Work, stress, and well-being of healthcare and human service professionals during outbreak of COVID-19

Abstract

Objective: This study explored the level of occupational stress experienced by healthcare and human service professionals during COVID-19 pandemic and assessed if their personal characteristics, occupational stressors, job satisfaction, and their satisfaction with diversity of staff composition, salary, and compensation influenced their perceived stress, and their physical and psychological well-being.

Methods: A total of 227 healthcare and human service professionals participated in an online survey from March to August 2020. Participants provided background and job-related information and completed several measures to explore their perceived stress, job experiences, occupational stressors, as well as their physical and psychological problems. Bivariate analyses were used to assess the relationships between perceived stress, occupational stressors, satisfaction with job salary and compensation, satisfaction with diversity of staff composition, overall job satisfaction, and physical and psychological problems. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of perceived stress and physical and psychological problems.

Results: The study found a significant correlation between level of job satisfaction, satisfaction with diversity of staff composition, and satisfaction with job salary and compensation. Perceived stress was related positively with occupational stressors and physical and psychological problems, but negatively with overall job satisfaction, satisfaction with diversity of staff composition, and satisfaction with job salary and compensation. The findings found occupational stressors and being younger as significant predicators of perceived stress. Occupational stressors and female gender were significant predicators of experience of physical and psychological problems.

Conclusions: This study provides understanding on critical factors that have impacted healthcare and human service professionals’ stress and wellbeing during outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. These factors should be further investigated to inform public policy and interventions that mitigate health and mental health problems among these professionals during this and future outbreaks.