Investigating the Correlation Between Job-Related Stress and Quality of Work Life Among Physicians Working at Imam Reza and Besat Hospitals of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army in 2025

AuthorMojtaba Dadashkarimien
AuthorMorad Esmaeil Zalien
AuthorBayram Nejati Zarnaqien
AuthorMohammad hassan Kazemi-Galougahien
AuthorNasrin Jafari-Golestanen
OrcidMojtaba Dadashkarimi [0009-0006-3293-2496]en
OrcidMorad Esmaeil Zali [0000-0001-8733-3286]en
OrcidBayram Nejati Zarnaqi [0000-0001-8015-5034]en
OrcidMohammad hassan Kazemi-Galougahi [0000-0003-4601-6457]en
OrcidNasrin Jafari-Golestan [0000-0002-4532-4776]en
Issued Date2026-03-31en
AbstractBackground: Job stress affects physicians’ psychological and physiological well-being and may reduce their quality of work life (QWL). Recent data indicate a 60% prevalence of burnout among military physicians, which is higher than that among civilian physicians. Objectives: This study investigated the association between job stress and QWL among physicians working in Iranian military hospitals. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 139 physicians working at Imam Reza and Besat Military Hospitals in Tehran in 2025. Stratified random sampling by specialty was used. The inclusion criteria were a medical degree and ≥ 6 months of employment; the exclusion criteria were incomplete data or refusal to participate. Ethical approval was obtained from the AJA University Institutional Review Board; informed consent was obtained, and data confidentiality was ensured. Job stress was assessed using the Hellrigel and Slocum Job Stress Questionnaire (Cronbach α = 0.82; validated in Iranian settings), and QWL was evaluated using the Darren Van Laar questionnaire (test-retest reliability, r = 0.72 in the present study). The Shapiro-Wilk test indicated nonnormal distributions, supporting the use of nonparametric tests. Analyses included t tests, analysis of variance, Mann-Whitney U tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests, Spearman correlation, and multivariable linear regression. Effect sizes were calculated as r for Mann-Whitney U tests and Cohen d for t tests. Fisher z transformation was used to compare correlation strengths between male and female physicians. The power calculation was performed using G*Power (power = 0.80, effect size = 0.30, and α = 0.05). Results: Job stress and QWL showed a moderate, significant negative correlation (ρ = -0.553, P < 0.001). The correlation was stronger among female physicians (ρ = -0.719, P < 0.001); however, Fisher z testing showed no significant difference between the correlations for male and female physicians (z = 1.12, P = 0.26). After adjustment for age, gender, experience, and hospital, job stress remained an independent negative predictor of QWL (β = -0.33, P < 0.001), and age was also negatively associated with QWL (β = -0.51, P = 0.040). Gender was not a significant predictor in the adjusted model (P = 0.090). Infectious disease specialists reported the highest stress, whereas ophthalmologists reported the highest QWL (97.75 ± 10.34; 95% CI, 92.12 - 103.38). Domain-specific effect sizes for gender differences in QWL ranged from negligible to small (r = 0.015 - 0.190). The 95% confidence intervals for the median differences were also calculated. Conclusions: Job stress was negatively correlated with QWL among physicians in military hospitals. Organizational interventions and stress-reduction programs may improve the work environment and physicians’ QWL. Although the correlation appeared stronger among female physicians, the difference between genders was not statistically significant.en
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.69107/amh-162918en
URIhttps://brieflands.com/journals/amhsr/articles/162918en
KeywordJob Stressen
KeywordQuality Of Work Lifeen
KeywordPhysiciansen
KeywordMilitary Hospitalen
PublisherBrieflandsen
TitleInvestigating the Correlation Between Job-Related Stress and Quality of Work Life Among Physicians Working at Imam Reza and Besat Hospitals of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army in 2025en
TypeResearch Articleen

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