Stress of sale representatives of international companies in Bangkok area.

Abstract

Problem/background : Causes of stress have many related-factors. An occupational factor is the main cause of stress. A survey of Thailand TRS PReMA in 2005 was 10.9% turn overate of pharmaceutical sale representatives. Stress has impacted to their daily livings, employments and health problems. Besides, there are few studies of stress in pharmaceutical sale representatives.

Objective : To study stress and related factors of stress in pharmaceutical sale representatives in Bangkok area.

Design : A cross-sectional descriptive study

Setting : Pharmaceutical sale representatives from international pharmaceutical companies in Bangkok.

Materials and Methods : Two hundred and forty-one pharmaceutical sale representatives from international pharmaceutical companies were eligible from December 2008 to February 2009. The instruments were demographic data questionnaire, the personal resource questionnaire (PRQ part II) and Thai stress test.

Results : Two hundred and forty-one people, (199 females and 42 males), were recruited into the present study. Their mean age was 29.3 years old (S.D = 5.6). The majority of pharmaceutical sale representatives have mild stress (57.7%). The factors significantly related to stress which were divided in 4 parts: 1. Personal factors: Age and Health problems; 2. Family/Social factors: having a sick person in family and social support; 3. Economic factors: enoughto-spend economic status, saving-money status, obligations; and, 4. Occupational factors: Working-experience year, contact problem with customers and feeling of stress at work.

Conclusion : The Pharmaceutical sale representatives in Bangkok have mild stress. The study indicates that stress has many related factors which are personal, social, economic and occupational factors.