Assessing Job Stress Among Emergency Department Healthcare Professionals in India: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Emergency healthcare professionals work in high-stress environments, facing long hours, traumatic events, and limited resources, resulting in psychological and physiological distress. This study assesses job-related stress among emergency healthcare providers in India and identifies key stressors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to June 2024, including 114 emergency healthcare workers. Stress levels were measured using the Stress Parameters and Manifestations Scale (SPMS), a 20-item tool assessing self-awareness, interpersonal relationships, psychosomatic symptoms, and clinical manifestations on a 5-point Likert scale. Higher scores indicate greater stress. Data were analyzed using SPSS 23.0, with t-tests and ANOVA, and significance set at p <0.05. Results: The cohort comprised 52.2% males, 80.5% doctors, and 71.7% from medical colleges. High workload perception (62.0%), sleep disturbances (41.6%), and low mood post-patient interactions (42.4%) were prevalent. Psychosomatic symptoms such as palpitations (40.7%) and persistent sleepiness (42.5%) were common. Females reported significantly higher self-awareness (p <0.001) and overall stress (p = 0.023). Those working over 16 hours daily had the highest stress, particularly in clinical manifestations (p = 0.017). Conclusion: Emergency healthcare workers experience significant occupational stress, highlighting the need for structured schedules, mental health support, and stress management strategies to improve workforce resilience.