Rehman Shazia, Ahmad Jamal, Khan Ayesha, Alotaibi Khalid Abdullah
Department of Psychiatry, National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China.
Department of Psychology, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad, 44310, Pakistan.
BMC Psychol. 2025 Aug 1;13(1):855. doi: 10.1186/s40359-025-03191-0.
Pharmacists are frequently exposed to high occupational stress, yet limited research has explored psychological recovery mechanisms in this group. Leisure travel may offer restorative benefits that enhance psychological well-being, but the underlying processes remain insufficiently understood. This study aims to examine the association between the frequency of leisure travel and psychological well-being among pharmacists in Henan, China, with particular attention to the mediating roles of perceived stress and social support.
A cross-sectional design was employed, with data collected from 947 licensed pharmacists working in community, clinical, and hospital settings across Henan, China, between August and October 2024. A stratified random sampling strategy was used to ensure balanced representation across pharmacy practice types, geographic regions, and experience levels. Key study variables were assessed using validated psychometric instruments. Regression-based mediation analysis was performed to determine the direct and indirect associations among the study variables.
The frequency of leisure travel was positively and significantly associated with psychological well-being (β = 0.36, p < 0.001). Perceived stress (β = 0.13, 95% CI: 0.09-0.25) and social support (β = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.10-0.31) independently mediated this relationship. A significant sequential mediation pathway was also observed (β = 0.06, 95% CI: 0.01-0.17), wherein leisure travel was linked to lower perceived stress, enhancing social support, and improving psychological well-being.
These results underscore the potential psychological benefits of frequent travel, suggesting that emotional recovery and interpersonal support may be key mechanisms linking travel behaviors to improved well-being. The study offers meaningful implications for healthcare organizations aiming to support pharmacists' mental health through evidence-based leisure and recovery strategies.
药剂师经常面临较高的职业压力，但对该群体心理恢复机制的研究有限。休闲旅行可能具有恢复性益处，可提升心理健康，但其中的潜在过程仍未得到充分理解。本研究旨在探讨中国河南药剂师的休闲旅行频率与心理健康之间的关联，特别关注感知压力和社会支持的中介作用。
采用横断面设计，于2024年8月至10月期间收集了来自中国河南社区、临床和医院环境中947名执业药剂师的数据。采用分层随机抽样策略，以确保在不同药房实践类型、地理区域和经验水平之间有均衡的代表性。使用经过验证的心理测量工具评估关键研究变量。进行基于回归的中介分析，以确定研究变量之间的直接和间接关联。
休闲旅行频率与心理健康呈显著正相关（β = 0.36，p < 0.001）。感知压力（β = 0.13，95% CI：0.09 - 0.25）和社会支持（β = 0.18，95% CI：0.10 - 0.31）独立介导了这种关系。还观察到一条显著的顺序中介路径（β = 0.06，95% CI：0.01 - 0.17），其中休闲旅行与较低的感知压力相关，进而增强社会支持并改善心理健康。
这些结果强调了频繁旅行潜在的心理益处，表明情绪恢复和人际支持可能是将旅行行为与幸福感提升联系起来的关键机制。该研究为旨在通过基于证据的休闲和恢复策略支持药剂师心理健康的医疗机构提供了有意义的启示。
