Occupational Stress Biomarkers: A Psychophysiological Approach to Early Detection of Burnout and Improving Quality of Life
Fawzia Al-Rouq, Sarah Al-MazidiAbstract
Background:
Occupational stress is a psychophysiological health burden and a leading cause of burnout syndrome. Many individuals are unaware of their stress and exhibit physical symptoms, mainly characterized as pain rather than psychological affecting their quality of life. The most effective management of stress is by early diagnosis.
Aim:
We aim to identify physiological factors associated with stress and correlate them with psychological burnout measures to enable early detection of occupational stress.
Methods:
Seventy-six participants were evaluated for occupational stress using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, which includes three domains: Emotional Exhaustion, Depersonalization (DP), and Personal Accomplishment. Then, stress domains were correlated with pain and other physiological parameters.
Results:
Pain was reported by 75.2% of participants, and 67.1% experienced increased pain associated with a supervisory role. More than 57% presented with moderate-to-high burnout levels, 52% with DP, and 30% with low self-achievement. Stress levels were significantly decreased with age (
Conclusion:
Stress symptoms are substantially associated with increased pain and comorbidities, though the causal relationship remains unclear. It is crucial to conduct a large-scale clinical study to assess psychophysical health issues related to stress, particularly pain, to improve the quality of life and the working environment.