Work-Related Stress: Implications for Physical and Psychological Health among Female Pharmacists Working in Saudi Arabia

Work-related stress has been a major topic for researchers and practitioners working in organizational behavior, psychology, health, and medicine for the past two decades. It has detrimental effects on employees' well-being and its impacts extend far beyond to affect the organization's productivity and operational efficiency. This study aims to investigate work-related stress as it is perceived by female pharmacists working in private pharmaceutical settings in Saudi Arabia. This was a cross-sectional study conducted on a convenience sample of female pharmacists working in the private pharmacy sector using A Shortened Stress Evaluation Tool (ASSET) as a pre-validated instrument intended to evaluate employee perceptions of the sources of pressure and the outcomes of work-related stress. A total of 232 female pharmacists participated in the study with a mean age of 26.1 +/- 2.4 years, the majority of the respondents being Saudi (90.1%). The mean ASSET score was 105.6 +/- 37.4 for stressor perceptions at work (moderate level). In the organizational commitment questionnaire, the calculated mean score was 36.5 +/- 10.5 (moderate level). In the health questionnaire, the mean score was 37.3 +/- 11.8, which is perceived as poorer health. Female pharmacists working in the private pharmaceutical sector in Saudi Arabia experience a moderate level of stress as part of their current jobs. The result from the mean ASSET score can empower organizations - leaders, and policymakers - to make the changes necessary to improve their work environment, to accommodate their pharmacists' needs, and thus retain these valuable employees.