Global Animal Welfare and Training, Charles River Laboratories, Wilmington, Massachusetts.
Global Animal Welfare and Training, Charles River Laboratories, Wilmington, Massachusetts; Department of Animal Science, University of California Davis, Davis, California.
J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci. 2022 Nov 1;61(6):634-643. doi: 10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-22-000078. Epub 2022 Oct 17.
Laboratory animal professionals (LAP) may experience situations that contribute to compassion fatigue (CF). The goal of this research was to better understand CF in LAP in and across employment categories. Surveys were distributed through LAP organizational listservs in the European Union (EU), China, and Japan, and results were analyzed to identify CF prevalence, personal and work-related factors, coping mechanisms, and beneficial work-support programs. Independent χ²-tests compared personal and work-related factors and feelings of CF. Feelings of CF and coping mechanisms were compared with personality scores using independent sample tests. There were 302 respondents from the EU, 39 from China, and 77 from Japan. Over half of respondents from the EU (52%) and China (56%) reported experiencing CF (52%), with fewer (32%) reporting CF in Japan. No major differences were found based on employer type. Personality scores were significantly related to feelings of CF and preferred coping mechanisms. Work-related factors that contributed to feelings of CF in over half of respondents included staffing levels, workplace relationships, and availability of programs geared to address CF. Across regions, talking to someone, physical activity, getting away from work, and self-care were effective coping mechanisms in over 50% of respondents. Fewer than 30% of respondents indicated that their place of employment had CF support programs, and even fewer (8% to 28%) indicated that these programs were helpful. The study results suggest that to be effective, employer CF programs for LAP should consider providing quiet places at work and programs for self-care, promoting physical and mental health and social support systems, and establishing opportunities to memorialize animals.
实验动物专业人员（LAP）可能会遇到一些情况，导致他们产生同情疲劳（CF）。本研究的目的是更好地了解 LAP 在不同职业类别的 CF 情况。通过欧盟（EU）、中国和日本的 LAP 组织电子邮件列表分发了调查问卷，并对结果进行了分析，以确定 CF 的普遍程度、个人和工作相关因素、应对机制以及有益的工作支持计划。独立 χ²检验比较了个人和工作相关因素以及 CF 感。使用独立样本 t 检验比较了 CF 感和应对机制与人格得分。来自欧盟的 302 名受访者、来自中国的 39 名受访者和来自日本的 77 名受访者。超过一半的欧盟（52%）和中国（56%）受访者报告经历过 CF（52%），而日本的受访者（32%）报告 CF 的比例较少。基于雇主类型，没有发现重大差异。人格得分与 CF 感和首选应对机制显著相关。导致超过一半受访者感到 CF 的工作相关因素包括人员配置水平、工作场所关系和提供针对 CF 的计划。在各个地区，与他人交谈、体育活动、远离工作和自我保健是超过 50%的受访者有效的应对机制。不到 30%的受访者表示他们的工作场所设有 CF 支持计划，而表示这些计划有帮助的受访者比例更低（8%至 28%）。研究结果表明，为了有效，雇主应为 LAP 提供 CF 计划，应考虑在工作场所提供安静的地方和自我保健计划，促进身心健康和社会支持系统，并建立纪念动物的机会。
