International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume 16, Issue 20, 2019

“This isn’t just about things, it’s about people and their future”: A qualitative analysis of the working conditions and strains of social workers in refugee and homeless aid (Article) (Open Access)

Wirth T.* , Mette J. , Nienhaus A. , Schillmöller Z. , Harth V. , Mache S.
  • a Competence Centre for Epidemiology and Health Services Research for Healthcare Professionals (CVcare), University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, 20246, Germany
  • b Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, 20459, Germany
  • c Competence Centre for Epidemiology and Health Services Research for Healthcare Professionals (CVcare), University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, 20246, Germany, Department of Occupational Medicine, Hazardous Substances and Public Health, Institution for Statutory Accident Insurance and Prevention in the Health and Welfare Services (BGW), Hamburg, 22089, Germany
  • d Department Health Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Hamburg, 21033, Germany
  • e Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, 20459, Germany
  • f Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, 20459, Germany

Abstract

Large parts of Europe have been affected by an influx of refugees and increasing homelessness in recent years. Social workers provide care services for refugees and homeless people, but little is known about their working conditions. The aim of this study was to examine their job demands, resources and health strains. 26 semi-structured interviews were conducted with social workers in refugee and homeless aid in Hamburg and Berlin between October and December 2017. The interviews were analysed following Mayring’s qualitative content analysis. Additionally, the job demands and resources of social workers with and without long-term psychological strain were compared. Respondents particularly experienced demands concerning their job content and work organisation, including emotional and quantitative demands. Appreciation expressed by clients and social support from the team served as key resources. Respondents had problems switching off from work, were exhausted and exhibited signs of long-term psychological strain, such as symptoms of burnout or depressive states. Workers reporting long-term psychological strain were more likely to consider themselves as being adversely constrained by legal requirements and to describe inadequate supervision offers and team conflicts. In conclusion, the results indicate the need for job-specific health promotion measures reducing particularly demands concerning social workers’ job content and work organisation and further strengthening their social support. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Author Keywords

qualitative research Homeless occupational health Refugees Job demands and resources Social work

Index Keywords

Germany depression refugee health promotion health risk human Hamburg [Germany] job content work organization research work homeless aid work controlled study social support aid social worker Social Work burnout male working conditions semi structured interview female occupational exposure job search qualitative analysis population research Article health care organization adult quantitative analysis Job analysis Berlin homelessness
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85073461339&doi=10.3390%2fijerph16203858&partnerID=40&md5=60547e61d8c2a55a76a10c0ce6467862
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16203858
ISSN: 16617827
Original Language: English