Page 100 - GHES-2-3

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability
Fatigue and quality of life in Greek social workers

restlessness and insomnia, social dysfunction, and friends. The remaining correlations range from 0.107
depressive symptoms, as well as the overall level of symptom to 0.376, which are of low intensity, with statistically
occurrence. Furthermore, the higher the respondents’ level significant 95% and 99% confidence levels.
of overall physical and mental fatigue, the lower the level Two simple linear regression models were applied to
of support they receive from their significant others, family study whether the level of social support is a predictor
and friends, and the lower the overall level of support of fatigue and overall health. The first model (Table 4)
they receive. The correlation range of 0.240 – 0.707 is of has a small predictive ability (R = 0.098) but fits the data
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small-to-high intensity, with a statistically significant 99% significantly (p < 0.001). From the table of coefficients, it
confidence level. can be seen that the overall level of social support from the
Then, Spearman’s correlation analysis was again used environment significantly predicts fatigue (p < 0.001), with
to investigate the correlation between the support scores a negative coefficient (−0.186), indicating that the higher
and the scores regarding the respondents’ quality of life. the level of support, the lower the level of fatigue.
Table 3 showcases 19 statistically significant correlations. The model analyzing general health as a dependent
Based on the results, higher support scores, as marked variable (overall level of symptoms) also appears to have
by increased scores in all the MSPSS scales including the low predictive power (R = 0.105) but still fits the data
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overall level of support from the environment, reflect significantly. From the table of coefficients, it can be seen
lower levels of physical symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, that the overall level of support from the environment is
social dysfunction, depressive symptoms, and overall again a significant predictive factor (p < 0.001), whereas
level of symptoms. The only exception is the level of the negative coefficient (−0.129) indicates that as the level
social dysfunction, which appears to have no statistically of support increases, the level of symptoms decreases, that
significant relationship with the level of support from is, the level of general health increases (Table 5).

Table 3. Spearman correlations of social support with quality of life

Dimensions MSPSS‑Support from MSPSS‑Support MSPSS‑Support MSPSS‑Overall level of
significant others from family from friends support from the environment
GHQ-physical symptoms
Correlation coefficient −0.162** −0.199** −0.186** −0.207**
Sig. (two-tailed) 0.001 0.000 0.000 0.000
n 400 400 400 400
GHQ-anxiety and insomnia
Correlation coefficient −0.182** −0.203** −0.175** −0.211**
Sig. (2-tailed) 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
n 400 400 400 400
GHQ-social dysfunction
Correlation coefficient −0.107* −0.193** −0.092 −0.147**
Sig. (2-tailed) 0.032 0.000 0.065 0.003
n 400 400 400 400
GHQ-depressive symptoms
Correlation coefficient −0.266** −0.376** −0.278** −0.352**
Sig. (two-tailed) 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
n 400 400 400 400
GHQ-overall level of symptom occurrence
Correlation coefficient −0.214** −0.275** −0.225** −0.272**
Sig. (two-tailed) 0.000 0.000 0.000 0.000
n 400 400 400 400
*Correlation is significant at P<0.05 level (two-tailed).
**Correlation is significant at P<0.01 level (two-tailed).
Abbreviations: FAS: Fatigue Assessment Scale; GHQ: General health questionnaire; MSPSS: Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support.

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2024) 5 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.3039