Analytical Examination of Work-Related Stress and Coping Strategies Among Radiographers in Federal Medical Centres Across Nigeria

Work-related stress among radiographers in Nigerian federal medical centres arises from a combination of radiation exposure anxiety, high patient volumes, inadequate staffing, equipment failures, and challenging clinical environments, and the coping strategies adopted by practitioners influence both wellbeing and service delivery quality. An analytical multi-centre examination of stress prevalence and coping patterns fills an important occupational health research gap in Nigerian radiography. This study analytically examines work-related stress and coping strategies among radiographers at federal medical centres across six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. A multi-centre cross-sectional design recruits 350 radiographers from eighteen FMCs using proportionate zone-stratified sampling. The Occupational Stress Index and the Brief COPE inventory are administered alongside measures of workload, role clarity, social support, equipment adequacy, and demographic variables. Structural equation modelling in AMOS tests a path model linking work demands to stress via mediating resource variables, and models the relationship between stress and coping strategy selection. Available occupational stress literature from Nigerian FMC radiography settings identifies radiation anxiety and equipment inadequacy as the FMC-specific stress drivers most differentiated from broader Nigerian hospital workforce stress profiles. The Conservation of Resources Theory and the Effort-Reward Imbalance Model provide the dual theoretical framework. Findings are expected to reveal significant zone-level differences in stress profiles, with North East FMC radiographers demonstrating the highest stress scores attributable to conflict-related work context factors. Recommendations address FMC-specific stress management protocols, workload redistribution policies, and peer support programmes. Keywords: work-related stress, coping strategies, radiographers, federal medical centres, Nigeria.