Message applications in the doctor-patient relationship as a stressor

Veiga, Melissa Gonzalez; Felizi, Rogério Tadeu; Trevisan, Gislayne Darly; Cubero, Daniel de Iracema Gomes; Fernandes, César Eduardo; Oliveira, Emerson de

doi:10.1590/1806-9282.20220253

Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Brasil

Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira

Español English

Brasil

Español English

sumário « anterior atual seguinte »

Sumário

Original Article • Rev. Assoc. Med. Bras. 68 (9) • Sept 2022 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1806-9282.20220253 copy

Message applications in the doctor-patient relationship as a stressor

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

SUMMARY

OBJECTIVE:

The aim of this study was to assess the use of smartphones’ messaging apps as a stressor affecting the well-being of gynecologists who use this tool to communicate with patients.

METHODS:

A cross-sectional study was conducted with gynecologists who use message applications to communicate with patients. Participants answered the WhatsApp Stress Scale, Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, and the techno-stress questionnaire. The population sample consisted of gynecologists and obstetricians selected by convenience.

RESULTS:

Physicians who spent more time using WhatsApp to communicate with patients had higher levels of stress (p=0.010), Burnout (p<0.001), and techno-invasion score (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS:

A positive association was found between the high frequency of WhatsApp usage for communication with patients and doctor's Burnout and stress, negatively influencing professional's well-being.

KEYWORDS:
mobile applications; occupational stress; physician-patient relations; smartphone

		WhatsApp Group			p-value
		<2 h/week (n=86)	2–5 h/week (n=29)	>5 h/week (n=23)	p-value
Age (years)
	Mean±DP	46.6±13.2	46.1±12.2	41.9±6.8	0.249*
Gender, n (%)
	Female	49 (57)	20 (69)	17 (73.9)	0.234
	Male	37 (43)	9 (31)	6 (26.1)	0.234
Marital Status, n (%)
	Single	30 (34.9)	8 (27.6)	9 (39.1)	0.091#
	Married	49 (57)	21 (72.4)	14 (60.9)
	Cohabitation	7 (8.1)	0 (0)	0 (0)
Children, n (%)
	Yes	55 (64)	21 (72.4)	14 (60.9)	0.633
	No	31 (36)	8 (27.6)	9 (39.1)	0.633
Residence, n (%)
	São Paulo city and neighborhood	84 (97.7)	28 (96.6)	22 (95.7)	0.548#
	Interior of São Paulo	1 (1.2)	0 (0)	1 (4.3)
	Other states	1 (1.2)	1 (3.4)	0 (0)
Graduate year, n (%)
	1–15 years	29 (33.7)	7 (24.1)	8 (34.8)	0.599
	>15 years	58 (66.3)	22 (75.9)	7 (65.2)	0.599
Smoking, n (%)
	Yes	5 (5.8)	1 (3.4)	0 (0)	0.285#
	No	81 (94.2)	28 (96.6)	23 (100)	0.285#
Alcoholism, n (%)
	Yes	4 (4.7)	3 (10.3)	0 (0)	0.155#
	No	82 (95.3)	26 (89.7)	23 (100)	0.155#
Physical activity, n (%)
	Yes	49 (57)	15 (51.7)	15 (65.2)	0.618
	No	37 (43)	14 (48.3)	8 (34.8)	0.618
Weekly workload, n (%)
	<20 h	2 (2.3)	1 (3.4)	2 (8.7)	0.048#
	20–30 h	5 (5.8)	4 (13.8)	0 (0)
	31–40 h	27 (31.4)	8 (27.6)	2 (8.7)
	41–60 h	40 (46.5)	13 (44.8)	11 (47.8)
	>60 h	12 (14)	3 (10.3)	8 (34.8)
Work-duty activity, n (%)
	Yes	35 (40.7)	11 (37.9)	6 (26.1)	0.438
	No	51 (59.3)	18 (62.1)	17 (73.9)	0.438
Office work activity, n (%)
	Yes	74 (86)	28 (96.6)	23 (100)	0.019#
	No	12 (14)	1 (3.4)	0 (0)	0.019#
Work-surgery activity, n (%)
	Yes	45 (52.3)	20 (69)	16 (69.6)	0.148
	No	41 (47.7)	9 (31)	7 (30.4)	0.148
Academic activity, n (%)
	Yes	31 (36)	11 (37.9)	8 (34.8)	0.971
	No	55 (64)	18 (62.1)	15 (65.2)	0.971

		WhatsApp Group			p-value	p^¢ ¢ Value adjusted for the workload and office work activity.
		<2 h/week (n=86)	2–5 h/week (n=29)	>5 h/week (n=23)	p-value
WASS Questionnaire
	Mean±DP	3.43±0.92	3.52±0.8	4.05±0.62	0.010^* * ANOVA;	0.006
Burnout Questionnaire Score emotional exhaustion
	Mean±DP	2.24±0.73	2.43±0.75	3.36±0.52	<0.001^* * ANOVA;	<0.001
Score disengagement
	Mean±DP	2.13±0.69	2.15±0.71	2.32±0.8	0.536^* * ANOVA;	0.581
Technological stress questionnaire Techno-overload
	Mean±DP	2.67±1.04	3.05±1.1	3.93±0.85	<0.001^* * ANOVA;	<0.001
Techno-invasion
	Mean±DP	2.78±1.09	3.41±1.04	4.64±0.39	<0.001^* * ANOVA;	<0.001
Techno-complexity
	Mean±DP	2.42±0.96	2.64±1.11	2.44±1.14	0.593^* * ANOVA;	0.849
Job satisfaction
	Mean±DP	4.34±0.7	4.31±0.9	4.39±0.84	0.932^* * ANOVA;	0.953

	Comparison	MD	p-value	95%CI
	Comparison	MD	p-value	Inferior	Superior
WASS Total score	GI–GII	−0.09	>0.999	−0.53	0.36
	GI–GIII	−0.62	0.008	−1.10	−0.13
	GII–GIII	−0.53	0.083	−1.11	0.05
Burnout Emotional exhaustion	GI–GII	−0.19	0.617	−0.56	0.17
	GI–GIII	−1.12	<0.001	−1.52	−0.72
	GII–GIII	−0.92	<0.001	−1.40	−0.45
Techno-stress Techno-overload	GI–GII	−0.38	0.270	−0.91	0.16
	GI–GIII	−1.26	<0.001	−1.84	−0.68
	GII–GIII	−0.88	0.007	−1.58	−0.19
Techno-stress Techno-invasion	GI–GII	−0.63	0.012	−1.15	−0.11
	GI–GIII	−1.86	<0.001	−2.43	−1.29
	GII–GIII	−1.23	<0.001	−1.91	−0.55

Associação Médica Brasileira R. São Carlos do Pinhal, 324, 01333-903 São Paulo SP - Brazil, Tel: +55 11 3178-6800, Fax: +55 11 3178-6816 - São Paulo - SP - Brazil
E-mail: ramb@amb.org.br

Acompanhe os números deste periódico no seu leitor de RSS

[1] *Corresponding author: dramelissaveiga@gmail.com