author(s)
X Emerensia and Suja Santosh PS

abstract
The study was conducted in two phases using sequential explanatory mixed method, in order to understand the stressful situations and stress coping strategies among working members during covid 19 pandemic. A total of 50 participants who were working in private health science institutions were selected using convenient sampling in Phase I and in phase II, 5 samples were selected using purposive sampling. Structured Questionnaire was used in Phase I and unstructured open ended questions by using an in-depth focus interview in Phase II. The study reveals that majority of the participants 80% had moderate level of stress and 72.5% were partially able to cope up the stress situation and had negative correlation between stress and coping strategies. The study concluded that financial crisis, lifestyle, changes in work environment are the major areas of stress at the covid pandemic and adapted various coping strategies such as financial management and life style changes influenced the participants to reduce stress level.