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Worries and concerns among healthcare workers during the coronavirus 2019 pandemic: A web-based cross-sectional survey

Author

Listed:
  • Yuki Sahashi

    (Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine
    Yokohama City University)

  • Hirohisa Endo

    (Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine)

  • Tadafumi Sugimoto

    (Mie University Hospital)

  • Takeru Nabeta

    (Kitasato University School of Medicine)

  • Kimitaka Nishizaki

    (Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine)

  • Atsushi Kikuchi

    (Osaka General Medical Center)

  • Shingo Matsumoto

    (Toho University Graduate School of Medicine)

  • Hiroyuki Sato

    (Teine Keijinkai Hospital)

  • Tadahiro Goto

    (TXP Medical Co. Ltd
    The University of Tokyo)

  • Kohei Hasegawa

    (Harvard Medical School)

  • Yuya Matsue

    (Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine
    Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine)

Abstract

Healthcare workers (HCWs) treating and caring for patients with emerging infectious diseases often experience psychological distress. However, the psychological impact and behavior change of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic among HCWs are still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the worries and concerns of HCWs regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. In this cross-sectional survey, a web-based questionnaire was distributed among HCWs working in hospitals or clinics across Japanese medical facilities from April 20 to May 1, 2020. The questionnaire comprised items on demographics, worries and concerns, perceptions regarding the sufficiency of information, and behavioral changes pertaining to the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 4386 HCWs completed the survey; 1648 (64.7%) were aged 30–39 years, 2379 (54.2%) were male, and 782 (18.1%) were frontline HCWs, directly caring for patients with COVID-19 on a daily basis. 3500 HCWs (79.8%) indicated that they were seriously worried about the pandemic. The most frequent concern was the consequence of becoming infected on their family, work, and society (87.4%). Additionally, the majority (55.5%) had restricted social contact and almost all HCWs endorsed a shortage in personal protective equipment (median, 8/9 (interquartile range; 7–9) on a Likert scale). There was no significant difference in the degree of worry between frontline and non-frontline HCWs (8/9 (7–9) vs. 8/9 (7–9), p = 0.25). Frontline HCWs, compared to non-frontline HCWs, were more likely to have the need to avoid contact with families and friends (24.8% vs. 17.8%, p

Suggested Citation

  • Yuki Sahashi & Hirohisa Endo & Tadafumi Sugimoto & Takeru Nabeta & Kimitaka Nishizaki & Atsushi Kikuchi & Shingo Matsumoto & Hiroyuki Sato & Tadahiro Goto & Kohei Hasegawa & Yuya Matsue, 2021. "Worries and concerns among healthcare workers during the coronavirus 2019 pandemic: A web-based cross-sectional survey," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-8, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:palcom:v:8:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-021-00716-x
    DOI: 10.1057/s41599-021-00716-x
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    Cited by:

    1. Monika Bernburg & Mara Shirin Hetzmann & Natascha Mojtahedzadeh & Felix Alexander Neumann & Matthias Augustin & Volker Harth & David Alexander Groneberg & Birgit-Christiane Zyriax & Stefanie Mache, 2021. "Stress Perception, Sleep Quality and Work Engagement of German Outpatient Nurses during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-24, December.
    2. Algae K. Y. Au & Jacky C. K. Ng & Wesley C. H. Wu & Sylvia Xiaohua Chen, 2023. "Who do we trust and how do we cope with COVID-19? A mixed-methods sequential exploratory approach to understanding supportive messages across 35 cultures," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-14, December.
    3. Okeke, Edward N., 2022. "Playing defense? Health care in the era of Covid," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    4. Nuria Ceular-Villamandos & Virginia Navajas-Romero & Lorena Caridad y Lopez Rio & Maria Jesus Vazquez-Garcia, 2024. "The determinants of mental well-being of healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Yushan Wu & Rita Yi Man Li & Sher Akbar & Qinghua Fu & Sarminah Samad & Ubaldo Comite, 2022. "The Effectiveness of Humble Leadership to Mitigate Employee Burnout in the Healthcare Sector: A Structural Equation Model Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-20, October.
    6. Elisabeth Rohwer & Natascha Mojtahedzadeh & Felix Alexander Neumann & Albert Nienhaus & Matthias Augustin & Volker Harth & Birgit-Christiane Zyriax & Stefanie Mache, 2021. "The Role of Health Literacy among Outpatient Caregivers during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-25, November.

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