Stress of medical practitioners in private healthcare industry

Abstract

Stress is a universal and inevitable component of life. The article reports findings of a study aimed to determine the sources of stress among medical practitioners in private hospitals. The context of the study is medical practitioners in private hospitals and clinics in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Field study was conducted and primary data collection instrument was questionnaires. The questionnaire was based on five dimensions: workload, working conditions, role overload, sleep deprivation and unrealistic demands of the patients. The data was analyzed through statistical techniques using SPSS Version 16. Findings of the study revealed that sleep deprivation was the most important source of stress, followed by workload, working conditions, role overload and unrealistic demands of patients. The study provides a piece of evidence which may be used to illustrate the stress level of private practitioners in the healthcare industry in a developing country. Results of this study are useful to guide and inform healthcare management and policy measures.