Assessment of Job Stress Level in Nurses With Overweight and Obesity and Its Relationship With Demographic Factors

Considering the adverse effects of obesity and job stress on the physical and mental health of medical staff and reducing the quality of care, the present study was conducted to assess the level of job stress in overweight and obese nurses and its relationship with demographic factors.

The study population of the present descriptive-correlational research included all nurses and paramedics working in Ghaem Hospital. The study sample was selected by census and convenience sampling method. The body mass index of nurses and nursing assistances was calculated, and people with overweight and obesity were selected. The standard OSIPOW job stress questionnaire was distributed among samples, consisting of two parts: demographic characteristics and occupational parameters such as workload, incompetence, duality, position range, responsibility, and physical environment. Based on the scores in each area, the level of job stress was determined and divided into four levels: low, normal, moderate, and severe. Statistical analysis of the collected data was performed using SPSS v. 21.

More than 57% of the samples had moderate to severe stress. Body mass index is significantly higher than the standard number (179.07 vs 149 kg/m2), which indicates the presence of overweight and obesity in these people. In general, there was no significant relationship between overweight/obesity with job stress (P>0.05). There was also no significant difference between the mean job stress and variables of gender, age, education, and work experience (P>0.05). The only difference was related to different job positions, so that the nursing assistance group had the lowest level of stress and the head nurse group had the highest level of job stress.

Because of the high level of job stress and overweight of nurses, it is suggested to take steps to reduce issues related to overweight and job stress with appropriate management measures and periodic planning.