Prevalence and predictors of job stress among healthcare workers in secondary health centers in a Nigerian City

Introduction and aim. Stress is prevalent in all aspects of our lives and it seems particularly overwhelming in the workplace. This study identified prevalence and factors associated with job stress among healthcare workers in public secondary health facilities in the Ibadan metropolis, Nigeria. Material and methods. The study was a cross-sectional study. Two hundred and sixty-nine healthcare workers were recruited over three months. The respondents were recruited using the systematic sampling techniques. Results. The age range of the participants was 20–59 years with a mean age of 39.28(SD 9.39).The prevalence of job stress among physicians was 42.1%, health management staff 31.3%, pharmacists 28.6%, nurses 23.5%, and laboratory personnel 23.1%. Most participants 162(61.1%) had functional families. Participants from polygamous families were about 70% less likely to report job stress compared with those from monogamous setting (OR=0.3, 95%CI 0.07–0.9). Participants from dysfunctional families were about 2 times more likely to report job stress compared to those with functional families. OR=2.0, 95%CI (1.09–3.56). Conclusion. Compared with nurses, this study demonstrated a higher prevalence of job stress among physicians and other healthcare workers. Family type and family support were predictors of job stress among healthcare workers. The outcome of this study would be used as a source of information for practice and policy making for health facilities in Nigeria, and some places in Africa, with the aim of planning improved conditions for health workers through appropriate job stress management.