Strengthening Wellbeing for Veterinary and Human Healthcare Workers

Full description

The One Health approach recognises interdependencies among animals, humans, and ecosystems, and the threat to all three from global emergencies like climate change and COVID-19. Responses to these challenges require robust veterinary and human health systems, yet a substantial proportion of workers within these systems report poor wellbeing. This poor wellbeing impairs performance and contributes to workforce shortages, threatening coordinated responses by veterinary and human healthcare workers (VHHCWs) when One Health emergencies arise. There is a clear need to protect and strengthen VHHCWs’ welfare, yet more comprehensive evidence on the antecedents and outcomes related to workplace wellbeing in veterinary and human healthcare is needed. Therefore, this PhD aimed to enhance understanding of VHHCW wellbeing through three studies: 1) a scoping review of published investigations; 2) a mixed-methods analysis of practice managers’ (PMs; N = 19) perspectives; and 3) structural equation modelling of quantitative data from Australian VHHCWs (N = 368). The PERMA+4 (positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, accomplishment, physical health, mindset, work environment, economic security) framework for workplace wellbeing guided investigations, and each study built on prior evidence to address knowledge gaps and triangulate results, adding validity to conclusions and recommendations. Study 1 identified shared stressors (e.g., untenable workloads, emotional strain, sleep deprivation) and adverse outcomes (e.g., burnout, secondary traumatic stress [STS], suicide) that were consistently reported in prior literature on VHHCWs’ wellbeing. Results from Study 2 similarly demonstrated characteristics shared by the two health sectors, along with systemic consequences of worker illbeing, such as impaired clinical and financial performance. Study 3 identified work environment, economic security, relationships, physical health, positive emotion, and mindset as key targets for wellbeing interventions, and highlighted the importance of addressing burnout and STS to mitigate turnover and suicide. All three studies supported the applicability of PERMA+4 in research examining VHHCW wellbeing. Combined, evidence from this PhD highlights organisational changes and improving work environments, economic benefits, and psychosocial conditions as priorities in efforts to fortify VHHCWs’ wellbeing. Implementing these strategies across the One Health workforce will fortify crucial systems in readiness for the next global emergency.