Stressors Among Healthcare Workers: A Summative Content Analysis
Lesley C Rink1, Tolu O Oyesanya1, Kathryn C Adair1,2
1Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
Global Qualitative Nursing Research
|April 6, 2023
Summary
Healthcare workers face significant stress from work, personal life, and the intersection of both, impacting patient care. Understanding these multifaceted stressors is crucial for effective support and interventions.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Psychology
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- High rates of stress and burnout (up to 70%) among healthcare workers negatively impact patient care.
- Existing research often isolates stressors to specific settings or pandemic-related factors, limiting a holistic view.
- A comprehensive understanding of diverse stressors is needed to address healthcare worker well-being.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and categorize the primary stressors reported by a large cohort of U.S. healthcare workers.
- To provide a broader perspective on the sources of stress beyond typical occupational or situational analyses.
Main Methods:
- A summative content analysis was performed on responses from 2,310 U.S. healthcare workers.
- Participants answered an open-ended question about their biggest stressors over the preceding weeks (June 2018 - April 2019).
Main Results:
- Work-related stressors constituted 49% of the identified major stressors.
- Personal life stressors accounted for 32% of the total stressors reported.
- Stressors that intersect work and personal life comprised 19% of the total.
Conclusions:
- Healthcare worker stress is multi-faceted, stemming from distinct work, personal, and intersecting domains.
- Future research and clinical interventions must acknowledge and address these varied sources of stress.
- A holistic approach is necessary to mitigate stress and burnout in the healthcare workforce.
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