EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH NURSING

Corporate Wellbeing and Professional Quality of Life: An Imperative in Nursing Occupational Health

EDITORIAL BOARD — 2025-11-30

This November, the Spanish Association of Occupational Health Nursing presented its Corporate Wellbeing Manual, which proposes a renewed framework to promote occupational health nursing as a key agent in fostering corporate wellbeing, integrating health, safety, and productivity from a strategic, evidence-based perspective. This editorial, from the European Journal of Occupational Health Nursing, serves to endorse this latest achievement for Spanish occupational health nursing.

In today's world, characterized by constant acceleration, increasing job demands, and precariousness in some healthcare settings, corporate well-being emerges as an essential pillar for sustaining the professional quality of life of nursing staff.

In the context of occupational health nursing, promoting a healthy work environment is not only an ethical issue but also a strategic one: a well-cared-for workforce directly impacts the safety, productivity, and sustainability of the healthcare system. The professional quality of life (ProQOL) of nurses encompasses both positive aspects—such as compassion satisfaction—and negative aspects—such as compassion fatigue, burnout, or secondary traumatic stress. Recent studies have shown that many nurses operate with moderate to high levels of emotional exhaustion and compassion fatigue, which jeopardizes their mental health and their ability to provide optimal care (1).

A multicenter study conducted in Spain analyzed the professional quality of life of more than 1,500 nurses, finding that levels of burnout and compassion fatigue were high, while compassion satisfaction was below the estimated average (2).

World Diabetes Day 2025, November 14

MANUEL ROMERO-SALDAÑA — 2025-11-30

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that affects millions of people of working age. According to data from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), its global prevalence continues to increase (1). In the workplace, diabetes not only affects individual health but also has economic and organizational implications for companies and healthcare systems.

Incidence and Prevalence of Diabetes in Workers

A 10-year population-based study conducted as part of the Gutenberg Health Study (GHS) (Germany) found that, among employees without diabetes at baseline, the cumulative incidence of type 2 diabetes was 6.9% (388 cases in 5,954 people), and 22.6% for metabolic syndrome (1,104 cases in 5,103). Furthermore, marked differences were observed by occupation: workers in “food production and processing” had the highest incidence (20.7%, standardized incidence ratio [SIR] = 3.0; 95% CI 1.8–4.7), followed by cleaners and drivers (2).

Regarding prevalence, a 6.4% diabetes diagnosis rate was reported among employed adults in the US (3). Similarly, a study in Australia with over 500,000 workers showed that blue-collar workers had a higher risk of diabetes, as calculated by the AUSDRISK, and a higher cardiovascular risk than white-collar workers (4).

These data suggest that diabetes is not only present in the working population, but that its distribution and risk depend in part on occupation, socioeconomic status, and working conditions.

Repercussion of working conditions on the health of wildland firefighters: a Scoping Review.

Alba Arribas López — 2025-11-30

Introduction: Climate change intensifies wildfires by increasing temperatures, reducing rainfall, and bringing forward snowmelt. Their extinction involves multiple risks for firefighters due to the extreme conditions of their work. The main aim of the study was to describe the relationship between working conditions and their effects on the health of wildland firefighters.

Objectives: The main objective of this scoping review is to explore and describe the relationship between working conditions and the impact on the health of wildland firefighters.

Method: Scoping Review based on PRISMA-ScR and academic regulations, using scientific sources published between 2014 and 2024, analysed through descriptive statistics.

Results: Most studies were published between 2019 and 2022, mainly in the United States, with descriptive and cohort methodologies. The population studied consisted mainly of men with the category of wildland firefighter. The main occupational risks analysed were exposure to chemical agents and extreme temperatures. The most frequent diseases were cardiovascular, respiratory, and immunological. Among the prevention strategies, the use of protective equipment, cooling measures, shift regulation, and health surveillance stood out.

Conclusions: Repeated exposure to extreme environmental conditions affects the health of wildland firefighters, generating physical and mental issues. Improving personal protective equipment and optimising hydration, cooling, and post-exposure hygiene practices, together with health surveillance, are key to reducing the negative effects of their work.

Keywords: Wildfires; Occupational hazards; Occupational health.

Evaluation of body composition and its relationship with cardiovascular risk factors in workers

ESTHER ARRIBAS-ESPINO — 2025-11-30

Introduction. Body composition is a critical indicator of overall health and the risk of developing chronic non-communicable diseases, particularly within the working population. Objetive: This study assessed body composition and its association with cardiovascular risk factors in a sample of 98 employees from a multinational corporation.

Methods. Cross-sectional observational study in which we have collected variables that include: BMI, visceral fat, skeletal muscle percentage, body fat percentage, blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose levels, and health-related behaviors. Correlation analysis has been performed between these factors and the SCORE risk.

Results. Findings revealed a high prevalence of overweight (41.8%) and obesity (14.3%). The most notable correlations were age and SCORE risk (r = 0.646), BMI and visceral fat (r = 0.860), visceral fat and systolic blood pressure (r = 0.564), and skeletal muscle percentage and body fat percentage (r = -0.948), all with p < 0.000001. Other significant associations included BMI and systolic blood pressure (r = 0.49), and age and glucose levels (r = 0.36). Excess body fat—particularly visceral adiposity—has been strongly linked to increased risk of hypertension, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular disease (1,2). In occupational settings, these factors adversely affect not only employee health but also productivity, absenteeism, and organizational healthcare costs (3).

Conclusions. These findings highlight the vital role of occupational health nursing in health surveillance and the implementation of preventive strategies in the workplace. Periodic assessments of parameters such as BMI, visceral fat, and muscle mass can facilitate early risk detection and support the development of targeted interventions adapted to occupational contexts.

Multiple Roles in One: A Single Feminist Phenomenology Case of a Nurse Transitioning to OSH Practitioner

ED RAPHAEL ESPINOZA — 2025-11-30

Introduction. This novel type of a single case research attempts to explore the lived experiences of a nurse that had transitioned to becoming and OSH practitioner. An investigation was taken on the reasons on advancing to becoming an OSH practitioner, the positives of the job, the challenges encountered, the fears, realizations, and opinions in recommending nurses to become OSH practitioners.

Methods. The study used a qualitative research method specifically a single case research method using unstructured interview anchored on Super’s Career Development Theory and Lent et al.’s Social Cognitive Career Theory. The responses were analyzed with a combination of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Hermeneutics and Idiography using the Feminist Phenomenology by Fielding and Stawarska.

Results.The study revealed that the participant is fulfilled in her current role despite taking in more responsibilities and recommends that more nurses, specifically occupational health nurses become OSH practitioners.

Conclusions. The study gives enlightenment and crucial information to future nurses venturing in advancing their careers of becoming OSH practitioners and the importance of expanding this type of research.

Relationship between functional vocal disability and professional quality of life in teaching staff: a cross-sectional study

Ignacio Fernández-Galve — 2025-11-30

ABSTRACTO

Introduction. Teachers are exposed to occupational risk factors that may compromise vocal health, potentially affecting professional quality of life (PQL). Prolonged voice use, environmental noise, and inadequate ergonomics contribute to physical, emotional, and psychosocial strain.

Objective. To examine the relationship between vocal disability and PQL among early childhood, primary, secondary and high school teachers.

Methods. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. This study included 250 teachers in public, subsidized and private educational centers from the Community of Madrid and the city of Valladolid during the 2024–2025 academic year. Participants completed the Professional Quality of Life-35 (PQL-35) and Voice Handicap Index-30 (VHI-30) questionnaires.

Results. Most teachers reported mild vocal disability, with higher prevalence in women and older age groups. Early childhood and primary teachers exhibited more moderate cases. No significant correlation was found between vocal disability and PQL (ρ=0.008, p=0.90). Regression analysis identified multiple factors influencing PQL, including motivation, managerial support, work disconnection, salary satisfaction, and worsening of voice in the afternoon.

Discussion. Isolated vocal disorders does not have a linear relationship with PQL, highlighting the multifactorial nature of teacher well-being. Psychosocial and organizational factors play a pivotal role, emphasizing the need for preventive interventions, ergonomic improvements, and vocal health programs.

Conclusions. Voice disorders are prevalent among teachers but have limited isolated effect on PQL. A holistic approach adopting controls in the educational field and preventive measures, both organizational and technical, could reduce the incidence of voice disorders and their possible impact on professional well-being in educational settings.