ASSESSMENT OF STRESS AND ITS COPING MECHANISM AMONG LADY HEALTH WORKERS' OF JACOBABAD, SINDH

Abstract

Background: LHWs' are the backbone of community interventions related to health. our objectives were to assess association of work stress with demographic variables and to explore the coping mechanisms of LHWs to deal with work stress
Methods: Mixed method cross sectional study conducted in Jacobabad (Taluka Jacobabad, Garhi Khairo and Thul) District among Lady Health Workers during 05 months (Nov 2016-March 2017). Sample size was 78. SRQ-20, a WHO inventory was used. The data was analyzed in SPSS IBM 21.0 and 3 Focus Group Discussions were conducted for quantitative assessment. Qualitative component was recorded and themes were generated by inductive content analysis method
Results: Response rate was 96%. Mean age, monthly income, and job experience were calculated as 35.59+7.995 years with 20500 PKR and 4.87+3.599 years of experience. The association in between age and subjective perception, education and physiological alteration and job experience with subjective perception were found significant as p=0.000, p=0.45 and p=0.11. The responses of FGDs were mixed of satisfaction and dissatisfaction with job experience.
Conclusion: Job description of Lady health workers is not too much as they are being worked but coping mechanism made it facilitate to work smoothly.