Work-related stress and stress-coping strategies in residents and administrative employees working in a tertiary care hospital in KSA

Abstract

Objectives Work-related stress, a significant problem among medical residents, has an unknown effect on non-clinical healthcare workers. This study aimed to compare work-related stress, potential risk factors, and stress-coping strategies at a tertiary care hospital in the KSA. Methods This case-control study measured work-related stress using a 14-question perceived stress scale (PSS-14), and stress-coping strategies were probed using a 28-item brief coping scale (BCS-28). Results One hundred and forty-seven participants (49 residents and 98 administrative employees), aged 27.9 ± 4.0 years, completed the questionnaire. After adjusting the results for socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, the average PSS-14 was found to be significantly higher among residents than among administrative employees (27.65 ± 9.39 vs. 25.09 ± 10.06, p = 0.026). The PSS-14 was significantly associated with the female sex, major medical illnesses, psychiatric disorders, facing stressors and maladaptive stress-coping strategies. The serum cortisol and lipids levels of both groups were similar and were not associated with stress. Overall, the residents had lower adaptive stress-coping strategies. Similar maladaptive stress-coping strategies were recorded in residents and administrative employees. Conclusion Residents perceived higher work-related stress than administrative employees, which is unexplained by differences in socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. Focused stress-management training programs are needed for all healthcare workers, especially residents.