Correlation between Stress and Meaning in Life in Early Career Doctors in Pakistan

Abstract

Doctors experience significant stress in their everyday occupational activities. Objective: To assess the correlation between stress and meaning in life in early career doctors in Pakistan. Methods: The study design was cross-sectional. It was conducted from March to May 2021 using non-probability convenience sampling with early career doctors in Pakistan as the subjects. The data was collected using a form distributed online that included demographic variables, Purpose in Life (PIL) test and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). SPSS 26.0 was used for data entry and analysis. Results: The average score on PIL test was 67.64 ± 15.20 and PSS was 20.20 ± 5.88. Women doctors reported higher perceived stress (18.82 ± 6.11) than men (20.75 ± 5.07). A statistically significant negative correlation between the PIL and PSS was found, r (215) = -.610, p <0.01. r = -0.610 represents a large effect size. Conclusions: Higher meaning in life is associated with lower perceived stress in doctors. Interventions that focus on meaning in life may help improve the well-being of doctors