Effect of Occupational Stress on Pharmacists' Job Satisfaction in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Work stress occurs when employees have to deal with pressures that do not align with their skills, knowledge, or expectations. This study aimed to assess the impact of work stress on job satisfaction among pharmacists in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, a cross-sectional, self-administered, paper-based survey was conducted between August 2019 and October 2020 using three scales. Descriptive and analytical statistical analyses were performed. A linear regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between occupational stress and job satisfaction among Saudi pharmacists. A total of 284 questionnaires were completed. Multiple linear regression analyses showed a significant negative relationship between occupational stress and job satisfaction (β = -0.456, 95% CI, -0.561 to -0.350), a positive relationship between confirmation and satisfaction (β = 0.147, 95% CI, 0.005 to -0.290), and a negative relationship between working in hospitals and job satisfaction (β= -3.009; 95% CI, -5.424 to -0.593) when other variables were kept constant. The results of this study indicated that occupational stress and satisfaction negatively influenced pharmacists, whereas confirmation was associated with better satisfaction. Moreover, hospital pharmacists had lower job satisfaction. The job satisfaction of pharmacists may help improve medication safety and ensure an adequate pharmacist workforce.

Keywords: pharmacist; pharmacy profession; satisfaction; work stress.