| Summary: | Introduction
Multiple reports have indicated that the
prevalence of work-related stress is increasing among
academics. This has been attributed to the expanding
number of students, the need for efficiency in providing
higher quality education, accountability to multiple
stakeholders, internal and external factors, and problems
in management and workplace communication systems.
In spite of the growing realization of the importance of
work-related stress, little is known about the subject in Sub-
Saharan Africa. In this study, we investigated the prevalence
of work-related stress and associated factors in colleges
across Eritrea.
Methods
This study was a cross-sectional study performed
in 2019 in Eritrea. Sample size for this study was calculated
using single population proportion formula and simple
random sampling technique was used to acquire the study
participants. A structured closed-ended questionnaire was
subsequently used to collect sociodemographic and other
occupation related data. The University and College Union
model stress questionnaire was used to assess stress among
the study participants. Statistical analysis was conducted
using IBM SPSS Statistics version 23.
Results
Based on the UCU model stress questionnaire, the
overall prevalence of stress among college faculty was found
to be 49.2%. When assessing the stress related factors,
Pearson’s correlation test showed participant’s stress score
was moderately correlated with demand (r=0.37), control
(r=0.36) and relations (r=0.32) scores. However weak, the
stress score had a statistically significant positive correlation
with role, change, and the support domain scores.
Conclusions
Work-related stress among faculty members
was prevalent in the study setting, as it was found to affect
almost half of the study participants. The factors affecting
stress can be categorized into three broader domains:
uncertainty of career prospect, role confusion and lack of
resources.
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