Occupational Stress, Mental Health, and Resilience in the Veterinary Workforce

Veterinary professionals work in emotionally and ethically demanding environments, often under substantial time and workload pressure. Growing international evidence points to high levels of burnout, psychological distress, compassion fatigue, and suicidal ideation across the veterinary workforce. These outcomes are linked to multiple occupational stressors, including long and irregular working hours, challenging client interactions, financial pressures, and moral distress related to animal welfare and end-of-life decisions.This Research Topic will explore how occupational stressors shape mental health and wellbeing in veterinary settings, and which protective factors and interventions may foster resilience. We welcome contributions that:identify and characterize key workplace stressors and their determinants,examine risk and protective factors across roles, settings, and career stages, andevaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of individual-, team-, and organization-level interventions.The scope of this Research Topic includes veterinarians, veterinary nurses/technicians, and support staff across diverse settings (e.g., companion animal, farm, equine, emergency, referral, academic, laboratory animal, and public-sector services). We invite manuscripts addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:Identification and characterization of occupational stressors in veterinary practicePrevalence, correlates, and impacts of mental health challenges (e.g., burnout, depression/anxiety, compassion fatigue, moral distress, suicidal ideation)Comparative analyses and measurement approaches across veterinary roles, specialties, practice types, and career stages to assess occupational stress and wellbeingEvaluation of individual and organizational resilience strategies, including implementation and real-world effectivenessWorkplace and policy recommendations to reduce stigma, improve access to support, and strengthen a supportive professional cultureInterventions targeting leadership, team functioning, psychological safety, and sustainable work design We welcome a variety of article types, including Original Research, Reviews, Systematic Reviews, Conceptual Analyses, Case Studies, Perspectives Pieces and Policy Recommendations. Topic editors: László Ózsvári, Katharina Charlotte Jensen Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/77494/occupational-stress-mental-health-and-resilience-in-the-veterinary-workforce