STRESS IN PEDIATRIC FACULTY - RESULTS OF A NATIONAL SURVEY

Objective: To determine current levels of pediatric faculty stress exp erienced by pediatric faculty and to examine contributors to and conse quences of this stress. Design: Random survey, using attitude question naire. Setting: Twenty-six medical school-based pediatric programs nat ionwide. Participants: Two hundred fifty-two full-time pediatric facul ty members. Main Outcome Measures: Stress level; importance of specifi c sources of stress and fulfillment; satisfaction with time allotted t o various activities; social support; satisfaction with career choices . Results: The return rate was 64%. Forty-six percent of respondents r eported ''high'' or ''very high'' levels of usual stress; 64% were str essed beyond a ''comfortable'' level at least ''frequently.'' Women (P <.05), assistant or associate professors (P<.001), and faculty on the tenure track (P<.006) reported feeling ''overstressed'' more often. Ma jor sources of stress were pressure to do research, family needs (48%) , and lack of personal time (40%). About half (51%) agreed that the re cent emphasis on reducing resident stress has led to increased pressur e on faculty members. Frequency of feeling overstressed was reduced if respondents felt valued by their chairperson (P<.001) and by other fa culty (P<.01). Within the last year, 47% had considered moving to anot her medical school. Another 43% had considered leaving academia. The m ore frequently the respondent felt overstressed, the more likely he or she was to have considered such changes (P<.001). Conclusions: The st ress currently experienced by pediatric faculty is substantial and see ms to affect longterm commitment to academic medicine. Creative soluti ons to this issue should be explored.