Sau Po Centre on Ageing, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Social Work and Social Administration, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
Health Soc Care Community. 2021 Nov;29(6):1833-1843. doi: 10.1111/hsc.13294. Epub 2021 Jan 28.
Care workers in residential care settings for older adults often experience job burnout, resulting in a high turnover rate. Previous studies offered contradictory findings on technology use in the workplace and its relationship with burnout. This study aimed to explore the moderator role technology acceptance plays in the relationship between burnout and intention to leave among care workers in residential care settings in Hong Kong. The study was based on a multicenter, cross-sectional questionnaire survey. The acceptance of general, and three specific, technologies (i.e., tablets, social robots and video gaming) was measured based on the scale of the Technology Acceptance Model. Two dimensions of burnout (exhaustion and disengagement) were measured using the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory scale. Intention to leave was measured using a self-reported item. Data collection took place from July to December 2018. We analysed data from 370 care workers from seven non-private residential care homes for older people in Hong Kong. A hierarchical multiple regression approach was used for moderator analysis. The results revealed that two measures of burnout (exhaustion and disengagement) were significantly and positively associated with intention to leave. The four measures of technology acceptance were negatively associated with intention to leave. The interaction of video-gaming acceptance and exhaustion was predictive of intention to leave (standardized beta = -0.20, p = .011). Acceptance of video gaming changed the strength of the relationship between exhaustion and intention to leave among participants. No significant moderating effects were observed in the relationship between disengagement and intention to leave. We highlight the importance of integrating technology variables, especially subjective appraisal of technology, in the issues of burnout and intention to leave. These findings shed new light on policies and practices that consider implement technology in routine care in residential care settings without unanticipated negative impacts for care staff.
养老院中的照护工作者经常经历职业倦怠，导致离职率很高。先前的研究对工作场所的技术使用及其与倦怠的关系提供了相互矛盾的发现。本研究旨在探讨技术接受度在香港养老院中照护工作者的倦怠与离职意愿之间关系中的调节作用。该研究基于多中心、横断面问卷调查。根据技术接受模型的量表，测量了对一般技术和三种特定技术（即平板电脑、社交机器人和视频游戏）的接受程度。倦怠的两个维度（耗竭和疏离）使用奥尔德堡倦怠量表进行测量。离职意愿使用自我报告项目进行测量。数据收集于 2018 年 7 月至 12 月进行。我们分析了来自香港七家非私人养老院的 370 名照护工作者的数据。采用分层多元回归方法进行调节分析。结果表明，倦怠的两个度量（耗竭和疏离）与离职意愿呈显著正相关。四项技术接受度量与离职意愿呈负相关。视频游戏接受度和耗竭之间的交互作用可预测离职意愿（标准化β=-0.20，p=.011）。接受视频游戏改变了参与者中耗竭与离职意愿之间关系的强度。在疏离和离职意愿之间的关系中，没有观察到显著的调节作用。我们强调了在倦怠和离职意愿问题中纳入技术变量（尤其是对技术的主观评估）的重要性。这些发现为考虑在养老院常规护理中实施技术而不产生护理人员意外负面影响的政策和实践提供了新的思路。
