Perceived Stress Among Medical Doctors Working in Nepal: An Observational Study

Abstract

Introduction: Physician stress has been a growing critical concern worldwide, including the Nepali doctors. However, in the post-COVID-19 era, the evidence on current stress levels remains limited.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey between January and March 2024 among Nepal Medical Council-registered doctors working across Nepal. A web-based questionnaire including the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) was used for data collection. Spearman’s coefficients were used to evaluate correlations, and t-tests and ANOVA were used to compare groups.

Results: Among 302 medical doctors (median age 33 (IQR 28 to 41) years, 67.22% male), the mean PSS-10 score was 20.45±6.38. Overall, 43 (14.24%) had low stress, 205 (67.88%) had moderate stress, and 54 (17.88%) reported high stress. A higher PSS-10 score was associated with female gender, unmarried status, suicidal ideation/attempts, and family conflict. The PSS-10 scores of doctors in government hospitals were 21.80±6.43 and of those in teaching hospitals 18.71±6.49 (p=0.012). Compared to specialists (18.35±7.03),
undergraduates and postgraduate physicians reported higher PSS-10 scores (21.61±6.15 and 20.62±6.05), and post hoc analyses confirmed significant differences (p<0.05). While social/family time was negatively correlated with PSS-10 scores (p<0.001), longer work
hours were positively correlated with higher PSS-10 scores (p=0.008).

Conclusion: Most participants reported moderate to high levels of stress, indicating a high prevalence of perceived stress among medical doctors in Nepal.