Prevalence of stress among the healthcare providers in a tertiary care hospital in Karachi

Abstract

Background and Objective:
 Healthcare workers are considered high risk for stress. This study aimed to study the prevalence of stress among the health care providers in a tertiary care hospital in Karachi.
 Methods:
 A cross-sectional study was conducted at Liaquat National Hospital from July to December 2021. All healthcare workers in the vicinity of the hospital including doctors, nurses, allied health specialists, and other healthcare professionals who provide hands-on patient care were included in the study. Data was collected through a pre-designed questionnaire GHQ-12; related to stress symptoms and their impact on daily routine activities. It was in a Google form and forwarded through e-mails. Data was saved and transferred to SPSS later for analysis.
 Results: 
 In terms of stress, the study found that a significant number of health care providers experienced stress n=146 (74.5%). Among the patients who reported experiencing stress, the distribution of stress levels shows that the majority experienced typical stress n=58 (29.6%), followed by severe stress with psychological distress n=56 (28.6%), and distress n=32 (16.3%). The majority of patients fell within the age range of 20-30 years and were female.
 Conclusion:
 There is a high prevalence of stress among the healthcare providers in our hospital. Enhancing productivity and reducing stress at work should be a goal in health care.