PsychoHealth

Article Details

Vol. 2 No. 1 (2026): May

Occupational Stress and Psychological Wellbeing Among Physicians Working in the Emergency Departments of Selected Tertiary Hospitals

https://doi.org/10.35912/psychohealth.v2i1.3911
29 May 2026

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to assess occupational stress and its relationship with psychological well-being among physicians working in the emergency departments of tertiary hospitals in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and to determine key occupational factors that may affect stress levels and mental health outcomes.

Research Methodology: This study was conducted on 110 emergency physicians in Dhaka, using the Health Professionals Inventory Scale (HPIS) to measure occupational stress and the WHO-5 Well-Being Index to assess psychological well-being. The survey also collected demographic information and data on job satisfaction and employment types.

Results: The study findings revealed that 57.3% of respondents experienced very high occupational stress, and 41.8% reported good psychological well-being. A significant inverse relationship between stress levels and well-being was observed, indicating that higher occupational stress was associated with poorer psychological health. Employment type and job satisfaction were identified as critical factors influencing stress and well-being.

Conclusions: Occupational stress represents a significant challenge for emergency physicians and requires organizational interventions, including workload management, psychological support, and improved workplace conditions.

Limitations: The cross-sectional design, self-reported measures, limited sample size, and concentration of participants in tertiary hospitals in Dhaka restrict the generalizability and causal interpretation of the findings.

Contributions: This study provides empirical evidence for healthcare administrators and policymakers to develop targeted strategies for reducing occupational stress and strengthening psychological well-being among emergency physicians.

Keywords

Bangladesh Emergency Department Healthcare Professionals Occupational Stress Psychological Well-Being

How to Cite

Chowdhury, A. I., & Sazu, M. H. . (2026). Occupational Stress and Psychological Wellbeing Among Physicians Working in the Emergency Departments of Selected Tertiary Hospitals. Psychohealth: Scientific Journal of Psychology and Mental Health, 2(1), 45–61. https://doi.org/10.35912/psychohealth.v2i1.3911

References

  1. Aciksari, K., & Karatepe, H. T. (2020). Comparison of work-related stress between emergency medicine and internal medicine doctors: a single center cross-sectional study. Medeniyet Medical Journal, 35(1), 15. doi:https://doi.org/10.5222/mmj.2020.06432
  2. Adeolu, J., Yussuf, O., & Popoola, O. (2016). Prevalence and correlates of job stress among junior doctors in the university college hospital, Ibadan. Annals of Ibadan postgraduate medicine, 14(2), 92-98.
  3. Alrawashdeh, H. M., Al-Tammemi, A. a. B., Alzawahreh, M. K., Al-Tamimi, A., Elkholy, M., Al Sarireh, F., . . . Al-Dolat, W. (2021). Occupational burnout and job satisfaction among physicians in times of COVID-19 crisis: a convergent parallel mixed-method study. BMC Public Health, 21(1), 811. doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10897-4
  4. Ansari, Z. M., Yasin, H., Zehra, N., & Faisal, A. (2015). Occupational stress among emergency department (ED) staff and the need for investment in health care; a view from Pakistan. Bristish Journal of Medicine & Medical Research, 10(10), 1-9. doi:https://doi.org/10.9734/BJMMR/2015/200
  5. Bardhan, R., & Byrd, T. (2023). Psychosocial work stress and occupational stressors in emergency medical services. Paper presented at the Healthcare.
  6. Basu, S., Yap, C., & Mason, S. (2016). Examining the sources of occupational stress in an emergency department. Occupational Medicine, 66(9), 737-742. doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/occmed/kqw155
  7. Bernburg, M., Vitzthum, K., Groneberg, D. A., & Mache, S. (2016). Physicians' occupational stress, depressive symptoms and work ability in relation to their working environment: a cross-sectional study of differences among medical residents with various specialties working in German hospitals. BMJ open, 6(6), 1-9. doi:https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011369
  8. Buchbinder, M., Browne, A., Jenkins, T., Berlinger, N., & Buchbinder, L. (2023). Hospital physicians’ perspectives on occupational stress during COVID-19: A qualitative analysis from two US cities. J Gen Intern Med, 38(1), 176-184. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-022-07848-z
  9. Burbeck, R., Coomber, S., Robinson, S., & Todd, C. (2002). Occupational stress in consultants in accident and emergency medicine: a national survey of levels of stress at work. Emergency Medicine Journal, 19(3), 234-238. doi:https://doi.org/10.1136/emj.19.3.234
  10. Caratiquit, K. (2022). Mediating effects of protective factors on COVID-19 anxiety and academic performance of K to 12 Filipino Learners: A PLS-SEM analysis with WarpPLS. Journal of Social Humanity and Education, 2(3), 225-243. doi:https://doi.org/10.35912/jshe.v2i3.972
  11. Dhouib, F., Kotti, N., Masmoudi, R., Hrairi, A., Hammami, K. J., Masmoudi, M. L., . . . Hajjeji, M. (2021). Occupational stress and mental suffering among emergency staff. European Psychiatry, 64(S1), S723-S724. doi:https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.1916
  12. Elder, E. G., Johnston, A., Wallis, M., & Crilly, J. (2020). Work-based strategies/interventions to ameliorate stressors and foster coping for clinical staff working in emergency departments: a scoping review of the literature. Australasian Emergency Care, 23(3), 181-192. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.auec.2020.02.002
  13. Greenslade, J. H., Wallis, M., Johnston, A. N., Carlström, E., Wilhelms, D. B., & Crilly, J. (2020). Key occupational stressors in the ED: an international comparison. Emergency Medicine Journal, 37(2), 106-111. doi:https://doi.org/10.1136/emermed-2018-208390
  14. Hafezi, A., & Etemadi, S. (2022). Understanding the causes, factors, and methods of reducing students' exam anxiety in high school exams. Journal of Social, Humanity, and Education, 2(2), 153-165. doi:https://doi.org/10.35912/jshe.v2i2.869
  15. Hesselink, G., Straten, L., Gallée, L., Brants, A., Holkenborg, J., Barten, D. G., & Schoon, Y. (2021). Holding the frontline: a cross-sectional survey of emergency department staff well-being and psychological distress in the course of the COVID-19 outbreak. BMC Health Services Research, 21(1), 525. doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06555-5
  16. Jachmann, A., Loser, A., Mettler, A., Exadaktylos, A., Müller, M., & Klingberg, K. (2025). Burnout, depression, and stress in emergency department nurses and physicians and the impact on private and work life: a systematic review. JACEP Open, 6(2), 1-14. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acepjo.2025.100046
  17. Jiang, N., Zhang, H., Tan, Z., Gong, Y., Tian, M., Wu, Y., . . . Wu, J. (2022). The relationship between occupational stress and turnover intention among emergency physicians: a mediation analysis. Frontiers in public health, 10, 901251. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.901251
  18. Joshi, K., Modi, B., Singhal, S., & Gupta, S. (2022). Occupational stress among health care workers Identifying occupational stress and coping strategies: IntechOpen.
  19. Latunusa, P. M., Timuneno, T., & Fanggidae, R. E. (2023). The effect of multiple role conflict and work stress on the performance of women nurses during the covid-19 with coping stress as intervening variables (Study at SoE Regional General Hospital). Journal of Multidisciplinary Academic and Practice Studies, 1(1), 29-43. doi:https://doi.org/10.35912/jomaps.v1i1.1462
  20. Lazarus, R. S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping (Vol. 445): Springer.
  21. Lovell, L.-M. P., Atherley, A. E., Watson, H. R., & King, R. D. (2022). An exploration of burnout and resilience among emergency physicians at three teaching hospitals in the English-speaking Caribbean: a cross-sectional survey. The Lancet Regional Health–Americas, 15, 1-11. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2022.100357
  22. Lv, C., Gan, Y., Feng, J., Yan, S., He, H., & Han, X. (2023). Occupational stress of physicians and nurses in emergency departments after contracting COVID-19 and its influencing factors: a cross-sectional study. Frontiers in public health, 11, 1169764. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1169764
  23. Meyer, C., Chiapponi, C., von Kaufmann, F., Kanz, K.-G., & Hinzmann, D. (2024). Occupational stress profiles of prehospital and clinical staff in emergency medicine—a cross-sectional baseline study. Frontiers in public health, 12, 1480643. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1480643
  24. Muntean, L. M., Nire?tean, A., M?ru?teri, M., Sima-Comaniciu, A., & Lukacs, E. (2022). Occupational stress and personality in medical Doctors from Romania. Paper presented at the Healthcare.
  25. Nabilah, N., García, D. S., Kondaveeti, S. B., Batra, H., Viktor, P., Jamali, M. C., . . . Khalaf, O. M. (2024). Examining the interplay of psychological factors in chronic skin disease: A review on depression, anxiety, and stress. Research Journal of Pharmacy and Technology, 17(4), 1902-1908. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.52711/0974-360X.2024.00302
  26. Okamoto, H. (2025). Job stress related to burnout among emergency physicians before the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. Psychiatry International, 6(2), 57. doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/psychiatryint6020057
  27. Peng, K., Jiang, J., Jiang, N., An, R., Zheng, J., & Yan, S. (2023). Self-rated health and its related influencing factors among emergency department physicians: a national cross-sectional study. Frontiers in public health, 11, 1-8. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1147403
  28. Raun, M., Lassen, A., & Østervang, C. (2025). Psychological well-being among nursing staff in an emergency department: a mixed-methods study. Journal of emergency nursing, 51(2), 238-248. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jen.2024.10.021
  29. Schneider, A., & Weigl, M. (2018). Associations between psychosocial work factors and provider mental well-being in emergency departments: A systematic review. PloS one, 13(6), e0197375. doi:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0197375
  30. Shanafelt, T. (2021). Physician well-being 2.0: Where are we and where are we going? Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 96(10), 2682-2693. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2021.06.005
  31. Sijabat, S. G. (2024). Villages SDG's response to mental health: Better late than never. Journal of Social, Humanity, and Education, 4(2), 129-140. doi:https://doi.org/10.35912/jshe.v4i2.1732
  32. Somville, F., Van Bogaert, P., Wellens, B., De Cauwer, H., & Franck, E. (2024). Work stress and burnout among emergency physicians: a systematic review of last 10 years of research. Acta Clinica Belgica, 79(1), 52-61. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/17843286.2023.2273611
  33. Thapa, S., & Pradhan, P. M. S. (2024). Occupational stress and its correlates among healthcare workers of a tertiary level teaching hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal, during COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Public Health, 2(1), 1-9. doi:https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjph-2023-000126
  34. Uddin, M., & Uddin, B. (2021). The impact of Covid-19 on students’ mental health. Journal of Social, Humanity, and Education, 1(3), 185-196. doi:https://doi.org/10.35912/jshe.v1i3.525
  35. Xu, H. G., Kynoch, K., Tuckett, A., & Eley, R. (2020). Effectiveness of interventions to reduce emergency department staff occupational stress and/or burnout: a systematic review. JBI evidence synthesis, 18(6), 1156-1188. doi:https://doi.org/10.11124/JBISRIR-D-19-00252
WhatsApp Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Email