Psychosomatic symptoms and stressful working conditions among Palestinian nurses: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: High levels of perceived stressful working conditions have been found to have an adverse effect on physical and mental health. OBJECTIVES: To examine the associations between self-reported stressful working conditions and Psychosomatic Symptoms (PSS), and to investigate possible gender differences. METHODS: The present cross-sectional study comprises 430 nurses employed in Hebron district, Palestine. Self-reported stressful working conditions were recorded, and a Psychosomatic Symptoms Check list was used to assess prevalence of PSS. FINDINGS: Median score on the psychosomatic symptom checklist for the group was 11, (range 1-21). Women reported more symptoms than men, with medians 11.6 and 10.0, respectively (p = .0001). PSS were associated with more self-reported stressful working conditions for both men (p < .0001) and women (p < .0001). The association was strongest among men. CONCLUSIONS: PSS were associated with high self-reported stressful working conditions, and this association was strongest among the men.