000168726 001__ 168726 000168726 005__ 20260217214838.0 000168726 0247_ $$2doi$$a10.3390/healthcare14040494 000168726 0248_ $$2sideral$$a148125 000168726 037__ $$aART-2026-148125 000168726 041__ $$aeng 000168726 100__ $$aRodríguez-Pérez, M.P. 000168726 245__ $$aPerceived Stress, Burnout, Professional Quality of Life, and Occupational Balance Among University Faculty in Health Sciences Disciplines in Spain—Protocol and Descriptive Results 000168726 260__ $$c2026 000168726 5060_ $$aAccess copy available to the general public$$fUnrestricted 000168726 5203_ $$aBackground/Objectives: University faculty in health sciences are an underexplored population despite facing significant emotional, occupational, and organizational demands due to their dual role as educators and health professionals. These demands may increase vulnerability to perceived stress, burnout, and reduced professional quality of life. Although previous research has primarily focused on stress and burnout, evidence integrating occupational balance and personal resources, such as sense of coherence, from an occupational health perspective remains limited. This study aimed to examine perceived stress, professional quality of life, occupational balance, and satisfaction with meaningful occupations among health sciences faculty in Spain, and to analyze their associations with individual, occupational, and organizational factors within an occupation-centered and salutogenic framework. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study following STROBE guidelines was conducted with 253 health sciences faculty members from Spanish universities. Data were collected through an anonymous online questionnaire including validated instruments (PSS-10, OBQ-E, ProQoL, SOC-13) and items on occupational satisfaction and perceived institutional support. Descriptive statistics, t tests, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analyses were performed. Results: Participants reported moderate levels of perceived stress and occupational balance, high overall professional quality of life satisfaction, and moderate levels of compassion fatigue. Higher perceived stress scores were observed among women and younger faculty members. Occupational balance, burnout, and satisfaction measures showed significant differences according to age and years of teaching experience. Perceived institutional support differed across organizational domains, academic positions, and types of institution. Conclusions: Health sciences faculty in Spain experience notable psychosocial demands affecting stress, occupational balance, and professional quality of life. Occupational balance and sense of coherence emerged as relevant constructs associated with lower perceived stress and burnout and higher professional satisfaction. By integrating these occupation-centered and salutogenic resources, the study extends existing research beyond traditional stress–burnout models and contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of professional well-being among health sciences faculty. 000168726 540__ $$9info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess$$aby$$uhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.es 000168726 655_4 $$ainfo:eu-repo/semantics/article$$vinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 000168726 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0002-1200-5904$$aLeón-Herrera, S.$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza 000168726 700__ $$0(orcid)0000-0002-4252-115X$$aAsensio-Martínez, A.$$uUniversidad de Zaragoza 000168726 700__ $$aGarcía-Bravo, C. 000168726 700__ $$aGarcía-Bravo, S. 000168726 700__ $$aGómez-Bravo, R. 000168726 700__ $$aHuertas-Hoyas, E. 000168726 7102_ $$14009$$2740$$aUniversidad de Zaragoza$$bDpto. Psicología y Sociología$$cÁrea Psicología Social 000168726 773__ $$g14, 4 (2026), [19 pp.]$$tHealthcare$$x2213-0764 000168726 8564_ $$s314836$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/168726/files/texto_completo.pdf$$yVersión publicada 000168726 8564_ $$s2502212$$uhttps://zaguan.unizar.es/record/168726/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon$$xicon$$yVersión publicada 000168726 909CO $$ooai:zaguan.unizar.es:168726$$particulos$$pdriver 000168726 951__ $$a2026-02-17-20:14:21 000168726 980__ $$aARTICLE