The Health of Health Care Professionals: A Review of Lifestyle, Occupational Stress, and Health Outcomes

Abstract

Healthcare professionals (HCPs) face growing physical, psychological, and occupational burdens driven by rising patient demands, complex clinical environments, and persistent workforce shortages. This review synthesizes evidence on lifestyle behaviors, occupational stressors, and health outcomes among HCPs, emphasizing how systemic and organizational factors shape professional well-being. Findings show that irregular schedules, disrupted sleep, poor nutrition, and limited opportunities for physical activity increase vulnerability to chronic illness and fatigue. High workloads, emotional labor, hierarchical constraints, moral distress, and administrative burdens further intensify stress, contributing to burnout, anxiety, depression, and reduced job satisfaction. These challenges manifest in both short- and long-term health consequences, including musculoskeletal injuries, cardiometabolic risk, circadian disruption, and mental health disorders. The review also examines how organizational culture particularly concepts drawn from patient safety culture modulates health risks by influencing communication, leadership support, learning environments, and psychological safety. Finally, prevention strategies are explored at both the individual level (mindfulness, resilience training, sleep hygiene, healthy lifestyle interventions) and organizational level (staffing optimization, supportive leadership, non-punitive systems, workload redistribution, and improved communication structures). Global frameworks, including WHO well-being recommendations, reinforce the need for integrated, system-wide approaches to protect and sustain the healthcare workforce. The review concludes by identifying gaps requiring further research and offering actionable steps for building resilient, health-promoting work environments.