Professional quality of life among Spanish veterinarians.

Vet Rec Open. December 2022;9(1):e250.

Patricia Macía¹, Olatz Goñi-Balentziaga², Oscar Vegas³, Garikoitz Azkona⁴

¹ Department of Basic Psychological Processes and their Development Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU) Donostia Spain.; ² Department of Clinical and Health Psychology and Research Methodology Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU) Donostia Spain.; ³ Department of Basic Psychological Processes and their Development Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU) Donostia Spain.; ⁴ Department of Basic Psychological Processes and their Development Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV/EHU) Donostia Spain.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:In Spain, the perceived professional quality of life among veterinarians has not been explored.

METHODS:Veterinarians were invited to complete an online questionnaire in which they answered the Professional Quality of Life scale, the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale. Participants were asked whether they were receiving psychological therapy or were taking anxiolytics, hypnotics or antidepressant medication. Alcohol consumption was measured using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and nicotine dependence was assessed using the Fagerström test; participants were asked whether they took illegal drugs.

RESULTS:The study sample comprised a total of 602 veterinarians, most of whom reported average levels of compassion satisfaction, secondary stress trauma and burnout. Emotional support and mental wellbeing influenced participants' professional quality of life. The percentage of veterinarians in psychological therapy and/or taking anxiolytics was higher than in the general population.

CONCLUSIONS:A considerable number of clinical veterinarians in Spain may be suffering from work-related stress. Our study identifies salary, emotional support and mental wellbeing as important factors that affect the professional quality of life. Interventions to improve veterinary clinicians' professional quality of life should therefore focus on these factors.

Article Tools:

Medline

Email to me

Archives Highlights:

Top Tips for Managing Home and Kennel Infestations With Brown Dog Ticks
Thorough cleaning of the environment to remove tick biomass followed by premise treatment by an experienced exterminator can hasten elimination of ticks. Brown dog ticks are long-lived off the host and may continue to emerge from the structure for many months; a long-term approach is needed to eliminate the population.

From the Cat’s Point of View: Creating a Cat Friendly Veterinary Environment
Prepare the examination table in advance with warm blankets sprayed with synthetic feline pheromones placed on nonslip surfaces (e.g., yoga mats). Spraying synthetic feline pheromones on the examination table 15 minutes before the physical examination has been shown to lower stress levels compared with placebo Synthetic feline pheromone diffusers are also recommended.

Lightning deaths in three outdoor dogs: A case study.
The three dogs were found close to each other, under a truck with a series of damages, such as burning of the tyres, the electrical control unit, and the trailer's ABS control unit.

Prevalence of Encephalitozoon hellem among companion and exhibition birds in Japan.
Although microsporidia can rarely cause severe systemic infections, including hepatitis, nephritis, and enteritis in young birds, most infected birds are subclinical and thought to recover spontaneously after a period of temporary spore shedding if they do not have immunosuppression. Microsporidia can cause self-limiting infection in immunocompetent humans and life-threatening chronic diarrhea in immunocompromised individuals.

Prevalence of discospondylitis and association with congenital vertebral body malformations in English and French bulldogs.
The prevalence of discospondylitis was 3.4 (1.6-6.7) times higher in French bulldogs and 4.3 (1.7-9.8) times higher in English bulldogs, compared with the overall hospital cohort. One or more vertebral malformations were present in 12 French bulldogs (92.3%), 6 English bulldogs (75.0%), and 1 "other" breed dog (1.1%). Discospondylitis was diagnosed adjacent to congenital vertebral body malformations in 12 (80%) intervertebral discs in French bulldogs and 5 (50%) intervertebral discs in English bulldogs.