Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36506648›Full record

ArticleExploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy2023

Coping mechanisms used by pharmacists to deal with stress, what is helpful and what is harmful?

Wejdan Shahin, Sara Issa, Marwah Jadooe, Massara Shmoae, Muhammed Yelegin, Sharmitha Selvarajah, Ieva Stupans, Kay Dunkley, Thilini Thrimawithana

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
2.3field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Exploring early career pharmacists' sources of stress and their coping strategies: a qualitative interview study.International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Wejdan ShahinDiscipline of Pharmacy, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia.
Sara IssaDiscipline of Pharmacy, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia.
Marwah JadooeDiscipline of Pharmacy, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia.
Massara ShmoaeDiscipline of Pharmacy, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia.
Muhammed YeleginDiscipline of Pharmacy, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia.
Sharmitha SelvarajahDiscipline of Pharmacy, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia.
Ieva StupansDiscipline of Pharmacy, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia.
Kay DunkleyPharmacists' Support Services, 381, Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia.
Thilini ThrimawithanaDiscipline of Pharmacy, School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, RMIT University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia.
RMIT University · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Australian pharmacists encountered increased stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has raised questions regarding the effectiveness of the coping mechanisms used to manage this high work-related stress. Identifying useful and harmful coping mechanisms is critical for providing advice regarding addressing pharmacists' future work-related stress. Objectives: This study aimed to explore the impact of pharmacy work on stress experienced by Australian pharmacists and the coping mechanisms used during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study also aimed to evaluate the pharmacists' perceptions of the impact of these coping mechanisms on their stress. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Practising pharmacists and interns were recruited to complete an online survey that included the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), which was used to measure pharmacists' work-related stress, and the Brief-COPE scale, used to assess the coping mechanisms used during the COVID-19 pandemic. The key outcome measure was the PSS score. A multiple regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between coping mechanisms and stress levels in a sample of Australian pharmacists. Results: A total of 173 pharmacists and interns were recruited. The mean PSS was 18.02 (SD = 6.7). Avoidant coping mechanisms such as social withdrawal (β = 0.31; Conclusions: This study highlights the association of coping mechanisms used by pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic with work-related stress. The study results demonstrate the importance of physical activity and spending time with pets in reducing work-related stress levels. Avoiding harmful coping mechanisms such as social withdrawal and drinking alcohol is recommended. This study also highlights the need for interventional studies to reduce work-related stress levels among pharmacists by addressing useful coping mechanisms.

Indexed as

Coping mechanismsCovid19 pandemicPerceived stress scalePharmacists

Identifiers

PMID36506648
PMCPMC9719933
OpenAlexW4310716482

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.