Work-Related Stressors and Their Perceived Impact on Veterinary Work and Personal Life: A Multi-Country European Study

Work-related stress is an important concern in veterinary medicine because it may affect veterinarians’ work, personal life, and well-being. This study described self-reported work-related stressors and their perceived effects on professional and personal life among veterinarians from selected European countries. Between July 2021 and February 2022, an online questionnaire was completed by 724 veterinarians from Hungary, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, and Norway. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling via online channels and professional veterinary networks. The questionnaire assessed 16 stressors, including fatigue, emotional exhaustion, burnout-related symptoms, fear of making mistakes, client expectations, and negative online comments. Mean Likert-scale scores were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Pearson’s χ2 tests. Fatigue and emotional exhaustion were among the most burdensome internal stressors, with the highest mean score in the Hungarian sample (mean: 4.15 ± 1.05) and the lowest in the Finnish sample (mean: 3.68 ± 1.06; ANOVA: p < 0.0001). Euthanasia-related stress was rated lower in Finland (mean: 1.68 ± 0.83) and Sweden (mean: 1.88 ± 0.95) than in Germany (mean: 2.41 ± 1.17) and Hungary (mean: 2.64 ± 1.27; ANOVA: p < 0.0001). In Hungary, younger and female veterinarians reported greater sensitivity to several stressors. The findings are descriptive and exploratory rather than representative cross-country comparisons.