Threat of mpox (monkeypox) outbreak after the COVID-19 pandemic: are healthcare professionals ready for new psychological wars?

Öz

Aims: In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the psychological status of healthcare professionals regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, and to examine their perspectives and knowledge levels regarding the mpox epidemic. Methods: Having a cross-sectional design, the present study was carried out by using questions addressing sociodemographic characteristics of healthcare professionals, their experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic, and their knowledge and anxiety levels regarding mpox. Results: 202 healthcare professionals were involved in the present study. Of the participants, 55% were female and the mean age was 35.0±7.7 years. The majority (63.4%) of the participants were midwives/nurses/medical assistants. Of the participants, 68.8% were infected by COVID-19 during the pandemic. Considering the questions addressing their level of knowledge about mpox, 44.1% of participants stated that they had never heard of this disease before. Participants were found to have mainly moderate levels of depression and anxiety and low level of stress, whereas the ratios of very severe depression and anxiety were 5.0% and 7.4%, respectively. Conclusion: It was determined that almost half of the participants had no full knowledge of the disease before the increase in mpox cases. It was found that the participants varying levels of depression, anxiety, and stress about a new pandemic. We think that it is important to provide healthcare professionals with psychosocial support, make effort in order to determine and eliminate the sources of psychological negativities.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Anxiety
• COVID-19
• Depression
• Monkeypox
• Mpox

COVID-19 salgını sonrası mpox (maymun çiçeği) salgını tehdidi: Sağlık çalışanları yeni psikolojik savaşlara hazır mı?

Öz

Amaç: Bu çalışmada, sağlık çalışanlarının COVID-19 pandemisine ilişkin psikolojik durumlarının değerlendirilmesi, mpox salgınına bakış açılarının ve bilgi düzeylerinin incelenmesi amaçlandı. Yöntemler: Kesitsel bir tasarıma sahip olan bu çalışma, sağlık çalışanlarının sosyodemografik özellikleri, COVID-19 pandemisi ile ilgili deneyimleri ve mpox'a ilişkin bilgi ve kaygı düzeylerini ele alan sorular kullanılarak gerçekleştirildi. Bulgular: Çalışmaya 202 sağlık çalışanı dahil edildi. Araştırma kapsamına alınanların %55’i kadındı ve yaş ortalaması 35.0±7.7 yıldı. Katılımcıların büyük çoğunluğu (%63.4) ebe/hemşire/sağlık memuruydu. Katılımcıların %68.8'i pandemi sırasında COVID-19 ile enfekte oldu. Mpox ile ilgili bilgi düzeylerine yönelik yöneltilen sorularda katılımcıların %44.1’i (n=89) bu hastalığı daha önce hiç duymadıklarını ifade etti. Katılımcıların ağırlıklı olarak orta düzeyde depresyon ve anksiyete ile düşük düzeyde strese sahip olduğu, çok şiddetli depresyon ve anksiyete oranlarının ise sırasıyla %5.0 ve %7.4 olduğu bulundu. Sonuç: Çalışmada katılımcıların neredeyse yarısının mpox vakalarındaki artıştan önce hastalık hakkında tam bilgiye sahip olmadığı belirlendi. Katılımcıların yeni bir pandemiye karşı farklı düzeylerde depresyon, kaygı ve stres yaşadıkları tespit edildi. Psikolojik olumsuzlukların kaynaklarının belirlenip ortadan kaldırılması için sağlık çalışanlarına psikososyal destek verilmesinin, çaba gösterilmesinin önemli olduğunu düşünüyoruz.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Anksiyete
• COVID-19
• Depresyon
• Maymun çiçeği
• Mpox

Kaynakça

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