The relationship between occupational stress, psychological distress symptoms, and social support among Jordanian healthcare professionals

Occupational stress is a major problem for healthcare providers, with some professionals experiencing higher numbers of stressful situations than others. Although it is difficult to eliminate stress in professionals' daily lives, providing social support can lower psychological distress symptoms. This study aims to investigate the relationship between occupational stress and social support, and the effects of social support on psychological distress symptoms of healthcare professionals. A cross-sectional descriptive design was utilized. Self-administered questionnaires were completed by a convenience sample of 211 participants (physicians, nurses, and pharmacists) from a Jordanian hospital. Bivariate analyses were used to examine the relationships between the study variables. Multiple regression analyses were used to determine if occupational stress, demographic characteristics, and social support predict depression, anxiety, and stress. Results showed that healthcare professionals with more social support showed less depression than those with a lower score of social support. Females had higher scores of depression and anxiety than males. Pharmacists had significantly higher occupational stress than both nurses and physicians. Occupational stress negatively influences healthcare professionals' mental health. To improve the productivity and psychological wellbeing of healthcare professionals, occupational stress should be diminished by implementing effective management approaches to facilitate social support for healthcare professionals.