Factors Influencing COVID-19 Stress among Tertiary Hospital Workers

Background: The study aimed to identify the level of and factors influencing stress experienced by tertiary hospital workers related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and provide a foundation to develop a systematic stress-relief intervention program. Methods: This descriptive study conducted a questionnaire survey using the Korean version of the COVID-19 Stress Scale. The participants were medical workers, medical technicians, office workers, and other occupational groups in two tertiary general hospitals in J province of Korea with more than six months of work experience. Data were collected from November 2021 to December 2021. Results: The results indicated that being male, being a healthcare provider, such as doctor or nurse, and income dissatisfaction were significant influencing factors of COVID-19 stress. The independent variables explained the dependent variable by 14.5%. The job category was the most influencing factor, and healthcare providers exhibited significantly less stress than office workers. Conclusions: Therefore, appropriate education, systematic and differentiated stress management, and policy efforts are required to relieve COVID-19-related stress among tertiary hospital workers.