Volume 15, Issue 1 (Winter 2026)                   J Occup Health Epidemiol 2026, 15(1): 48-55 | Back to browse issues page

Ethics code: IR.RCS.REC.1403.019

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Giusino D, Rahimi Pordanjani T, Mohammadzadeh Ebrahimi A. Working Conditions, Mental Illness, and Professional Quality of Life among Iranian Red Crescent Society Operational Staff: A Quantitative Study. J Occup Health Epidemiol 2026; 15 (1) :48-55
URL: http://johe.rums.ac.ir/article-1-1070-en.html

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1- Assistant Prof., Dept. of Humanities, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
2- Associate Prof., Dept. of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Bojnord, Bojnord, Iran. , t.rahimi@ub.ac.ir
3- Associate Prof., Dept. of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Bojnord, Bojnord, Iran.
Article history
Received: 2025/06/13
Accepted: 2025/11/20
ePublished: 2026/03/30
Abstract:   (17 Views)

Background: Humanitarian workers are frequently exposed to demanding environments. This study examined perceived working conditions, mental illness symptoms, and professional quality of life among operational staff of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, and assessed whether working conditions predict psychological outcomes.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted in 2024 with 233 operational staff selected through multi-stage cluster sampling from five Iranian provinces. Data were collected using Persian versions of the Health and Safety Executive Management Standards Indicator Tool, the Symptom Checklist-25, and the Professional Quality of Life Scale. Descriptive statistics, one-sample t-tests, correlations, and multiple linear regressions were performed using SPSS 25.
Results: Participants reported generally favorable working conditions and low mental illness symptoms. Mental illness scores were significantly lower than population norms. Compassion satisfaction was high, whereas burnout and secondary traumatic stress were comparatively low. Regression analyses showed that several working conditions significantly predicted mental illness and professional quality of life outcomes. In particular, demands, work control, and relationships predicted mental illness, while role clarity and managerial support predicted compassion satisfaction. Demands, role clarity, change at work, relationships, and work control predicted burnout, whereas demands, relationships, and role clarity predicted secondary traumatic stress.
Conclusions: IRCS operational staff reported favorable psychological outcomes, although working conditions remained significant predictors of mental health and professional quality of life. These findings highlight the need for continuous psychological monitoring and organizational interventions in humanitarian work settings.

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