2026 Volume 29 Issue 2 Pages 181-186
Objectives: Physical therapists (PTs) face various psychosocial risks that affect their mental health; however, profession-specific reports on organizational exposures remain limited. This study aimed to examine total overtime, workplace harassment, and workplace consultation availability and their associations with current mental distress among PTs in Japan. Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional web survey of PTs, conducted from August 12 to September 20, 2025, was analyzed. The primary outcome was current mental distress (yes/no). The main exposures were total overtime in the past 3 months (per 10 h/3 months), workplace harassment (yes/no), and workplace consultation availability (yes/no). Separate multivariable logistic models were fit for each exposure with a common adjustment set (sex, age, tenure in current workplace [midpoint, years], employment status, hospital bed size, and number of PTs). Missing covariates were handled via multiple imputation (multiple imputation by chained equations, m = 15) with pooling by Rubin’s rules. Results: Of the 718 PTs surveyed, 312 (43.5%) were classified as distress present. Mean total overtime was 16.7 ± 15.0 h over 3 months and was higher in the distress-present group. Adjusted associations were total overtime adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.13 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.98–1.31) per additional 10 h, harassment aOR 2.29 (95% CI 1.67–3.14), and workplace consultation availability aOR 0.60 (95% CI 0.43–0.84). Conclusions: Workplace harassment was associated with higher rates of mental distress, whereas workplace consultation availability was inversely associated. Total overtime showed a positive trend in the adjusted model. These findings point to organizational targets, including overtime management, harassment prevention, and accessible consultation routes.
