nterventional gastrointestinal endoscopy requires advanced technical expertise, rapid problem-solving, and sustained cognitive focus. These demands expose operators to significant acute stress, yet its prevalence, determinants, and impact on clinical performance remain insufficiently characterized. Understanding stress within this high-stakes specialty is essential for optimizing patient safety, supporting practitioner well-being, and guiding institutional training policies.

We conducted a cross-sectional, anonymous global survey of practicing interventional gastrointestinal endoscopists (IGE). The questionnaire comprised five domains: demographics and workload, perceived stress (including an adapted work-related Perceived Stress Scale), impact on procedural performance, coping strategies, and professional views on training. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to assess stress prevalence and explore associations between stress scores and practitioner characteristics.

A total of 100 IGE participated. Most respondents were male (84%), aged 30–50 years (82%), and had more than 5 years’ interventional endoscopy experience (53%). Despite this seniority, 56% reported experiencing stress “sometimes,” 19% “often,” and 2% “always.” The mean work-related PSS score was 20.75 (SD 3.36), indicating moderate procedural stress, with similar levels for general perceived stress. Stress was perceived to impair concentration mildly (61%) or moderately (24%), and 11% reported substantial performance impairment. Nearly half (48%) attributed at least some procedural failures to stress, and 39% reported stress-related delays within the previous month. Only 15% had received formal stress-management training, yet 74% believed such strategies could enhance performance, and 78% supported simulation-based training under controlled stressful conditions. No significant associations were observed between stress scores and demographic variables.

Acute stress is prevalent among interventional gastrointestinal endoscopists and is widely perceived to detrimentally affect concentration and procedural performance. The paucity of structured stress-management training and the strong practitioner support for simulation-based approaches highlight an important opportunity to implement targeted interventions aimed at improving both operator well-being and procedural safety.