Sources and Coping Mechanisms of Anxiety and Stress among Surgeons – A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Medical professionals are often exposed to demanding work conditions which may affect their mental as well as physical health. The aim of this study is to find out the various sources of anxiety and stress as well as the coping mechanisms among surgeons using qualitative approach of descriptive phenomenology. This study provides analysis of rich textual description of individual experiences of nine surgeons including six orthopaedic surgeons, two general surgeons and one plastic surgeon. In-depth qualitative interviews are conducted and transcribed. Thematic analysis is carried out on the text i.e. identification of codes, themes and sub-themes. A total of twenty-one sub-themes emerged under the three themes of ‘sources of anxiety’, ‘sources of stress’ and ‘coping mechanisms’. The study attempts to find out how these developed coping strategies have an impact on the ability of participants to deal with the problems in their personal life. The sources of anxiety and stress vary according to the phase in the profession such as medical training and practice as well as according to the economic, psychological and social state of the individual. Coping strategies developed by the participants help them to sustain and stand in the field. The study implies that there is a need of regular formal stress and anxiety management training for surgeons which eventually can help to increase longevity and quality of their work life. Keywords: anxiety, stress, sources, coping mechanisms, surgeons, phenomenology