Preditores de bem-estar nos profissionais de intervenção em emergência de Portugal

: o papel mediador do equilíbrio trabalho-vida pessoal

Abstract

In recent years, the well-being and work-life balance of emergency responders has received increasing attention due to the challenging and demanding nature of the profession, and the COVID-19 pandemic has further emphasised the importance of these professionals and the need to understand and support both their physical and mental well-being. However, there are still few studies on the well-being of this population, particularly in Portugal. The general aim of this study is to describe the levels of adaptation of these professionals in relation to wellbeing and to identify their main predictors, specifically exploring the mediating role of worklife balance in the relationship. The study involved 204 Portuguese emergency intervention professionals (e.g. INEM, Firefighters, Security Forces) who answered a set of questionnaires to assess well-being, job satisfaction, mental health literacy skills and work-life balance. The results show that there are factors that have a positive influence on well-being, such as work characteristics and the professional environment. In particular, professionals from INEM and other health services, Fire Brigades and Forestry Sappers showed higher levels of well-being compared to professionals from the Security Forces, Armed Forces, Maritime Authority and Aeronautics, corroborating existing results in the literature that address the role that the work environment and psychological support play in well-being. The study carried out a mediation analysis that demonstrates the mediating role of work-life balance in the relationship between excessive working hours and well-being. These results suggest the need to develop more consistent support strategies in order to promote a better work-life balance and the well-being and quality of life of these professionals.

Date of Award	19 Jul 2024
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Rita Francisco (Supervisor) & Miguel Arriaga (Co-Supervisor)