Gülşen YALCIN, Bahattin SAYINBATUR, Eyaz KARAY, Merve KARAKAS

Psychological Stress of Healthcare Workers Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objective: The study was aimed to evaluate the psychological stress of hospital workers and related factors during the period of Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: A survey was conducted among hospital workers between March 23 and April 1, 2020. The survey had four sections in total, including consent form, sociodemographic form, Turkish Impact of Events Scale, and depression, anxiety, and stress scale. Results: The mean age of 257 respondents was 36.7±9.1 (20–61) years, and 145(56.4%) of them were male. Post-traumatic stress disorder symptom level, depression, anxiety, and stress were significantly higher in women than in men [(%95Cl, 1.09-3.73; p=0.026), (%95Cl, 1.61-5.47; p=0.001), (%95Cl, 1.23-3.97; p=0.008), (%95Cl, 1.36-4.86; p=0.004), respectively]. Post-traumatic stress disorder symptom level rates of emergency room workers were significantly higher than those of the workers in other departments (%95Cl, 1.25-4.91; p=0.010). According to those who stated that the infection measures taken in the hospital were insufficient, the rates of depression, anxiety and stress was significantly higher than those who stated that they were sufficient [(95%Cl, 1.51-7.18; p=0.003), (95% Cl, 1.23-5.23; p=0.011), (95%Cl, 1.47-8.18; p= 0.004), respectively]. The rate of depression, anxiety, and stress was significantly higher in employees who previously had psychiatric disease than those who did not have disease before [(95% Cl, 1.37-160.7; p=0.026), (95% Cl, 1.20-128.3; p=0.035), (% 95 Cl, 1.01-47.36, p=0.049), respectively]. Conclusions: In the present study, we found that the mental health of hospital workers was affected during the COVID-19 pandemic, and there was a difference between departments. More psychological stress occurs in specific groups such as emergency services and female healthcare professionals, and these groups should primarily be provided with psychological support.

COVID-19 Salgınının Neden Olduğu Sağlık Çalışanlarının Psikolojik Stresi

Amaç: Bu çalışma, Coronavirus hastalığı-2019 (COVID-19) salgını döneminde hastane çalışanlarının psikolojik stresini ve ilişkili faktörleri değerlendirmeyi amaçlamıştır. Yöntemler: Hastane çalışanlarına 23-Mart/1-Nisan 2020 tarihlerinde anket uygulama çalışması yapıldı. Anket; Onam formu, sosyodemografik form, Türkçe olayların etkisi ölçeği, depresyon, anksiyete ve stres ölçeği olmak üzere toplam 4 bölümdü. Bulgular: Ankete katılan 257 kişinin yaş ortalaması 36,7± 9,1yıl (20-61 arası) olup %56,4’ü erkekti. Kadınlarda post-travmatik stres bozukluğu belirti düzeyi, depresyon, anksiyete, stress erkeklere oranla anlamlı düzeyde yüksek saptandı [(Cl%95, 1,09- 3,73; p=0,026), (Cl%95, 1,61-5,47; p=0,001), (Cl% 95, 1,23-3,97; p=0,008), (Cl%95, 1,36-4,86; p=0,004), sırasıyla]. Acil servis çalışanlarının post travmatik stres bozukluğu belirti düzey oranları, diğer bölümlerde çalışanlara göre anlamlı derecede yüksekti (Cl%95, 1,25-4,91; p=0,010). Hastanede alınan enfeksiyon önlemlerinin yetersiz olduğunu söyleyen çalışanlarda, yeterli olduğunu belirtenlere göre depresyon, anksiyete, stres oranı anlamlı düzeyde yüksekti [(Cl%95, 1,51-7,18; p=0,003),(Cl%95, 1,23-5,23; p=0,011), (Cl%95, 1,47-8,18; p=0,004), srasıyla]. Önceden psikiyatri hastalığı olan çalışanlarda, önceden hastalığı olmayanlara göre depresyon, anksiyete, stres oranı anlamlı düzeyde yüksekti [(Cl%95, 1,37-160,7; p=0,026), (Cl%95, 1,20-128,3; p=0,035), (Cl%95, 1,01-47,36, p=0,049), sırasıyla]. Tartışma: Çalışmamızda COVID-19 salgını döneminde hastane çalışanlarının ruhsal sağlığının etkilendiğini ve bölümler arasında fark olduğunu saptadık. Acil servis ve bayan sağlık çalışanları gibi spesifik gruplarda daha fazla psikolojik stres oluşmakta olup bu gruplara öncelikle psikolojik destek sunmak gerekir.

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