Assessment of job satisfaction, job stress and psychological health of journalists in South-South, Nigeria

Background: The relationship that exists between job stress and job satisfaction has been investigated across several professional groups. Aim: The study assessed the job satisfaction, perception of job stress and psychological morbidity among journalists in a state in the Southern part of Nigeria. Methods: The cross-sectional study was carried out in Benin city, the capital of Edo state in Nigeria. Three hundred and twenty consenting journalists from 5 media corporations in the city were interviewed using structured pre-tested questionnaires. Data was analysed using SPSS version 16. Results: Eight (2.5%) respondents had no job stress, 124 (38.8 %) had mild job stress with 166 (51.9 %) having moderate job stress and 22 (6.95%) having high job stress. Job title [OR 2.99; p = 0.00, 95% CI (1.31, 6.84)], and gender [ OR 0.11, p = 0.02; 95% CI (0.02, 0.68)] were significantly associated with the experience of job stress. One hundred and ninety four (60.6%) respondents expressed dissatisfaction with their jobs. Respondents who had been in employment for < 15 years and those who experienced high job stress, 22 (6.95%) were significantly (P< 0.00 respectively) more dissatisfied than others. Psychological morbidity was present in 44 (13.8%) respondents, with job title as the only single predictor of psychological morbidity [odds ratio 0.57, 95% CI (0.42 – 0.78), P= 0.00]. Conclusion: Management of media organisations in the state should put in place interventions to reduce identified stressors in the work environment targeted at identified high risk groups.