Volume 27, Issue 135, May 2023

The effect of psychological stress on physical and behavioral health and its role in chronic diseases in Saudi Arabia

Jehad Nashi Alawfi¹, Emad Abdulrahman H. Alsaedi^2♦, Asim Abdulrazaq H. Almohammadi², Yazeed Nashi M. Alaufi², Nasser Naif M. Alsuhaymi², Abdulaziz Hassan M. Alraddadi², Abdulrahman Hameed H. Alsaedi³, Roaa Y. Hassan⁴

¹Family Medicine Consultant, Ministry of health, Saudi Arabia
²Medical Students, College of Medicine, Al Rayyan Colleges, Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia
³Madinah Health Cluster, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Medical City, Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia
⁴Demonstrator at Medical College, Department of Essential Clinical and laboratory Skills, College of Medicine, Al-Rayan Colleges, Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia

^♦Corresponding author
Medical Students, College of Medicine, Al Rayyan Colleges, Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Background: Psychological stress is a phenomenon caused by the relationship of a human with its environment. Stress can lead to depressive disorders. According to World Health Organization, one out of four human beings is stressed nowadays. Objectives: To find the percentage of the middle-aged population suffering from psychological stress and to find if psychological stress affects the middle-aged population's physical and behavioural health and chronic diseases. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was designed and data was collected from Saudi natives of age 40 years and above with the help of an online survey tool; the calculated sample was 385 individuals, whereas an extra 10% was taken to increase the validity of the study. Results: Study participants were from fourteen different cities in Saudi Arabia. There were 48.9% of males and 51.1% of females and 64.8% of them had a university level of Education. Of the participants, 131 (31%) scored to have low psychological stress, 247 (58.4%) had moderate stress and 45 (10.6%) scored to have high perceived psychological stress. Psychological stress was found to be significantly associated with Headaches, digestive problems, chest pain, muscular stiffness and sexual problems (p<0.001). Psychological stress was found to be significantly associated with behavioural irritability, Smoking, lack of sleep, lack or excess of eating and avoiding gatherings (P<0.001); psychological stress was not associated with Chronic diseases (p>0.001). Conclusion: Most Saudi adults aged 40 years and above have moderate psychological stress (58.4%). Psychological stress can significantly affect an adult’s physical and behavioural health.

Keywords: Psychological stress, Stress, Health, Depression, Physical Health

Medical Science, 2023, 27, e229ms3021

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi/v27i135/e229ms3021

Published: 20 May 2023