Work stress and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in nurses and office workers: a comparative study

Abstract

Objectives. This study aims to compare the work stress and obsessive-compulsive symptoms of nurses and office workers and to determine the relationship between work stress and obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

Methods. A total of 127 nurses and 127 office workers participated in the cross-sectional study and comparative study. Data were collected using the perceived work stress scale and the Maudsley obsessive-compulsive inventory.

Results. Nurses had higher work stress scores (p = 0.003) in general than office workers. In particular, nurses with a low (p < 0.039) and average (p < 0.007) economic status, nurses who had been employed for 1–10 years (p < 0.001) and nurses working 40 h per week (p < 0.042) had higher work stress scores than office workers. There was no difference (p > 0.05) between obsessive-compulsive symptom scores. There was a positive significant relationship (p < 0.001) between work stress and obsessive-compulsive symptom scores of nurses and office workers. Work stress explains 6.1% of the obsessive-compulsive symptoms in nurses and 12.4% in office workers.

Conclusion. The results of this study concluded that work stress of nurses is higher than that of office workers and work stress affects the obsessive-compulsive symptoms in both groups.

Keywords:

• work stress
• obsessive-compulsive symptoms
• nurses
• office workers

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to all office workers and nurses who participated in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Ethical approval

Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University (Protocol number: 2019-418) and from Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University Hospital before the commencement of the study. The nurses and office workers were fully informed about the study and also informed consent was obtained. This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.