A cross-sectional study on the mental health status and influencing factors of medical staff in northwestern China

Healthcare workers in Northwest China face heavy workloads and limited resources, yet region-specific evidence on their health is scarce. In this multicentre cross-sectional study, 1143 doctors, nurses and other clinical staff from 151 public hospitals in Northwest China were surveyed in November–December 2023 using a questionnaire compiled from existing Chinese instruments that assessed occupational stressors, mental health, chronic physical diseases and body image. Nearly 60% of participants worked more than five days per week. Longer daily working hours and more weekly working days were independently associated with greater psychological distress, although the model explained only a small proportion of the variance. Staff in secondary hospitals and non-provincial capital cities reported greater psychological distress than those in tertiary hospitals and provincial capitals. Physical diseases were more common among men, emergency department staff and those working longer hours. Physical exertion was the most prominent stressor, followed by psychological and economic stress, and doctors reported higher stress levels than nurses. These findings suggest that workload management, mental health support and occupational health policies targeting high-risk groups may help to protect the well-being of healthcare workers in this region.