Healthcare Workers' Anxiety Levels and Mindful Attention Awareness Towards the COVID-19 Pandemic

Year 2024, , 23 - 35, 30.04.2024

Füsun Fakılı , Nurgül Özdemir

https://doi.org/10.54803/sauhsd.1330263

Abstract

Aim: Mindful attention awareness and anxiety levels of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic were unknown. In this study, we aimed to measure the behavioral changes of healthcare workers together with their anxiety and mindful attention awareness levels during the pandemic.
Methods: A brief mental health examination was conducted on healthcare workers who were actively involved in the COVID-19 pandemic to identify any dysfunctional anxiety issues associated with COVID-19. A survey containing behavioral changes, as well as a coronavirus anxiety scale and mindful attention awareness scale were administered to healthcare workers during the pandemic.
Results: A total of 146 healthcare workers, 56.2% of women were included in the study. The coronavirus anxiety scale score values of the participants were a mean of 4±4.4 (Min=0-Max=20), and 13.7% of them had high levels of anxiety. The mean score for the mindful attention awareness scale score was a mean 59.4±13.9 (Min=22-Max=90). Females had higher coronavirus anxiety scale scores (p=0.003), but males had greater mindful attention awareness scale scores (p=0.001).
It was determined that the coronavirus anxiety scale total scores averages of healthcare workers whose sleep (p=0.001), out-of-hospital clothing (p=0.006), and eating habits (p=0.017) changed during the pandemic were statistically significantly higher (p<0.05). Healthcare workers with higher coronavirus anxiety scores used more prophylactic drugs and supplements/vitamins after contact with COVID-19 patients.
Conclusions: Although the coronavirus anxiety scale score was below average and the mindful attention awareness scale score was above average, healthcare workers' behaviors changed during the pandemic. Coronavirus anxiety and mindful attention awareness scale levels affected the behaviors of healthcare workers. Psychosocial support programs must be provided to healthcare workers during the pandemic.

Keywords

COVID-19, Anxiety, Healthcare workers, Mindfulness, Behavior, Pandemics

Supporting Institution

yok

Thanks

We thank Prof. Seval Kul for the statistical assistance of the study.

Sağlık Çalışanlarının COVID-19 Pandemisine Yönelik Kaygı Düzeyleri ve Bilinçli Farkındalıkları

Abstract

Amaç: COVID-19 pandemisinde sağlık çalışanlarının bilinçli farkındalık ve kaygı seviyeleri bilinmiyordu. Bu çalışmada sağlık çalışanlarının pandemi sürecindeki davranış değişikliklerini anksiyete ve bilinçli farkındalık seviyeleri ile birlikte ölçmeyi amaçladık.
Yöntem: Çalışmaya COVID-19 pandemisinde aktif olarak görev yapan sağlık çalışanları katılmıştır. Sağlık çalışanları, olası COVID-19 ile ilişkili işlevsel olmayan kaygı sorunlarını bulmak için kısa bir akıl sağlığı değerlendirmesine tabi tutuldu. Pandemi sırasında sağlık çalışanlarına davranış değişikliklerini içeren bir anket, koronavirüs kaygı ölçeği (CAS) ve bilinçli farkındalık ölçeği (BFÖ) uygulandı.
Bulgular: Çalışmaya %56,2'si kadın olmak üzere toplam 146 Sağlık çalışanı dahil edilmiştir. Katılımcıların CAS değerleri ortalama 4 ± 4,4 (Min=0-Max=20) olup, %13,7'si yüksek kaygıya sahiptir. BFÖ değeri ortalama 59,4 ± 13,9 (Min=22-Max=90) idi. CAS puanları kadınlarda (P=0.003), BFÖ puanları erkeklerde (P=0.001) daha yüksekti. Pandemi sürecinde uyku alışkanlıkları (P=0.001), hastane dışı giyim alışkanlıkları (P=0.006) ve beslenme alışkanlıkları (P=0.017) değişen sağlık çalışanlarının CAS puanları daha yüksekti ve sosyal medyayı daha çok kullanıyorlardı. CAS skorları daha yüksek olan sağlık çalışanları, COVID-19 hastalarıyla temas ettikten sonra daha fazla profilaktik ilaç ve takviye/vitamin kullanmıştır.
Sonuçlar: CAS ortalamanın altında ve MAAS skoru toplamda ortalamanın üzerinde olmasına rağmen, pandemi sırasında sağlık çalışanlarının davranışları değişti. CAS ve BFÖ seviyeleri, sağlık çalışanlarının davranışlarını etkiledi. Pandemi sırasında sağlık çalışanlarına psikososyal destek programları sağlanmalıdır. Sosyal medya, pandemi sırasında bilgi ve destek hizmetlerini yaymanın daha etkili bir yolu olabilir.

Keywords

COVID-19, Kaygı düzeyleri, Sağlık çalışanları, Bilinçli farkındalık, Pandemi

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