Quiet Quitting tra i Fisioterapisti nel Contesto Sanitario del Veneto: incidenza, fattori determinanti e soddisfazione lavorativa

"Quiet quitting," defined as minimal adherence to contractual duties, is an emerging phenomenon in the healthcare sector, amplified by the Covid-19 pandemic. This thesis aimed to investigate the prevalence of quiet quitting among physiotherapists in the Veneto Region (Italy) and to analyse its correlation with Job Satisfaction, in order to identify the organizational, psychological, and relational factors that may support its onset. Following STROBE guidelines, a cross-sectional observational study (N=168) was conducted via an anonymous online questionnaire between August and September 2025, including the Quiet Quitting Scale (QQS) and the Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS). Through convenience sampling, 168 valid responses were collected. The results reveal a significant prevalence of the phenomenon: 50.9% of the sample can be classified as "quiet quitters." Concurrently, critical levels of satisfaction emerged: the majority declare themselves "indifferent" (52.1%) or "dissatisfied" (33.7%), and only 14.2% "satisfied." Age has been identified as a key protective factor: physiotherapists over 50 show a significantly lower propensity for disengagement. The 5-10 year experience bracket was found to be more vulnerable. Job satisfaction was found to be higher among freelancers (attributed to their autonomy) and lower among professionals with more seniority (>10 years). This data suggests, in line with the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, that quiet quitting is not an isolated problem but an adaptive strategy and psycho-physical conservation in response to insufficient satisfaction (with 85.8% of the sample being indifferent or dissatisfied). It is confirmed that advanced age is a protective factor against disengagement, while being a freelancer looks like as a probable protective factor for satisfaction. The conclusions emphasize the need for healthcare organizations to intervene on the factors that generate satisfaction (autonomy, workload, career paths, valorisation, and leadership) to prevent disengagement.