A comparison of general health and potential predictors of general health among nurses in different age groups in Germany

The increasing need for certified nursing staff moves healthy ageing in the nursing profession into the focus of scientific consideration. The purpose of this investigation consisted a) in an age-differentiated, longitudinal consideration of the general state of health and b) in an age differentiated identification of variables which forecast the general state of health of the nursing forces after 12 months. The identification of suitable predictors should give indications in which areas interventions could begin. The investigation based on data of the NEXT study. The analysis of the general health situation by means of ANOVA proved that older persons showed a worse state of health than younger. Besides, the general state of health changed stronger in older nursing forces after one year. The identification of the health predictors was carried out by means of linear regression. Results exhibited that work family-conflict was a significant predictor in every age group. While leadership quality for younger persons was another important factor, quantitative demands and social support from colleagues forecasted the health situation after one year for medium old employees. For older nursing forces, a good relationship with the superiors seemed to be an important component for preservation of a good health status. The different results in the examined age groups indicate that intervention measures, which have the purpose to hold up the general state of health as long as possible, should be implemented age-differentiatedly.