IMPACT OF WORK-ENVIRONMENT CHARACTERISTICS ON WORK-RELATED STRESS ANDDEPRESSION IN EMERGENCY-MEDICINE RESIDENTS - A LONGITUDINAL-STUDY

This study examined the effect of work environment characteristics on work-related stress and depression in emergency medicine residents. Da ta were collected from three cohorts of emergency medicine residents b etween 1989 and 1991 and followed to 1992. There were 556 first year, 369 second year and 192 third year medical residents in this ongoing s tudy. Each year, residents were administered mail surveys including th e Work-Related Strain Inventory, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depr ession scale and scales assessing task-role clarity and work group sup port. Regression analyses indicated that work-related stress and first year depression were significant predictors of depression in the seco nd residency year (r2 = 0.32). In the third residency year, women and those with high work-related stress had more depression (r2 = 0.38). R esults also showed that residents with low task-role clarity were most likely to report depression, even when work group support was strong. These findings suggest that task and role conflict and work-related s tress contribute to symptoms of depression in emergency medicine resid ents.