Prevalence of stress among healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

1. Introduction: Although stress is an integral part of the organization of work-related activities, it is a major problem for an individual's overall physical as well as mental health. The consequences are found to be very poignant in the work environment, particularly where a strong legal or professional ethic exists. Stress is a subjective, individual phenomenon characterized by a range of negative emotional and physical outcomes. Stress is a common means of coping within healthcare environments. In particular, the healthcare of the workers is well documented, and this is a public health concern. Healthcare workers are exposed to a multitude of stressors, some of which are more meaningful in the context of organization, whereas others are of more personal origin but may also be deduced to be the ultimate responsibility of the organization. For healthcare, manpower stress reduction is the most important cause of illness. Every person has differing levels of tolerance to stress, and therefore any set of conditions in an organization may harm the individuals. The causes of stress in healthcare are not different from any other field, but the pressures of compatibility are different for health professionals for various reasons. About 30% of the present workforce is affected by work-related stress, and around half a million of their jobs may be at risk. Those people who are affected by change and whose jobs are under threat take, on average, double the prescriptions, but very few people whose health has broken down return to work.
Methods: The target population consisted of healthcare workers at most Saudi Arabia governorates, excluding two due to low number of professionals. The sample aimed to be representative in terms of gender, profession, and specialty, with 95% confidence level and 5% margin of error. Data collected using the Generic Job Stress Questionnaire. Questions clear and easy to understand. Scale completed online. Reliability and validity established. Used and validated in hospitals. Survey has 20 questions on work stressors and 16 on coping strategies. Scale has 0.92 internal consistency. Also collected data on age, gender, years in healthcare, facility type, profession, chronic illnesses, mental illness, counseling services, and written will. Collection done in two stages: pilot study and addressing clarity and specificity issues.
Results : A total of 509 healthcare workers participated in our study: 308 (60.5%) were male and 201 (39.5%) were female. Most (55%) were in the Saudi age group, and 29.9% were aged 31-40 years. The personal characteristics of the respondents indicated that slightly more than half (52.6%) worked for more than 5 years; 38.1% were nurses and 24.4% worked in an emergency room in a hospital. Healthcare worker stress prevalence was investigated in Saudi Arabia in a cross-sectional study. Data from 509 participants were analyzed using the DASS-21, with 85.9% reporting moderate stress. Future research is needed to explore the impact on health and develop interventions.

conclusion: In conclusion, our study found 70% of healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia suffered from moderate to very high stress. Factors associated with experiencing very high stress include female gender, nurses, age group from 41 to 50 years, and those working in the Ministry of Health or private sectors. Poor COVID-19 infection prevention precautions compared to expectations were significantly associated with moderate to very high stress. With the current rise in COVID-19 related deaths and cases in Saudi Arabia, the hospital and the Ministry of Health should prioritize the mental well-being of healthcare workers. Providing adequate psychological support in healthcare settings, health protection equipment, regular educational training, and using a support system are commended to sustain the psychiatric health of healthcare providers and reduce their levels of stress. Future studies need to look at coping supports and satisfactory mental health in assessing responses to various nursing care levels encountering trauma from COVID-19.