The Responses of Radiology Professionals to the COVID-19 Pandemic

Year 2022, , 712 - 721, 29.09.2022

Türkan Özbay , Özgül Vupa Çilengiroğlu

https://doi.org/10.30621/jbachs.992808

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate radiology professionals’ response to the impact of COVID-19 on professional practice. In addition, the fear and anxiety levels experienced by this workforce during the pandemic process were investigated.
Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted. The questionnaire covered information on demographic characteristics, the Coronavirus Overviews and Impacts, the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. Logistic regression was used to model the relationship between "CAS" and "Fear" scores and variables. Data collected was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (v.24).
Results: A total of 290 responses were received, comprising 21.7% radiologists and 78.3% technicians. The key contributor factors to work-related stress were found to be the fear of COVID-19 infection, with 63.8%, the increase in workload, with 17.6% and inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE), with 11%. The percentages of anxiety were 75.6% for technician and 24.4% for radiologist. It was found that there was a significant association between "CAS" score and the gender variable (p=0.030<0.05), and similarly, between "Fear" score and gender (p-value=0.003) and age (p-value=0.080) variables. The women are 2.205 times more likely to be anxious than men (p=0.033) and 2.106 times more likely to be fear (p=0.003).
Conclusion: Almost half of the participants reported adequate PPE availability during the study period. Despite this, most feared being infected with COVID-19. Therefore, it is important to provide timely and adequate personnel training, adequate availability of PPE and regular psychosocial support for radiology professinals, during future pandemics.

Keywords

COVID-19, radiology professionals, anxiety, fear

Thanks

Authors thank to all the radiologists and technicians who participated in the study and worked devotedly during the COVID-19 pandemic in Izmir, Turkey. The authors also thank Simon MUMFORD for proofreading the article.

References

• 1. Zhu N, Zhang D, Wang W, et al. A novel coronavirus from patients with pneumonia in China, 2019. N Engl J Med. 2020; 382 (8): 727-733. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2001017
• 2. Jiang S, Du L, Shi Z. An emerging coronavirus causing pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan, China: calling for developing therapeutic and prophylactic strategies. Emerg Microbes Infect. 2020; 9: 275–277. doi:10.1080/22221751.2020.1723441
• 3. Wang C, Horby PW, Hayden FG, Gao GF. A novel coronavirus outbreak of global health concern. Lancet 2020; 395: 470–473. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30185-9
• 4. Hawryluck L, Gold WL, Robinson S, Pogorski S, Galea S et al. SARS control and psychological effects of quarantine, Toronto, Canada. Emerg Infect Dis. 2004; 10 (7): 1206–1212. doi: 10.3201/eid1007.030703
• 5. Wu KK, Chan SK, Ma TM. Posttraumatic stress, anxiety, and depression in survivors of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). J Trauma Stress 2005; 18: 39–42. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.20004
• 6. Wu P, Fang Y, Guan Z, et al. 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: 302–311. doi: 10.1177/070674370905400504.
• 7. Xiang YT, Yang Y, Li W, et al. Timely mental health care for the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak is urgently needed. Lancet Psychiatry 2020; 7: 228–229. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30046-8.
• 8. World Health Organization, WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 [online, 2020]. Website https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020 (accessed 20/01/2021).
• 9. Wang, C. A novel coronavirus outbreak of global health concern. Lancet 2020; 395: 470-473. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m408.
• 10. World Health Organization, WHO Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report [online, 2020]. Website https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update---29-december-2020 (accessed 20/01/2021).
• 11. Hall RCW, Chapman MJ. The 1995 Kikwit Ebola outbreak: Lessons hospitals and physicians can apply to future viral epidemics. Gen Hosp Psychiatry 2008; 30: 446–452. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2008.05.003.
• 12. Sim K, Chan YH, Chong PN, Chua HC, Soon SW. Psychosocial and coping responses within the community health care setting towards a national outbreak of an infectious disease. J Psychosom Res. 2010; 68: 195–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2009.04.004.
• 13. Sim K, Chua HC. The psychological impact of SARS: a matter of heart and mind. CMAJ 2004; 170: 811-812. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.1032003.
• 14. Bai Y, Yao L, Wei T, et al. Presumed asymptomatic carrier transmission of COVID-19. JAMA 2020; 323 (14): 1406-1407. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.2565.
• 15. Adams JG, Walls RM. Supporting the health care workforce during the COVID-19 global epidemic. J Am Med Assoc. 2020; 323 (15): 1439-1440. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.3972.
• 16. Rothe C, Schunk M, Sothmann P, et al. Transmission of 2019-nCoV Infection from an Asymptomatic Contact in Germany. N Eng J Med. 2020; 382 (10): 970-971 doi: 10.1056/NEJMc2001468.
• 17. Ryu S, Chun BC. An interim review of the epidemiological characteristics of 2019 novel coronavirus. Epidemiol Health. 2020; 42. https://doi.org/10.4178/epih.e2020006
• 18. Xu X, Yu C, Qu J, et al. Imaging and clinical features of patients with 2019 novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imag, 2020; 47 (5): 1275-1280. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-020-04735-9.
• 19. Yu J, Ding N, Chen H, et al. Infection control against COVID-19 in departments of radiology. Acad Radiol. 2020; 27 (5): 614-617. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acra.2020.03.025.
• 20. Republic of Turkey Ministry of Health. Current situation in Turkey [online, 2020]. Website https://covid19.saglik.gov.tr/TR-76676/covid-19-durum-raporu-tr.html (accessed 20/01/2021).
• 21. Choi KR, Skrine Jeffers K, Cynthia Logsdon M. Nursing and the novel coronavirus: Risks and responsibilities in a global outbreak. J Adv Nurs. 2020; 76 (7): 1486-1487. doi: 10.1111/jan.14369.
• 22. Ruths D, Pfeffer J. Social media for large studies of behavior. Soc Sci. 2014; 346 (6213): 1063-1064. doi: 10.1126/science.346.6213.1063.
• 23. Social Media Research Group. Using social media for social research: An introduction [online, 2016]. Website https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/524750/GSR_Social_Media_Research_Guidance__Using_social_media_for_social_research.pdf. (accessed 20/01/2021).
• 24. Lee SA. Coronavirus Anxiety Scale: a brief mental health screener for COVID-19 related anxiety. Death Stud. 2020; 44 (7): 393-401. https://doi.org/10.1080/ 07481187.2020.1748481.
• 25. Mauldin WP. The population of India. In: Population growth, (Freedman R, ed.), 1st ed. New York: Routledge. pp. 191-205; 2017.
• 26. Ahorsu DK, Lin C-Y, Imani V, et al. The fear of COVID-19 scale: development and initial validation. Int J Ment Health Addict, 2020; 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-020-00270-8
• 27. Nair A, Rodrigues JC, Hare S, et al. A British Society of Thoracic Imaging statement: considerations in designing local imaging diagnostic algorithms for the COVID-19 pandemic. Clin Radiol. 2020; 75 (5): 329-334. doi: 10.1016/j.crad.2020.03.008
• 28. Mendel JB. COVID-19 pandemic and radiology: facts, resources, and suggestions for near-term protocols. J Glob Radiol. 2020; 6 (1): 1100. doi: 10.7191/jgr.2020.1100
• 29. Kotian R, Faujdar D, Kotian S, D'souza B. Knowledge and understanding among medical imaging professionals in India during the rapid rise of the COVID-19 pandemic. Health Technol, 2020; 1-6. https:// doi.org/10.1007/s12553-020-00437-2.
• 30. Cieszanowski A, Czekajska E, Gizycka B, et al. Management of patients with COVID-19 in radiology departments, and indications regarding imaging studies recommendations of the Polish Medical Society of Radiology. Pol J Radiol. 2020; 85: e209-e214. doi: 10.5114/pjr.2020.95022.
• 31. lshami W, Akudjedu TN, Abuzaid M, et al. Theradiology workforce's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Middle East, North Africa and India. Radiography 2020 [in press]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2020.09.016. S1078-8174(20)30205-4.
• 32. Akudjedu TN, Lawal O, Sharma M, et al. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on radiography practice: findings from a UK radiography workforce survey. Brit J Radiol. 2020; 2 (1): 20200023. https://doi.org/10.1259/bjro.20200023.
• 33. Fink G. Stress, definitions, mechanisms, and effects outlined: lessons from anxiety. In: Stress: concepts, cognition, emotion, and behavior, (Fink G, ed.), San Diego: Elsevier, pp. 3-11; 2016.
• 34. Zhou M, Tang F, Wang Y, et al. Knowledge, attitude and practice regarding COVID-19 among health care workers in Henan, China. J Hosp Infect. 2020; 105 (2): 183-187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhin.2020.04.012.
• 35. Lewis S, Mulla F. Diagnostic radiographers' experience of COVID-19, Gauteng South Africa. Radiography 2020 [in press]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2020.09.009
• 36. Ornell F, Schuch JB, Sordi AO, Kessler FH. “Pandemic fear” and COVID-19: mental health burden and strategies. Braz J Psychiatry 2020; 42 (3): 232-235. https://doi.org/10.1590/1516-4446-2020-0008.