Sources and Impact of Work-Related Stress Among HIV/AIDS Health Care Providers in Guangxi, China: A Qualitative Research

Abstract

Work-related stress can negatively impact health care providers’ (HCPs) ability to provide care. We examined the sources of work-related stress experienced by HCPs who provided medical care for people living with HIV/AIDS and the impact of the stress on HCPs’ well-being and work performance. We conducted in-depth interviews with 46 HIV/AIDS HCPs in Guangxi, China. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and imported into NVivo V.11 for data management and data analysis using a thematic approach. We found that the key sources of stress at work included general work-related sources and HIV/AIDS-related sources. All stress was seen to have a substantial impact on the HCPs’ individual well-being, family and social life, and quality of care they provided. We recommended that government and health care facilities should take measures to improve institutional culture and professional development for HIV/AIDS HCPs. More professional training schemes should be provided to strengthen HCPs’ competence, improve universal protection from occupational exposure, and reduce the stigma toward HIV/AIDS patients and their care providers.