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ObjectiveControlled data on predictors of subjective sleep quality in patients with memory complaints are sparse. To improve the amount of comprehensive data on this topic, we assessed factors associated with subjective sleep quality in patients from our memory clinic and healthy individuals.MethodsBetween February 2012 and August 2014 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and subjective cognitive decline (SCD) from our memory clinic and healthy controls were recruited. Apart from a detailed neuropsychological assessment, the subjective sleep quality, daytime sleepiness and depressive symptoms were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II).ResultsOne hundred fifty eight consecutive patients (132 (84%) MCI patients and 26 (16%) SCD patients) and 75 healthy controls were included in the study. Pairwise comparison of PSQI scores showed that non-amnestic MCI (naMCI) patients (5.4 ± 3.5) had significantly higher PSQI scores than controls (4.3 ± 2.8, p = .003) Pairwise comparison of PSQI subscores showed that naMCI patients (1.1 ± 0.4) had significantly more "sleep disturbances" than controls (0.9 ± 0.5, p = .003). Amnestic MCI (aMCI) (0.8 ± 1.2, p = .006) and naMCI patients (0.7 ± 1.2, p = .002) used "sleep medication" significantly more often than controls (0.1 ± 0.6) Both, aMCI (11.5 ± 8.6, p < .001) and naMCI (11.5 ± 8.6, p < .001) patients showed significantly higher BDI-II scores than healthy controls (6.1 ± 5.3). Linear regression analysis showed that the subjective sleep quality was predicted by depressive symptoms in aMCI (p < .0001) and naMCI (p < .0001) patients as well as controls (p < .0001). This means, that more depressive symptoms worsened subjective sleep quality. In aMCI patients we also found a significant interaction between depressive symptoms and global cognitive function (p = .002).DiscussionDepressive symptoms were the main predictor of subjective sleep quality in MCI patients and controls, but not in SCD patients. Better global cognitive function ameliorated the negative effect of depressive symptoms on the subjective sleep quality in aMCI patients.

Telephone emergency service (TES) consultants have been challenged even more since the beginning of the pandemic. How the COVID-19 situation and the associated increasing demand for TES services affect the well-being and stress of TES counselors has not been assessed so far. This longitudinal study examined mental well-being (WHO-5), perceived stress level (PSS-10), and experienced job-related meaningfulness (CERES) of TES counselors at two measurement points during the pandemic. From December 2020 to January 2021 (t1), N = 374 counselors were recruited within the Austrian nationwide organization “TelefonSeelsorge”. From those, N = 108 also participated one year later at t2. Neither well-being nor perceived stress differed significantly between t1 and t2. There was a decrease in job-related meaningfulness (from 5.46 at t1 to 5.34 at t2; p < 0.001). The consultants identified loneliness and mental health as the most common problems of helpline callers at both measurement points. The results confirm a stable level of stress and well-being during the pandemic in TES consultants. However, they also show a slight decrease in perceived job-related meaningfulness. Well-being of counselors should be watched closely, as they are an important part of the psychosocial healthcare system.

Telephone emergency services play an important role in providing low-threshold, anonymous crisis intervention free of cost. The current study aims to examine the mental well-being and perceived stress level of counselors as well as the main topics of helpline callers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Austria. In the current study, 374 counselors were recruited within the Austrian nationwide organization TelefonSeelsorge during the second wave of COVID-19 infection in Austria. The mental well-being (WHO-5) and perceived stress-level (PSS-10) were assessed and counselors were asked about the frequency of different topics thematized by callers and changes compared to pre-pandemic times. Compared to a reference group of the Austrian general population, counselors experienced less stress (13.22 vs. 16.42) and higher mental well-being (66.26 vs. 57.36; p < 0.001). The most frequent topics during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Austria were loneliness and mental health. More calls were registered in 2020 compared to 2019 and especially the topics loneliness, mental health, professional activities and relationships were reported to be thematized more often during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the time before ( p < 0.001). The results contribute to an understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on telephone crisis intervention.

We assessed psychotherapists' and patients' ratings of their subjective perception of meaning related to different areas of life before the COVID-19 pandemic as compared to the time during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a quantitative cross-sectional study, Austrian psychotherapists ( N = 222) were recruited by e-mail, who in turn recruited their patients ( N = 139). Therapists and patients were asked to rate the meaning of different areas of life before as well as during the COVID-19 crisis. The psychotherapists showed an overall higher rating of the importance of areas of life compared to their patients ( p < 0.001). The rating of the importance of the domains of living was differently affected by the COVID-19 situation ( p < 0.001). While the meaning of physical and mental health during COVID-19 was rated higher than before, the opposite was observed for work ( p < 0.001). No differences were found for relationships and friends, as well as for hobbies. As no interactions between perspective (therapists vs. patients), area of life, and time point (before vs. during COVID-19) were observed, it can be concluded that the COVID-19 situation changed the subjective attribution of meaning concerning different aspects of life similarly in therapists as well as patients. While mental and physical health gained subjective importance, the opposite was observed for work.

Aim: To evaluate characteristics of job-related meaningfulness, and to assess its potential to moderate the relationship between over-commitment and emotional exhaustion in nurses., Background: Increased demands on nurses may induce vulnerability to emotional exhaustion, decrease job satisfaction, and increase their intention to quit the job. The experience of job-related meaningfulness through meaning-centred logotherapy and counseling could be a resource to prevent emotional exhaustion., Method: Nurses (n = 466; 73% female) at an Austrian tertiary-care hospital participated in a cross-sectional survey for assessment of job-related meaningfulness by the newly developed CERES (Concern, Enthusiasm, Relevance, Efficacy, Satisfaction) scale. CERES was tested for its moderating interaction with over-commitment (assessed by the Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire) to prevent emotional exhaustion (as measured by the Maslach Burnout Inventory) by structural equation modelling., Results: The CERES scale consisting of five items has satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: .78). Over-commitment correlated significantly (p < .001) with emotional exhaustion. A moderating interaction of CERES with over-commitment on emotional exhaustion was found overall (p < .001), and separately for males (p = .002) and females (p < .001)., Conclusions: CERES is suitable for assessing experienced job-related meaningfulness and it moderates emotionally exhausting effects of over-commitment in nurses., Implications for Nursing Management: Nursing managers may improve nurses' awareness of job-related meaningfulness by focusing on meaning-centred feed-back and counselling and thereby strengthening perception of concern, enthusiasm, relevance, efficacy, and satisfaction regarding their caring behaviour., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), hospitals represent a work environment with high job strain. Prolonged perceived occupational stress may result in symptoms of burnout, such as emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalisation (DP) and reduced personal accomplishment (PA). Understanding which factors may reduce vulnerability for burnout is an important requirement for well-targeted occupational stress prevention in mental hospital staff., Objective: To identify the influence of gender, age, working field, family structure, education, voluntarily occupational training during holidays and length of stay on job on occupational stress perception., Methods: In a cross-sectional design, 491 employees (311 female, 180 male) of an Austrian mental health centre participated in the study. The extent of perceived occupational stress was assessed by the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) with the scales for emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and personal accomplishment. Participants were divided according to their working field in those working with/without patients., Findings: Prevalence of emotional exhaustion was higher in women working with patients compared to men working with patients (25% vs. 18%, p = 0.003). Age above 45 years was significantly associated with decreased vulnerability for burnout in men (EE p = 0.040, DP p = 0.010, PA p = 0.007), but not in women. A lower level of education had a significant impact on depersonalisation in both sexes (p = 0.001 for men, p = 0.048 for women). Length of stay on job showed a significant influence on emotional exhaustion. No significant relationship was found between family structure and vulnerability for burnout., Conclusion: Gender had a differential effect on perceived occupational stress indicating a need for gender-tailored preventive strategies. Age, working field, education, voluntarily occupational training during holidays and length of stay on job affect vulnerability for burnout in mental hospital staff., (© 2017 Nordic College of Caring Science.)