Research Article
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Investigation of COVID-19 Anxiety Levels of Emergency Workers

Year 2023, Volume: 5 Issue: 3, 201 - 205, 01.11.2023

Onur Üstüntaş Cemil Kavalcı

https://doi.org/10.38175/phnx.1339543

Abstract

Objective: The coronavirus pandemic has affected human and societal psychology worldwide. The Coronavirus Anxiety Scale is used to detect dysfunctional anxiety about the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, our aim was to determine the anxiety levels of workers of the our emergency serrvices during the pandemic.
Material Methods: The Coronavirus Anxiety Scale questionnaire was applied to emergency workers. According to the scores obtained from the questionnaire, the participants were divided into two groups: those with anxiety (Group 1) and those without anxiety (Group 2). The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare two independent groups for continuous data, and Pearson’s chi-square test was used for frequency data. A p value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Anxiety was present in 8.1% of the 285 worker who participated in the survey. The anxiety rate in female (12.8%) was statistically significantly higher than that of male (3.5%) (p<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of alcohol users and smokers (p>0.05). We did not detect any association between marital status or having children and anxiety (p>0.05). There was also no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of having previously contracted COVID-19, receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, to get psychiatric support before or during the pandemic, and having a deceased relative due to the pandemic.
Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety rate is 8.1% in emergency workers. Anxiety rates were higher in female, non-alcohol users and non-smokers during the pandemic.

Keywords

Covid-19 anxiety emergency workers

References

  • Saladino V, Algeri D, Auriemma V.The Psychological and Social Impact of Covid-19: New Perspectives of Well-Being. Front Psychol. 2020; 11:577-684.
  • WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard. Available from: https://covid19.who.int (Last accessed date:04.08.2023).
  • WHO. COVID-19 pandemic triggers 25% increase in prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide. Available from: https://www.who.int/news/item/02-03-2022-covid-19- pandemic-triggers-25-increase-in-prevalence-of-anxiety-and-depression-worldwide. (Last accessed date:04.08.2023).
  • Iasevoli F, Fornaro M, D’Urso G, Galletta D, Casella C, Paternoster M, et al. Psychological distress in patients with serious mental illness during the COVID-19 outbreak and one-month mass quarantine in Italy. Psychol Med. 2021;51(6):1054-1056.
  • Ataç Ö, Sezerol MA, Taşçı Y, Hayran O. Anxiety and insomnia among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Turk J Public Health. 2020;18:47-57.
  • Mehta S, Machado F, Kwizera A, Papazian L, Moss M, Azoulay E, et al. COVID-19: a heavy toll on health-care workers. Lancet Respir Med. 2021;9(3):226-228.
  • Kavalci G, Kayıpmaz S. Investigation of Burnout Levels of Anaesthesiologists and Technicians in Covid-19 pandemic period. Acta Medica. 2021;52(3):208-12
  • Lee SA. Coronavirus Anxiety Scale: A brief mental health screener for COVID-19 related anxiety. Death Studies. 2020;44(7):393-401.
  • Evren C, Evren B, Dalbudak E, Topcu M, Kutlu N. Measuring anxiety related to COVID-19: A Turkish validation study of the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale. Death Studies 2022; 46(5):1052-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2020.1774969
  • Lai J, Ma S, Wang Y, Cai Z, Hu J, Wei N, et al. Factors Associated With Mental Health Outcomes Among Health Care Workers Exposed to Coronavirus Disease 2019. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(3);e203976.
  • Perez-Cano HJ, Moreno-Murguia MB, Morales-Lopez O, Crow-Buchanan O, English JA, Lozano- Alcazar J, et al. Anxiety, depression, and stress in response to the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic. Cir Cir. 2020;88(5):562-568.
  • Guillen-Astete C, Penedo-Alonso R, Gallego-Rodriguez P, Carballo-Cardona C, Estevez-Rueda MJ, Galli-Cambiaso E, et al. Levels of anxiety and depression among emergency physicians in Madrid during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Emergencias. 2020;32(5):369-371.
  • Srivastava A, Bala R, Srivastava AK, Mishra A, Shamim R, Sinha P. Anxiety, obsession and fear from coronavirus in Indian population: a web-based study using COVID-19 specific scales. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2020;7 (11):4570. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20204763
  • Chen JH, Tong KK, Su X, Yu EW, Wu AMS. Measuring COVID-19 related anxiety and obsession: Validation of the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale and the Obsession with COVID-19 Scale in aprobability Chinese sample. J Affect Dis. 2021;295:1131–1137
  • Choi EPH, Hui BPH, Wan EYF. Depression and anxiety in Hong Kong during COVID-19. Int J Environ. Res Public Health. 2020;17 (10): 3740. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/ijerph17103740
  • Deng J, Zhou F, Hou W, Silver Z, Wong CY, Chang O, et al. The prevalence of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms and sleep disturbance in higher education students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatry Research. 2021;301:113863
  • Yurttas B, Poyraz BC, Sut N., Ozdede A, Oztas M, Ugurlu S, et al. Willingness to get the COVID-19 vaccine among patients with rheumatic diseases, healthcare workers and general population in Turkey: a web-based survey. Rheumatol Int. 2021;41 (6): 1105–1114. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-021-04841-3.
  • Simegn W, Dagnew B, Yeshaw Y, Yitayih S, Woldegerima B, Dagne H. Depression, anxiety, stress and their associated factors among Ethiopian University students during an early stage of COVID-19 pandemic: An online-based cross-sectional survey. PlosOne. 2021; https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0251670
  • Ozbay S, Ayan M. Investigation of Covid-19 Anxiety levels of Physicians. Cumhuriyet Med J. 2023;45(2):52-8.
  • Dahan M, Rouzier R, Normandin T, Marx G, Hequet D. Anxiety and depressive disorders in patients during the Covid-19 pandemic. Bull Cancer. 2020;107(10):1079-1080.
  • Kocakoglu S, Cadirci D, Terzi NK, Ayazoz Y. Anxiety Status and Associated Factors of Health Personnel Working in a Tertiary Hospital in Turkey in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Euras J Fam Med. 2022;11(1):8-18.49.
  • Nwachukwu I, NkireN, Shalaby R, Hrabok M, Vuong W, Gusnowski A, et al. COVID-19 Pandemic: Age-Related Differences in Measures of Stress, Anxiety and Depression in Canada. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(17):6366.
  • Solomou I, Constantinidou F. Prevalence and Predictors of Anxiety and Depression Symptoms during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Compliance with Precautionary Measures: Age and Sex Matter. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(14):4924.
  • Uz B, Savasan E, Soganci D. Anxiety, Depression and Burnout Levels of Turkish Healthcare Workers at the End of the First Period of COVID-19 Pandemic in Turkey. Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci. 2022;20(1):97-108.
  • Farrell M, Sengelaub DR, Wellman CL. Sex differences and chronic stress effects on the neural circuitry underlying fear conditioning and extinction. Physiol Behav. 2013;122:208-15.
  • Lebron-Milad K, Milad MR. Sex differences, gonadal hormones and the fear extinction network: implications for anxiety disorders. Biol Mood Anxiety Disord. 2012;2:3. doi: 10.1186/2045-5380-2-3.
  • Jaber MJ, AlBashaireh AM, AlShatarat MH, Alqudah OM, Du Preez SE, Al Ghamdi KS, et al. Stress, Depression, Anxiety, and Burnout among Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-sectional Study in a Tertiary Centre. Open Nurs J. 2022;16: e187443462203140
  • Sahin MK, Aker S, Sahin G, Karabekiroglu A.Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety, Distress and Insomnia and Related Factors in Healthcare Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic in Turkey. J Community Health. 2020;45(6)1168-1177.
  • Yildirim TT, Atas O, Asafov A, Yildirim K, Balibey H. Psychological Status of Healthcare Workers during the Covid-19 Pandemic. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak. 2020;30(6):26-31.
  • Anyiam-Osigwe T. COVID-19 vaccines are now approved in some countries. What will it take to approve them for the rest of the world. 2021. Available from: https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/covid-19-vaccines-are-now-approved-some-countries-what-will-it-take-approve-them. (Last acces date:19.07.2022).
  • Motahedi S. Aghdam NF, Khajeh M, Baha R, Aliyari R, Bagheri H, et al. Anxiety and depression among healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study. Heliyon. 2021;7(12);e08570.
  • Fjermestad, KW, Orm S, Silverman WK, Cogo-Moreira H. Short report: COVID-19-related anxiety is associated with mental health problems among adults with rare disorders. Res Dev Disabil. 2022;123:104181.
  • Pouralizadeh M, Bostani Z, Maroufizadeh S, Ghanbari A, Khoshbakht M, Alavi SA, et al. Anxiety and depression and the related factors in nurses of Guilan University of Medical Sciences hospitals during COVID-19: A web-based cross-sectional study. Int J Afr Nurs Sci. 2020;13:100233.
  • Pecoraro V, Negro A, Pirotti T, Trenti T. Estimate false-negative RT-PCR rates for SARS-CoV-2. A systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Clin Invest. 2022; 52(2):e13706.
  • Meo SA, Alkhalifah JM, Alshammari NF, Alnufaie WS. Comparison of Generalized Anxiety and Sleep Disturbance among Frontline and Second-Line Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(11):5727
  • Jaguga F, Kwobah EK, Mwangi A, Patel K, Mwogi T, Kiptoo R, et al. Harmful Alcohol Use Among Healthcare Workers at the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kenya. Front Psychiatry. 2022; 13: 821610.
  • Conroy DA, Hadler NL, Cho E, Moreira A, MacKenzie C, Swanson LM, et al. The effects of COVID-19 stay-at-home order on sleep, health, and working patterns: a survey study of US health care workers. J Clin Sleep Med. 2021;17(2):185-191.
  • Warren AM, Bennett M, Danesh V. Waddimba A, Tovar M, Gottlieb RL, et al. Early psychological health outcomes among United States healthcare professionals, essential workers, and the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic: The influence of occupational status. Psychiatry Res Commun. 2021;1(2):100005.50.
  • Wozniak H. Benzakour L, Moullec G, Buetti N, Nguyen A, Corbaz S, et al. Mental health outcomes of ICU and non-ICU healthcare workers during the COVID-19 outbreak: a cross sectional study. Ann Intensive Care. 2021;11(1);106.

Acil Çalışanların COVİD-19 Anksiyete Düzeylerinin Araştırılması

Year 2023, Volume: 5 Issue: 3, 201 - 205, 01.11.2023

Onur Üstüntaş Cemil Kavalcı

https://doi.org/10.38175/phnx.1339543

Abstract

Amaç: Koronavirüs pandemisi dünya çapında insan ve toplum psikolojisini etkiledi. Koronavirüs Anksiyete Ölçeği, COVID-19 pandemisi ile ilgili işlevsel olmayan anksiyeteyi tespit etmek için kullanılmaktadır. Bu çalışmada amacımız acil servis çalışanlarımızın pandemi dönemindeki anksiyete düzeylerini belirlemektir.
Gereç ve Yöntem: Acil servis çalışanlarına Koronavirüs Anksiyete Ölçeği anketi uygulandı. Anketten alınan puanlara göre katılımcılar anksiyetesi olanlar (Grup 1) ve anksiyetesi olmayanlar (Grup 2) olmak üzere iki gruba ayrıldı. Sürekli veriler için iki bağımsız grubun karşılaştırılmasında Mann-Whitney U testi, frekans verileri için Pearson ki-kare testi kullanıldı. p <0,05 değeri istatistiksel olarak anlamlı kabul edildi.
Bulgular: Ankete katılan 285 çalışanın %8,1’inde anksiyete mevcuttu. Kadınlarda anksiyete oranı (%12,8) erkeklere (%3,5) göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı derecede yüksekti (p<0,05). Alkol kullananlar ve sigara kullananlar açısından gruplar arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı fark yoktu. (p>0,05). Medeni durum veya çocuk sahibi olma durumu ile anksiyete arasında ilişki saptamadık (p>0.05). Daha önce COVID-19 geçirmiş olma, COVID-19 aşısı olma, pandemi öncesi veya sırasında psikiyatrik destek alma ve pandemi nedeniyle vefat etmiş bir yakını olması açısından da gruplar arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı fark yoktu (p>0,05).
Sonuç: COVID-19 pandemisi sırasında acil servis çalışanlarında anksiyete oranı %8,1’di. Pandemi döneminde kadınlarda, alkol kullanmayanlarda ve sigara içmeyenlerde kaygı oranları daha yüksekti.

Keywords

Covid-19; anksiyete acil çalışanları

References

  • Saladino V, Algeri D, Auriemma V.The Psychological and Social Impact of Covid-19: New Perspectives of Well-Being. Front Psychol. 2020; 11:577-684.
  • WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard. Available from: https://covid19.who.int (Last accessed date:04.08.2023).
  • WHO. COVID-19 pandemic triggers 25% increase in prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide. Available from: https://www.who.int/news/item/02-03-2022-covid-19- pandemic-triggers-25-increase-in-prevalence-of-anxiety-and-depression-worldwide. (Last accessed date:04.08.2023).
  • Iasevoli F, Fornaro M, D’Urso G, Galletta D, Casella C, Paternoster M, et al. Psychological distress in patients with serious mental illness during the COVID-19 outbreak and one-month mass quarantine in Italy. Psychol Med. 2021;51(6):1054-1056.
  • Ataç Ö, Sezerol MA, Taşçı Y, Hayran O. Anxiety and insomnia among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Turk J Public Health. 2020;18:47-57.
  • Mehta S, Machado F, Kwizera A, Papazian L, Moss M, Azoulay E, et al. COVID-19: a heavy toll on health-care workers. Lancet Respir Med. 2021;9(3):226-228.
  • Kavalci G, Kayıpmaz S. Investigation of Burnout Levels of Anaesthesiologists and Technicians in Covid-19 pandemic period. Acta Medica. 2021;52(3):208-12
  • Lee SA. Coronavirus Anxiety Scale: A brief mental health screener for COVID-19 related anxiety. Death Studies. 2020;44(7):393-401.
  • Evren C, Evren B, Dalbudak E, Topcu M, Kutlu N. Measuring anxiety related to COVID-19: A Turkish validation study of the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale. Death Studies 2022; 46(5):1052-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2020.1774969
  • Lai J, Ma S, Wang Y, Cai Z, Hu J, Wei N, et al. Factors Associated With Mental Health Outcomes Among Health Care Workers Exposed to Coronavirus Disease 2019. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(3);e203976.
  • Perez-Cano HJ, Moreno-Murguia MB, Morales-Lopez O, Crow-Buchanan O, English JA, Lozano- Alcazar J, et al. Anxiety, depression, and stress in response to the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic. Cir Cir. 2020;88(5):562-568.
  • Guillen-Astete C, Penedo-Alonso R, Gallego-Rodriguez P, Carballo-Cardona C, Estevez-Rueda MJ, Galli-Cambiaso E, et al. Levels of anxiety and depression among emergency physicians in Madrid during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Emergencias. 2020;32(5):369-371.
  • Srivastava A, Bala R, Srivastava AK, Mishra A, Shamim R, Sinha P. Anxiety, obsession and fear from coronavirus in Indian population: a web-based study using COVID-19 specific scales. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2020;7 (11):4570. https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20204763
  • Chen JH, Tong KK, Su X, Yu EW, Wu AMS. Measuring COVID-19 related anxiety and obsession: Validation of the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale and the Obsession with COVID-19 Scale in aprobability Chinese sample. J Affect Dis. 2021;295:1131–1137
  • Choi EPH, Hui BPH, Wan EYF. Depression and anxiety in Hong Kong during COVID-19. Int J Environ. Res Public Health. 2020;17 (10): 3740. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/ijerph17103740
  • Deng J, Zhou F, Hou W, Silver Z, Wong CY, Chang O, et al. The prevalence of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms and sleep disturbance in higher education students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychiatry Research. 2021;301:113863
  • Yurttas B, Poyraz BC, Sut N., Ozdede A, Oztas M, Ugurlu S, et al. Willingness to get the COVID-19 vaccine among patients with rheumatic diseases, healthcare workers and general population in Turkey: a web-based survey. Rheumatol Int. 2021;41 (6): 1105–1114. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00296-021-04841-3.
  • Simegn W, Dagnew B, Yeshaw Y, Yitayih S, Woldegerima B, Dagne H. Depression, anxiety, stress and their associated factors among Ethiopian University students during an early stage of COVID-19 pandemic: An online-based cross-sectional survey. PlosOne. 2021; https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0251670
  • Ozbay S, Ayan M. Investigation of Covid-19 Anxiety levels of Physicians. Cumhuriyet Med J. 2023;45(2):52-8.
  • Dahan M, Rouzier R, Normandin T, Marx G, Hequet D. Anxiety and depressive disorders in patients during the Covid-19 pandemic. Bull Cancer. 2020;107(10):1079-1080.
  • Kocakoglu S, Cadirci D, Terzi NK, Ayazoz Y. Anxiety Status and Associated Factors of Health Personnel Working in a Tertiary Hospital in Turkey in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Euras J Fam Med. 2022;11(1):8-18.49.
  • Nwachukwu I, NkireN, Shalaby R, Hrabok M, Vuong W, Gusnowski A, et al. COVID-19 Pandemic: Age-Related Differences in Measures of Stress, Anxiety and Depression in Canada. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(17):6366.
  • Solomou I, Constantinidou F. Prevalence and Predictors of Anxiety and Depression Symptoms during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Compliance with Precautionary Measures: Age and Sex Matter. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(14):4924.
  • Uz B, Savasan E, Soganci D. Anxiety, Depression and Burnout Levels of Turkish Healthcare Workers at the End of the First Period of COVID-19 Pandemic in Turkey. Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci. 2022;20(1):97-108.
  • Farrell M, Sengelaub DR, Wellman CL. Sex differences and chronic stress effects on the neural circuitry underlying fear conditioning and extinction. Physiol Behav. 2013;122:208-15.
  • Lebron-Milad K, Milad MR. Sex differences, gonadal hormones and the fear extinction network: implications for anxiety disorders. Biol Mood Anxiety Disord. 2012;2:3. doi: 10.1186/2045-5380-2-3.
  • Jaber MJ, AlBashaireh AM, AlShatarat MH, Alqudah OM, Du Preez SE, Al Ghamdi KS, et al. Stress, Depression, Anxiety, and Burnout among Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-sectional Study in a Tertiary Centre. Open Nurs J. 2022;16: e187443462203140
  • Sahin MK, Aker S, Sahin G, Karabekiroglu A.Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety, Distress and Insomnia and Related Factors in Healthcare Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic in Turkey. J Community Health. 2020;45(6)1168-1177.
  • Yildirim TT, Atas O, Asafov A, Yildirim K, Balibey H. Psychological Status of Healthcare Workers during the Covid-19 Pandemic. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak. 2020;30(6):26-31.
  • Anyiam-Osigwe T. COVID-19 vaccines are now approved in some countries. What will it take to approve them for the rest of the world. 2021. Available from: https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/covid-19-vaccines-are-now-approved-some-countries-what-will-it-take-approve-them. (Last acces date:19.07.2022).
  • Motahedi S. Aghdam NF, Khajeh M, Baha R, Aliyari R, Bagheri H, et al. Anxiety and depression among healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study. Heliyon. 2021;7(12);e08570.
  • Fjermestad, KW, Orm S, Silverman WK, Cogo-Moreira H. Short report: COVID-19-related anxiety is associated with mental health problems among adults with rare disorders. Res Dev Disabil. 2022;123:104181.
  • Pouralizadeh M, Bostani Z, Maroufizadeh S, Ghanbari A, Khoshbakht M, Alavi SA, et al. Anxiety and depression and the related factors in nurses of Guilan University of Medical Sciences hospitals during COVID-19: A web-based cross-sectional study. Int J Afr Nurs Sci. 2020;13:100233.
  • Pecoraro V, Negro A, Pirotti T, Trenti T. Estimate false-negative RT-PCR rates for SARS-CoV-2. A systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Clin Invest. 2022; 52(2):e13706.
  • Meo SA, Alkhalifah JM, Alshammari NF, Alnufaie WS. Comparison of Generalized Anxiety and Sleep Disturbance among Frontline and Second-Line Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(11):5727
  • Jaguga F, Kwobah EK, Mwangi A, Patel K, Mwogi T, Kiptoo R, et al. Harmful Alcohol Use Among Healthcare Workers at the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kenya. Front Psychiatry. 2022; 13: 821610.
  • Conroy DA, Hadler NL, Cho E, Moreira A, MacKenzie C, Swanson LM, et al. The effects of COVID-19 stay-at-home order on sleep, health, and working patterns: a survey study of US health care workers. J Clin Sleep Med. 2021;17(2):185-191.
  • Warren AM, Bennett M, Danesh V. Waddimba A, Tovar M, Gottlieb RL, et al. Early psychological health outcomes among United States healthcare professionals, essential workers, and the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic: The influence of occupational status. Psychiatry Res Commun. 2021;1(2):100005.50.
  • Wozniak H. Benzakour L, Moullec G, Buetti N, Nguyen A, Corbaz S, et al. Mental health outcomes of ICU and non-ICU healthcare workers during the COVID-19 outbreak: a cross sectional study. Ann Intensive Care. 2021;11(1);106.
There are 39 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Forensic Medicine
Journal Section Research Articles
Authors

Onur Üstüntaş 0009-0008-2961-8206

Cemil Kavalcı 0000-0003-2529-2946

Early Pub Date October 24, 2023
Publication Date November 1, 2023
Submission Date August 8, 2023
Acceptance Date September 11, 2023
Published in Issue Year 2023 Volume: 5 Issue: 3

Cite

Vancouver Üstüntaş O, Kavalcı C. Investigation of COVID-19 Anxiety Levels of Emergency Workers. Phnx Med J. 2023;5(3):201-5.
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