Perceived Influence of Occupational Stress on Well-Being and Service Efficiency Among Health Workers in Yagba Federal Constituency, Kogi State, Nigeria
Keywords:
Coping strategies, Occupational stress, Perceived Occupational Service delivery, Healthcare workersAbstract
Occupational stress has been a major challenge in the health care industry. Health care workers are faced with psychological, emotional, physical, and mental stress, which affects their efficiency at work. This research assessed the perceived occupational stress among health workers, its effect on service delivery, and its associated factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 310 health workers in Yagba Federal Constituency, Kogi State, using a multistage sampling technique. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect information on socio-demographic characteristics, perceived occupational stress, its impact on service delivery, and coping strategies. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and logistic regression at α<0.05. The findings of the study reveal that most of the respondents fall between the ages of 26 – 35 years (59.0%, with a mean age of 32.2 ± 7.2 years. The respondents perceived their level of occupational stress as follows: 29.4% were severely stressed, 47.4% were moderately stressed, 15.8% were mildly stressed, and 7.4% of them were not sure of their stress level. Occupational stress is caused by inadequate staffing, high workload, poor staff welfare, and patient and family harassment. It leads to loss of interest, reduced productivity, and poor health conditions. Coping strategies include positive mindset, social support, and prioritizing work-related activities. Factors such as health facility type, employment type, working sector, and years of work experience also contribute to occupational stress. The study concluded that the majority of the health workers were stressed; this affects their health negatively and also affects their level of productivity at work. The hospital management should address the causes of occupational stress that have been identified in order to alleviate occupational stress among their employees.
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