Work Environment Factors and Subjective Well-Being Among Healthcare Professionals: A Structural Equation Modeling Study with Mediation Analysis.

backgroundHealthcare professionals work in demanding psychosocial environments that may affect their subjective well-being and, consequently, the performance and sustainability of healthcare systems. Understanding how job demands and job resources are associated with healthcare professionals' well-being is important for developing organizational strategies that support workforce health and service quality.

methodsA cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted among 566 healthcare professionals in Latvia. Psychosocial work environment factors were assessed using a multidimensional instrument based on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, while subjective well-being was measured using the WHO-5 Well-Being Index. A comprehensive multiple-predictor mediation SEM was estimated using the WLSMV estimator. The primary covariate-adjusted model was based on 561 complete cases and simultaneously included all four psychosocial predictors, Work Engagement and Vitality as the mediator, subjective well-being as the outcome, and age, work experience, and professional position as covariates.

resultsThe comprehensive model demonstrated good fit. Job Satisfaction and Reward showed significant positive direct and indirect associations with subjective well-being and the strongest total association. Occupational Distress and Strain showed significant negative indirect and total associations, whereas their direct associations were not statistically significant. Autonomy and Work Control showed a significant positive indirect association and a significant positive total association, while its direct association was not statistically significant. Organizational Trust and Support demonstrated a positive indirect association but a negative direct association, whereas its total association was not statistically significant, indicating inconsistent mediation.

conclusionsThe findings suggest that psychosocial work environment factors are meaningfully associated with subjective well-being among healthcare professionals. Job Satisfaction and Reward, Autonomy and Work Control, and Occupational Distress and Strain appear to be particularly relevant factors. Work Engagement and Vitality may serve as an indirect pathway linking selected work environment factors to subjective well-being; however, given the cross-sectional design, these findings should be interpreted as statistical associations rather than evidence of causal mediation.