PREVALENCE AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH STRESS MANAGEMENT AMONG HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS IN LAHORE

Abstract

Background: Elevated stress levels can significantly impact both the mental and physical well-being of healthcare professionals. This chronic stress can lead to burnout, anxiety, and various health issues, which in turn can compromise the quality of care they provide. Consequently, effective stress management techniques become essential tools for their well-being and for enhancing their overall performance. The objective of the study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of stress management among Health Care Professionals (HCPs) in Lahore.

Materials and Methods; In this study, data was collected from 277 HCPs s from public and private tertiary care hospitals in Lahore, through a self-reporting questionnaire. This is a cross-sectional study The questionnaire consisted of 43 items, identifying many risk factors of stress. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), developed by Cohen et al. in 1981, was utilized to evaluate the stress levels of participants. The relationship between stress and associated risk factors was analyzed. Additionally, the coping strategies employed by participants were documented. The data has been analyzed using SPSS version 21.0.

Results: The prevalence of stress among HCPs in Lahore in this study was 49.2%. Various environmental factors caused stress in 88.4% of HCPs. Social stress was experienced by 63.2% of HCPs in their lives while 56 % faced organizational stress. A significant association was observed between PSS scores and environmental factors like traffic, pollution, finances, biological factors, social factors, and organizational factors like overwork and work politics. Certain coping strategies like thinking positively and controlling emotional responses were used by HCPs to decrease their stress levels.

Conclusion: HCPs in Lahore are experiencing a high level of stress in their work place as well as personal lives.