Comparative cross-sectional study links nurse stress, resilience and psychological well-being in Ghana

A comparative cross-sectional study of 310 nurses in Ghana’s Ashanti Region found that high perceived stress was more prevalent in Agona Municipality than in Mampong Municipality, while high resilience was more common in Mampong. The study assessed associations among perceived stress, resilience and psychological well-being; because its design was cross-sectional, the results do not establish causation or changes over time.

Researchers surveyed 181 nurses in Mampong and 129 in Agona, according to the study abstract published in BMC Nursing. Perceived stress, resilience and psychological well-being were measured with the PSS-10, CD-RISC-10 and WHO-5 scales, respectively. Sociodemographic and work-related information was collected through structured questionnaires. Chi-square tests examined associations involving sociodemographic variables, Spearman correlations assessed relationships among the three main measures, and multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with good psychological well-being.

High stress was reported by 41.9% of nurses in Agona and 24.9% in Mampong. High resilience was reported by 8.5% of participants in Agona and 13.8% in Mampong. Perceived stress had a moderate negative correlation with psychological well-being, with correlation coefficients ranging from −0.655 to −0.675, and a moderate negative correlation with resilience, ranging from −0.552 to −0.560; both sets of correlations had p-values below 0.01. Resilience showed a moderate positive correlation with psychological well-being, with coefficients from 0.571 to 0.603 and p-values below 0.01.

In the multivariable analysis, higher resilience was associated with greater odds of good psychological well-being (adjusted odds ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.13–1.28), whereas higher perceived stress was associated with lower odds of that outcome (adjusted odds ratio, 0.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.83–0.91). Rotational shift work was also associated with lower odds of good psychological well-being (adjusted odds ratio, 0.35; 95% confidence interval, 0.13–0.94).

The findings apply to the 310 nurses included in the two municipalities and should not be interpreted as evidence that stress reduction or resilience-building programs would improve well-being. The authors stated that longitudinal and interventional studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of such interventions and establish causal relationships. The supplied source presents the study through its abstract and describes it as an early-access, peer-reviewed article that may undergo further editing before the final version of record.

Subject of Research: Associations among perceived stress, resilience and psychological well-being among 310 nurses in two Ashanti Region municipalities

Article Title: Perceived stress, resilience, and psychological well-being among nurses: a comparative study of two municipalities in Ghana

Article References: Darko, G., Anokye, G. A., Mensah, J. A., Badii, V. S., & Abem, K. A. B. (2026). Perceived stress, resilience, and psychological well-being among nurses: a comparative study of two municipalities in Ghana. BMC Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-026-05367-4

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12912-026-05367-4

Keywords: nurses, perceived stress, psychological resilience, psychological well-being, Ghana, Ashanti Region, cross-sectional study, shift work, occupational health, Perceived, stress, resilience