Objective:

To assess state-trait anxiety levels and their correlation with occupational stress and socio-biographical and occupational factors in nursing professionals.

Materials and Methods:

This quantitative, cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted in the inpatient units of a university hospital in southern Brazil, with the participation of 162 nursing professionals. For data collection, socio-biographical and occupational forms, the Stress-Symptom Scale, the Workplace Stress Scale, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory were used. The data were analyzed based on descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results:

Nursing professionals have moderate levels of state-trait anxiety. There is a positive correlation between state-trait anxiety scores, stress scores, and stress dimensions (rho = 0.811, p < 0.001). “Trait” anxiety is associated with years of experience in nursing (PR 0.97) and psychic-mental health follow-up (PR 1.97). “State” anxiety is associated with sex (PR 0.54), education (PR 2.26), and hours of sleep (PR 0.92).

Conclusions:

“State” anxiety is associated with sex, age, higher education level, and psychic-mental health follow-up; however, years of experience in nursing and hours of sleep were found to be protective factors.

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