Correlation Between Perceived Stress on Mental Health and Coping Strategies by Post Graduate Residents in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Authors

Abstract

Objective: To assess the correlation between perceived stress and mental health outcomes of postgraduate medical residents in a tertiary care hospital, and to find the most common coping strategies employed by them.

Methods

This mixed-method explanatory sequential study was carried out for a period of six months in Gulab Devi Teaching Hospital, Lahore. 46 postgraduate trainees were quota sampled to have equal representation of first- and final-year trainees. Quantitative data were gathered using a structured questionnaire containing the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Coping strategies data were collected through interviews from residents until saturation. Quantitative data were analyzed in SPSS 27 using descriptive statistics, chi-square and t-tests, and thematic analysis for qualitative data.

Results

 Mean age was 31.65 ± 4.51 years with mean working hours per week of 77.89 ± 6.01. Perceived- high stress among residents was experienced by 63.0%, while 71.7% were GHQ case screen-positive. Family support (30.4%) was the most frequent coping strategy, followed by exercise (21.7%), peer support (19.6%), religion/prayer (17.4%), and time management (10.9%). Strong correlations were found between stress and year of residency, specialty, and satisfaction with pay. Those with higher stress and poor mental health were significantly older and worked longer hours (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

 Postgraduate residents were found to have poor mental health and high levels of stress, which were especially affected by working hours, specialty, age, and job satisfaction. Coping depended extensively on family and social support.

Keywords:

Psychological, Mental Health, Coping Skills, Internship and Residency.

Published

2026/08/21

Issue

Vol. Volume 7-issue 3

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