Narendar KUMAR, Shaib MUHAMMAD, Geeta KUMARI, Razia SULTANA, Muhammad Saleh KHASKHELI, Jabbar ABBAS, Rafia TABASSUM, Sadaf Hayat LAGHARI

COVID-19 pandemic and the healthcare workers- The call of duty

COVID-19 is the current topic of discussion globally as people are getting affected by it on a huge scale. This study is focused to determine the concerns and perceptions of healthcare workers (HCWs) due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on their mental health, routine work, family and social life. Study was conducted at various health care facilities of Sindh, Pakistan, from October to December 2020 (three months). An online survey questionnaire consisting of fourteen closed-ended questions was designed in Google Forms and circulcalted among the HCWs through email and social media. The data collected was analyzed using SPSS 24 and descriptive statistical tools were used to measure the frequencies and the Chi-square test was applied among correlated variables. Among 412 respondents, majority of the participants were male (54.6%) and young with 18-28 years of age (47.3%). Two-third of HCWs were highly concerned about their family’s health versus own health (67.7% vs 44.7% respectively) and 157 (38.1%) were emotionally distressed. It was also found that HCWs with assigned duties in the isolation wards were more emotionally distressed (56.2% high to very high) compared to those not working in isolation units (45.3% high to very high). More than half of HCWs (51.9%) reported that their family life was also disturbed. Our findings indicate that COVID-19 pandemic has a significant psychological impact on frontline soldiers (HCWs) particularly they were worried about family’s health. The HCWs who were assigned duties in isolation units were more emotionally distressed than those who were not assigned duties in isolation wards.

PDF

___

[1] Nickell LA, Crighton EJ, Tracy CS, Al-Enazy H, Bolaji Y, Hanjrah S, Hussain A, Makhlouf S, Upshur RE. Psychosocial effects of SARS on hospital staff: survey of a large tertiary care institution. Can Med Assoc J. 2004; 170(5): 793-798.
[2] Perspect OPHR. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Outbreak in the Republic of Korea, 2015. Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2015; 6(4): 269-278.
[3] Peeri NC, Shrestha N, Rahman MS, Zaki R, Tan Z, Bibi S, Baghbanzadeh M, Aghamohammadi N, Zhang W, Haque U. The SARS, MERS and novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemics, the newest and biggest global health threats: what lessons have we learned? Int J Epidemiol. 2020: 1-10.
[4] Ministry of National Health Services Regulation and Coordination Pakistan. CIVID-19 Health Advisory Platform, 2020. http://covid.gov.pk/(accessed on 10 January 2021)
[5] Ioannidis JPA. Global perspective of COVID-19 epidemiology for a full-cycle pandemic. Eur J Clin Invest. 2020; 50(12): 1-9.
[6] Muhammad S, Qureshi Y, Tabassum R, Khaskheli MS, Kumar N, Abbas J, Kumari G, Sultana R, Ahmer A, Jamali J. Safety and Awareness of Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Outbreak; A Cross-Sectional Study. J Pharm Res Int. 2020; 32(38): 30-38.
[7] McMahon SA, Ho LS, Brown H, Miller L, Ansumana R, Kennedy CE. Healthcare providers on the frontlines: a qualitative investigation of the social and emotional impact of delivering health services during Sierra Leone's Ebola epidemic. Health Policy Plan. 2016; 31(9): 1232-1239.
[8] Khalid I, Khalid TJ, Qabajah MR, Barnard AG, Qushmaq IA. Healthcare Workers Emotions, Perceived Stressors and Coping Strategies During a MERS-CoV Outbreak. Clin Med Res. 2016; 14(1): 7-14.
[9] Maunder RG, Lancee WJ, Balderson KE, Bennett JP, Borgundvaag B, Evans S, Fernandes CM, Goldbloom DS, Gupta M, Hunter JJ, McGillis Hall L, Nagle LM, Pain C, Peczeniuk SS, Raymond G, Read N, Rourke SB, Steinberg RJ, Stewart TE, VanDeVelde-Coke S, Veldhorst GG, Wasylenki DA. Long-term psychological and occupational effects of providing hospital healthcare during SARS outbreak. Emerg Infect Dis. 2006; 12(12): 1924-1932.
[10] World Health Organization. Mental health and psychosocial considerations during the COVID-19 outbreak, 18 March 2020. https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/mental-health-considerations.pdf (accessed on 12 January 2021)
[11] Zarocostas J. How to fight an infodemic. The Lancet. 2020; 395(10225): 676.
[12] Su T-P, Lien T-C, Yang C-Y, Su YL, Wang J-H, Tsai S-L, Yin J-C. Prevalence of psychiatric morbidity and psychological adaptation of the nurses in a structured SARS caring unit during outbreak: A prospective and periodic assessment study in Taiwan. J Psychiatr Res. 2007; 41(1-2): 119-130.
[13] Raza S, Rasheed MA, Rashid MK. Transmission Potential and Severity of COVID-19 in Pakistan. Preprints 2020. 2020: 1-10.
[14] Arwady MA, Garcia EL, Wollor B, Mabande LG, Reaves EJ, Montgomery JM. Reintegration of Ebola survivors into their communities—Firestone District, Liberia, 2014. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2014; 63(50): 1207-1209.
[15] Lee-Kwan SH, DeLuca N, Adams M, Dalling M, Drevlow E, Gassama G, Davies T. Support services for survivors of Ebola virus disease—Sierra Leone, 2014. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2014; 63(50): 1205-1206.
[16] Goulia P, Mantas C, Dimitroula D, Mantis D, Hyphantis T. General hospital staff worries, perceived sufficiency of information and associated psychological distress during the A/H1N1 influenza pandemic. BMC Infect Dis. 2010; 10(1): 1-11.
[17] Al Ghobain M, Aldrees T, Alenezi A, Alqaryan S, Aldabeeb D, Alotaibi N, Aldhabib A, Alghalibi S, Alharethy S. Perception and attitude of emergency room resident physicians toward middle east respiratory syndrome outbreak. Emerg Med Int. 2017; 2017: 1-4.
[18] Wu P, Fang Y, Guan Z, Fan B, Kong J, Yao Z, Liu X, Fuller CJ, Susser E, Lu J. The psychological impact of the SARS epidemic on hospital employees in China: exposure, risk perception, and altruistic acceptance of risk. Can J Psychiatry. 2009; 54(5): 302-311.
[19] McAlonan GM, Lee AM, Cheung V, Cheung C, Tsang KW, Sham PC, Chua SE, Wong JG. Immediate and sustained psychological impact of an emerging infectious disease outbreak on health care workers. Can J Psychiatry. 2007; 52(4): 241-247.
[20] Shiao JS-C, Koh D, Lo L-H, Lim M-K, Guo YL. Factors Predicting Nurses' Consideration of Leaving their Job During the Sars Outbreak. Nurs Ethics. 2007; 14(1): 5-17.