Development and psychometric validation of the frontline health workers’ occupational risk and characteristics in emergencies index (FORCE-index) – The covid Hospital cohort study
Objectives: A lack of tools for the systematic identification of frontline health workers' changing occupational risks, characteristics, and needs, poses a major barrier to supporting vital personnel to stay in practice through health emergencies and beyond. The current study reports on the dev...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Public Health in Practice |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666535225000011 |
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| author | Synne Øien Stensland Kristina Bondjers John-Anker Zwart Leiv Arne Rosseland Dan Atar Jan Olav Christensen Dagfinn Matre Kristin Alve Glad Tore Wentzel-Larsen Hilde Wøien Grete Dyb |
| author_facet | Synne Øien Stensland Kristina Bondjers John-Anker Zwart Leiv Arne Rosseland Dan Atar Jan Olav Christensen Dagfinn Matre Kristin Alve Glad Tore Wentzel-Larsen Hilde Wøien Grete Dyb |
| author_sort | Synne Øien Stensland |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: A lack of tools for the systematic identification of frontline health workers' changing occupational risks, characteristics, and needs, poses a major barrier to supporting vital personnel to stay in practice through health emergencies and beyond. The current study reports on the development and psychometric evaluation of the Frontline health workers’ Occupational Risk and Characteristics in Emergencies index (FORCE-index). Study design: The Covid hospital study is a large, multisite, four-wave, open cohort study of frontline health workers responding to the first four waves of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022). Methods: 2496 frontline health workers responded to questionnaires assessing various aspects of their work environment. Using exploratory factor analysis, we estimated the latent structure of the FORCE-index at the first and second waves. This structure was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis at the third and fourth waves. The internal consistency of the instrument's subscales (e.g., factors) was evaluated using omega reliability, Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and mean inter-item correlation. Results: A nine-factor solution provided best fit to the data. These factors mapped onto the following aspects of the work environment; competency, stress management, familiarity, workload manageability, work performance, infection safety, personal protective equipment, social safety, and social support. Internal consistency for the full FORCE-index and the nine factors was satisfactory. Conclusions: The initial psychometric validation indicates that the FORCE-index is a valid measure which can be used by health authorities, services, and institutions to adequately and systematically assess central aspects of frontline health workers’ work environment that are commonly challenged in health emergencies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6d1c53d9f9b54ab0bb8400474778b19b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-5352 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Public Health in Practice |
| spelling | doaj-art-6d1c53d9f9b54ab0bb8400474778b19b2025-01-18T05:05:18ZengElsevierPublic Health in Practice2666-53522025-06-019100582Development and psychometric validation of the frontline health workers’ occupational risk and characteristics in emergencies index (FORCE-index) – The covid Hospital cohort studySynne Øien Stensland0Kristina Bondjers1John-Anker Zwart2Leiv Arne Rosseland3Dan Atar4Jan Olav Christensen5Dagfinn Matre6Kristin Alve Glad7Tore Wentzel-Larsen8Hilde Wøien9Grete Dyb10Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Oslo, Norway; Department of Research and Innovation, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Corresponding author. Norwegian centre for violence and traumatic stress studies (NKVTS), Pb 181 Nydalen, 0409 Oslo, Norway.Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Research and Innovation, Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, NorwayInstitute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway; Department of Research and Development, Division of Emergencies and Critical Care, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, NorwayInstitute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway; Division of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital Ulleval, Oslo, NorwayNational Institute of Occupational Health, NorwayNational Institute of Occupational Health, NorwayNorwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Oslo, NorwayNorwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Oslo, Norway; Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway, Oslo, NorwayDivision of Emergencies and Critical Care, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Unit for Health Scientific pedagogics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, NorwayInstitute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Norway; Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Oslo, NorwayObjectives: A lack of tools for the systematic identification of frontline health workers' changing occupational risks, characteristics, and needs, poses a major barrier to supporting vital personnel to stay in practice through health emergencies and beyond. The current study reports on the development and psychometric evaluation of the Frontline health workers’ Occupational Risk and Characteristics in Emergencies index (FORCE-index). Study design: The Covid hospital study is a large, multisite, four-wave, open cohort study of frontline health workers responding to the first four waves of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022). Methods: 2496 frontline health workers responded to questionnaires assessing various aspects of their work environment. Using exploratory factor analysis, we estimated the latent structure of the FORCE-index at the first and second waves. This structure was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis at the third and fourth waves. The internal consistency of the instrument's subscales (e.g., factors) was evaluated using omega reliability, Cronbach's alpha coefficient, and mean inter-item correlation. Results: A nine-factor solution provided best fit to the data. These factors mapped onto the following aspects of the work environment; competency, stress management, familiarity, workload manageability, work performance, infection safety, personal protective equipment, social safety, and social support. Internal consistency for the full FORCE-index and the nine factors was satisfactory. Conclusions: The initial psychometric validation indicates that the FORCE-index is a valid measure which can be used by health authorities, services, and institutions to adequately and systematically assess central aspects of frontline health workers’ work environment that are commonly challenged in health emergencies.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666535225000011Covid-19Health emergencyInfectious outbreakHealth responsePreparednessPreparedness planning |
| spellingShingle | Synne Øien Stensland Kristina Bondjers John-Anker Zwart Leiv Arne Rosseland Dan Atar Jan Olav Christensen Dagfinn Matre Kristin Alve Glad Tore Wentzel-Larsen Hilde Wøien Grete Dyb Development and psychometric validation of the frontline health workers’ occupational risk and characteristics in emergencies index (FORCE-index) – The covid Hospital cohort study Public Health in Practice Covid-19 Health emergency Infectious outbreak Health response Preparedness Preparedness planning |
| title | Development and psychometric validation of the frontline health workers’ occupational risk and characteristics in emergencies index (FORCE-index) – The covid Hospital cohort study |
| title_full | Development and psychometric validation of the frontline health workers’ occupational risk and characteristics in emergencies index (FORCE-index) – The covid Hospital cohort study |
| title_fullStr | Development and psychometric validation of the frontline health workers’ occupational risk and characteristics in emergencies index (FORCE-index) – The covid Hospital cohort study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Development and psychometric validation of the frontline health workers’ occupational risk and characteristics in emergencies index (FORCE-index) – The covid Hospital cohort study |
| title_short | Development and psychometric validation of the frontline health workers’ occupational risk and characteristics in emergencies index (FORCE-index) – The covid Hospital cohort study |
| title_sort | development and psychometric validation of the frontline health workers occupational risk and characteristics in emergencies index force index the covid hospital cohort study |
| topic | Covid-19 Health emergency Infectious outbreak Health response Preparedness Preparedness planning |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666535225000011 |
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