Professional Life Stress, Burnout, and Sexual Dysfunction Among Doctors and Nurses in a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Sexual dysfunction is one of the many health outcomes linked to professional life stress and burnout, which are becoming more widely acknowledged in the medical field. However, quantitative evidence on these relationships in the Indian health care context remains limited and warrants a systematic inquiry. Objective: To assess the relationship between sexual dysfunction, burnout, and work-related stress in married doctors and nurses working in a tertiary institution in India. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included 202 married participants aged 21–53 years, comprising 153 doctors (75.7%) and 49 nurses (24.3%). The Professional Life Stress Scale (PLSS), Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), and Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (CSFQ) were completed by participants along with demographic and occupational data. Descriptive statistics, multivariable logistic regression, and Pearson correlations were performed. Results: Sexual dysfunction was present in 22.3% of the participants, and prevalence increased significantly with age. Participants with sexual dysfunction showed significantly higher levels of work-related stress and personal burnout than those without dysfunction. Strong negative correlations were found between professional life stress and sexual functioning ( r = −0.85, P < .001) and between personal burnout and sexual functioning ( r = −0.76, P < .001). Multivariable regression identified professional life stress and client burnout as independent predictors of sexual dysfunction. Conclusions: Professional life stress and burnout are strongly and independently associated with sexual dysfunction among doctors and nurses. These findings highlight the need for comprehensive occupational health programs that routinely assess burnout and sexual health, implement strategies to reduce professional stress and provide access to psychological support services, especially for vulnerable groups such as female healthcare workers (HCWs), nurses, and emergency workers.