between job satisfaction at baseline and early RTW at follow-up, adjusted for socio-demographic, medical (type of cardiac intervention, ejection fraction) and psychological (depression, locus of control, illness perception) factors. Results Participants with high job satisfaction were more likely to return early to work, with an odds ratio (OR) of 5.92 (95 % CI, 1.69–20.73) in the most-adjusted model, compared to participants with low job satisfaction. Satisfaction with organizational processes was the job satisfaction component most strongly associated with early RTW (OR, 4.30; 95 % CI, 1.21–15.03). Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the first prospective study that investigated whether job satisfaction predicts time to RTW after cardiac interventions. The results suggested that when patients are satisfied with their job and positively perceived their work environment, they will be more likely to early RTW, independently of socio-demographic, medical and psychological factors.