Abstract
Introduction: Workplace stress among primary healthcare nurses is a major concern because it can impair mental health, reduce job satisfaction, and compromise the quality of patient care. Structured workplace stress prevention programs may help improve these psychosocial conditions.
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a workplace stress-prevention program on psychosocial work characteristics among primary healthcare nurses.
Materials and Methods: A controlled quasi-experimental study was conducted from January 2024 to December 2025 among nurses at two district health centers in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. Nurses at district 6 health center received a six-month stress-prevention program consisting of small-group education sessions, individual counseling, and ongoing follow-up, while Tan Phu district health center served as the control site. Psychosocial work characteristics were assessed using the Vietnamese version of the Karasek Job Content Questionnaire (K-JCQ). Baseline and post-intervention outcomes were compared using descriptive and inferential statistical analyses.
Results: A total of 294 (mean age 42.3 ± 5.6 years) nurses participated in the study. Caring for children under five years of age (Risk ratio [RR] = 8.37, 95% CI: 1.13–62.19) and holding additional managerial responsibilities (RR = 4.35, 95% CI: 1.59–11.89) were associated with a higher risk of high job strain, whereas 6–9 years of work experience was associated with a lower risk (RR = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.04–0.72). The health education and counseling–based stress prevention program enhanced nurses’ psychosocial work characteristics, notably physical job demand, social support, and relaxed job status, but showed limited benefit for high job strain.
Conclusion: The workplace stress prevention program based on health education and counseling significantly improved psychosocial work characteristics, especially physical job demand, social support, and relaxed job status, though it had a limited effect on high job strain itself. These findings support implementing such programs alongside targeted organizational measures to further reduce job strain.