Actividad física percibida como factor asociado al estrés laboral en docentes de la Universidad de La Guajira

Introduction: Occupational stress among university faculty has emerged as a pressing concern across Latin America, with context-specific aggravating factors observed at the University of La Guajira in Colombia. Objective: To statistically analyze the association between perceived physical activity and work-related stress among faculty members at this institution. Methodology: An explanatory sequential design was applied with 285 participants, using stratified sampling (5% margin of error, 95% confidence interval). The Teacher Stress Questionnaire (CED-R) and the long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-L) were utilized. Quantitative analysis included Spearman correlation (ρ) and multiple linear regression using SPSS v28, complemented by qualitative data from focus groups analyzed with NVivo 12. Results: A total of 73.7% of participants exhibited moderate-to-high stress levels (M = 78.3; SD = 16.5). Only 21.4% met the World Health Organization’s physical activity guidelines. The analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between physical activity and overall stress (ρ = -0.31; p < .001), particularly strong in the “lack of control” dimension (ρ = -0.33). Regression analysis confirmed that higher physical activity levels predicted lower stress scores (β = -0.28; p < .001), while administrative roles (β = +0.24; p < .001) and perceived lack of institutional support (β = +0.25; p < .001) were associated with increased stress. Discussion: Physical activity functioned as a stress-buffering mechanism, although its effectiveness was influenced by organizational variables. Interfaculty heterogeneity and contextual barriers such as extreme climate and limited infrastructure further shaped this relationship. Conclusions: Physical activity is confirmed as a protective factor against occupational stress among university faculty. However, its effectiveness depends on the implementation of institutional policies that are sensitive and adapted to the geographic and organizational realities of La Guajira.