ArticleSocial psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology2026
Association of compassion fatigue and work context with post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms among care aides in nursing homes.
Article in Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
purposeThis study examined the associations of compassion fatigue and unit-level work environment with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among nursing home care aides, a workforce providing essential care yet understudied for mental health risks, particularly during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
methodsThis cross-sectional study used 2021 data from the Translating Research in Elder Care (TREC) program in Alberta, Canada. Participants included 568 care aides from 53 units within 20 nursing homes. PTSD symptoms were assessed using the PTSD Checklist-6 (PCL-6; score ≥ 14 indicating a positive screen). Primary predictors were compassion fatigue (Professional Quality of Life Scale-9 subscale) and seven unit-level work context factors (Alberta Context Tool). Analyses employed three-level multivariable logistic regression.
resultsOf the 568 participating care aides, 127 (22.4%) screened positive for PTSD symptoms. In multivariable three-level logistic regression analyses, a 1-unit increase in compassion fatigue score was associated with a 44% increase in the odds of a positive PTSD screen (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.44; 95% CI, 1.24-1.68; P < 0.01). None of the seven elements of the unit-level working environment showed a statistically significant association with PTSD symptoms.
conclusionsCompassion fatigue was significantly associated with PTSD symptoms among nursing home care aides, while unit‑level work environment did not show statistically significant associations, though these null findings should be interpreted with caution. During systemic crises such as the pandemic, interventions targeting compassion fatigue at the individual level may offer more immediate benefit than broader environmental modifications for this vulnerable frontline workforce.
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