Work related stress and coping mechanisms among bankers in Lagos

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Date
2014
Authors
Olatona, F.A.
Ezeobika, E.N.
Okafor, I.P.
Owoeye, O.B.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
African Journal of Medical Sciences
Abstract
BACKGROUND: This study assessed knowledge, prevalence, associated factors and mechanisms of coping with stress among bankers in Lagos State. METHODS: It was a descriptive cross sectional study. A two stage sampling technique was used to select two hundred and twenty seven (227) respondents. Data was collected using a structured self administered questionnaire. The analysis was done using Epi-info version 2002 software and Chi Square was used to determine association between variables at p value 0.05. Fischer's Exact test was used where Chi-square was not valid. RESULTS: The age range of respondents was between 20 and 49 years while the mean age was 31.3 +/- 5.0 years. Only 3.6% had good level of knowledge about stress, 42.2% had fair level while more than half of the respondents had poor level of knowledge about stress (54.3%). Majority (67.0%) of the respondents were moderately stressed while one quarter (24.7%) were highly stressed. Majority (92.4%) of the respondents used good coping mechanisms though 69.5% of the respondents also used bad coping mechanisms. A greater proportion of those who had poor knowledge about stress were stressed or highly stressed (p = 0.002). A statistically significant association was also found between the departments in the bank and level of stress of the respondents (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: The prevalence of stress was high among the bank workers studied. It is recommended that effective stress management programmes are implemented to address the problem of stress among bank workers
Description
Staff publications
Keywords
Work , Work-related stress , bank workers , coping mechanisms , Research Subject Categories::MEDICINE
Citation
Olatona FA, Ezeobika E N, Okafor IP, Owoeye OBA. Work related stress and coping mechanisms among bankers in Lagos, Nigeria. Afr J Med. Sci. 2014 ;43(1):59-65