IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v21y2024i9p1124-d1464466.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Exploring Risk Perception, Mental Health, Mental Fatigue, Stigma, and the Quality of Life among UAE Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Multicentric Cross-Sectional Study

Author

Listed:
  • Yousef M. Aljawarneh

    (School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 25026, United Arab Emirates)

  • Nariman Ghader

    (Department of Mental Health, Medical Services Sector, Emirates Health Services, Dubai P.O. Box 2299, United Arab Emirates)

  • Ahmad M. Al-Bashaireh

    (School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 25026, United Arab Emirates)

  • Heyam F. Dalky

    (Department of Community and Mental Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, WHO Collaborating Center, Jordan University of Science & Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan)

  • Hasan Al-Omari

    (Department of Community and Mental Health Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, The Hashemite University, Zarqa P.O. Box 13115, Jordan)

  • Osama Alkouri

    (Faculty of Nursing, Yarmouk University, Irbid P.O. Box 566, Jordan)

  • Sarah R. Sanad

    (School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 25026, United Arab Emirates)

  • Noor Al Mheiri

    (Department of Mental Health, Medical Services Sector, Emirates Health Services, Dubai P.O. Box 2299, United Arab Emirates)

  • Aji Gopakumar

    (Data and Statistics Department (DSD), Emirates Health Services (EHS), Dubai P.O. Box 2299, United Arab Emirates)

  • Sara AlShaya

    (Data and Statistics Department (DSD), Emirates Health Services (EHS), Dubai P.O. Box 2299, United Arab Emirates)

  • Gregory L. Blatch

    (The Vice Chancellery, The University of Notre Dame Australia, P.O. Box 1225, Fremantle, WA 6959, Australia)

  • Hana Y. Ghunaim

    (Fatima College of Health Sciences, Institute of Applied Technology, Al Ain P.O. Box 24162, United Arab Emirates)

Abstract

Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented serious mental health challenges for healthcare professionals. This study investigated the mental health, mental fatigue, quality of life, and stigma of social discrimination among healthcare workers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A correlational, cross-sectional, multi-centric design was employed to collect data from 1383 healthcare workers across various healthcare settings. Participants were recruited using combined cluster and purposive sampling techniques. Standardized questionnaires, including the COVID-19 Pandemic Mental Health Questionnaire (CoPaQ), the Mental Fatigue Scale (MFS), the Social Discrimination Scale-Stigma Subscale (SDS), and the WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire-Brief (WHOQOL-BREF), were administered to assess the study variables. The results indicated significant mental health impacts, with high average scores for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (9.37 ± 6.74) and positive coping by inner strengths (17.63 ± 5.72). Mental fatigue was prevalent (8.15 ± 8.62), and stigma of social discrimination scored notably (23.83 ± 7.46). Quality of life was the highest in the social domain (65.38 ± 24.58). Significant correlations were observed between mental health subscales, mental fatigue, and quality of life domains. These findings highlight the critical need for targeted mental health support programs, improved social support networks, and personalized interventions to mitigate the mental health challenges faced by healthcare workers. Healthcare organizations can guarantee a resilient workforce that can handle future health crises by giving mental health resources and support systems top priority.

Suggested Citation

  • Yousef M. Aljawarneh & Nariman Ghader & Ahmad M. Al-Bashaireh & Heyam F. Dalky & Hasan Al-Omari & Osama Alkouri & Sarah R. Sanad & Noor Al Mheiri & Aji Gopakumar & Sara AlShaya & Gregory L. Blatch & H, 2024. "Exploring Risk Perception, Mental Health, Mental Fatigue, Stigma, and the Quality of Life among UAE Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Multicentric Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(9), pages 1-22, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:21:y:2024:i:9:p:1124-:d:1464466
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/9/1124/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/9/1124/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ebru Morgul & Abdulbari Bener & Muhammed Atak & Salih Akyel & Selman AktaÅŸ & Dinesh Bhugra & Antonio Ventriglio & Timothy R Jordan, 2021. "COVID-19 pandemic and psychological fatigue in Turkey," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 67(2), pages 128-135, March.
    2. Tiziana Ramaci & Massimiliano Barattucci & Francesca Vella & Paola Senia & Emanuele Cannizzaro & Alessandro Scorciapino & Caterina Ledda & Andrea De Giorgio & Venerando Rapisarda, 2020. "Straining at Work and Its Relationship with Personality Profiles and Individual Consequences in Healthcare Workers (HCWs)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-16, January.
    3. Nadia Rania & Ilaria Coppola & Marta Brucci, 2023. "Mental Health and Quality of Professional Life of Healthcare Workers: One Year after the Outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-15, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Luigi Cirrincione & Fulvio Plescia & Ginevra Malta & Marcello Campagna & Luigi Isaia Lecca & Alenka Skerjanc & Elisa Carena & Vincenzo Baylon & Kelly Theodoridou & Santo Fruscione & Emanuele Cannizzar, 2023. "Evaluation of Correlation between Sleep and Psychiatric Disorders in a Population of Night Shift Workers: A Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-10, February.
    2. Yu Zhang & Swarn Chatterjee, 2023. "Financial Well-Being in the United States: The Roles of Financial Literacy and Financial Stress," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-18, March.
    3. Tiziana Ramaci & Venerando Rapisarda & Diego Bellini & Nicola Mucci & Andrea De Giorgio & Massimiliano Barattucci, 2020. "Mindfulness as a Protective Factor for Dissatisfaction in HCWs: The Moderating Role of Mindful Attention between Climate Stress and Job Satisfaction," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-16, May.
    4. Yushi Lu & Zhi Li & Yuting Fan & Jin Wang & Tian Zhong & Ling Wang & Ying Xiao & Dongmei Zhang & Qingsong Chen & Xi Yu, 2022. "The Mediating Role of Cumulative Fatigue on the Association between Occupational Stress and Depressive Symptoms: A Cross-Sectional Study among 1327 Chinese Primary Healthcare Professionals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-15, November.
    5. Ying Lian & Yueting Zhou & Xueying Lian & Xuefan Dong, 2022. "Cyber violence caused by the disclosure of route information during the COVID-19 pandemic," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-18, December.
    6. Francesca Vella & Veronica Filetti & Luigi Cirrincione & Venerando Rapisarda & Serena Matera & Alenka Skerjanc & Emanuele Cannizzaro & Ermanno Vitale, 2022. "Work Ability after Breast Cancer: Study of Healthcare Personnel Operating in a Hospital of South Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-10, August.
    7. Fulvio Plescia & Luigi Cirrincione & Daniela Martorana & Caterina Ledda & Venerando Rapisarda & Valentina Castelli & Francesco Martines & Denis Vinnikov & Emanuele Cannizzaro, 2021. "Alcohol Abuse and Insomnia Disorder: Focus on a Group of Night and Day Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-15, December.
    8. Katarzyna Domosławska-Żylińska & Magdalena Krysińska-Pisarek & Dorota Włodarczyk, 2023. "Gender-Specificity of Fatigue and Concerns Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Report on the Polish Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-13, April.
    9. Nada Marić & Aleksandar Popović & Sonja Peričević Medić & Milorad Španović & Nataša Maksimović, 2023. "Prevalence and Factors Associated with Mental Health Problems among Essential and Nonessential Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic, June 2021, in an Unstable and Developing Country: A Cross-Sectional," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-18, March.
    10. Shilpi Kalwani, 2021. "The effect of COVID fatigue on mental health in the public sector organizations: exploring compassion as a mediator," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 48(4), pages 403-418, December.
    11. Tomás Caycho-Rodríguez & Julio Torales & José Ventura-León & Iván Barrios & Marcela Waisman-Campos & Alexandra Terrazas-Landivar & Laura Viola & Lindsey W. Vilca & Agueda Muñoz-del-Carpio-Toia, 2024. "Network analysis of pandemic fatigue symptoms in samples from five South American countries," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 70(3), pages 601-614, May.
    12. Umer Zaman & Syed Hassan Raza & Saba Abbasi & Murat Aktan & Pablo Farías, 2021. "Sustainable or a Butterfly Effect in Global Tourism? Nexus of Pandemic Fatigue, COVID-19-Branded Destination Safety, Travel Stimulus Incentives, and Post-Pandemic Revenge Travel," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-21, November.
    13. Barbarossa, Camilla & Patrizi, Michela & Vernuccio, Maria & Carmen Di Poce, Maria & Pastore, Alberto, 2023. "The resistance toward COVID-19 contact tracing apps: A study of psychological reactance among young adults in Italy," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    14. Pauline A. Hendriksen & Sema Tan & Evi C. van Oostrom & Agnese Merlo & Hilal Bardakçi & Nilay Aksoy & Johan Garssen & Gillian Bruce & Joris C. Verster, 2024. "COVID-19 Lockdown Effects on Sleep, Immune Fitness, Mood, Quality of Life, and Academic Functioning: Survey Data from Turkish University Students," Data, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-9, February.
    15. Vincenzo Alfano & Tiziana Ramaci & Alfonso Landolfi & Alessandro Lo Presti & Massimiliano Barattucci, 2021. "Gender Patterns in Mobbing Victims: Differences in Negative Act Perceptions, MMPI Personality Profile, Perceived Quality of Life, and Suicide Risk," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-19, February.
    16. Piotr Skórka & Beata Grzywacz & Dawid Moroń & Magdalena Lenda, 2022. "COVID-19 in Memes: The Adaptive Response of Societies to the Pandemic?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-24, October.
    17. Umer Zaman & Inhyouk Koo & Saba Abbasi & Syed Hassan Raza & Madeeha Gohar Qureshi, 2022. "Meet Your Digital Twin in Space? Profiling International Expat’s Readiness for Metaverse Space Travel, Tech-Savviness, COVID-19 Travel Anxiety, and Travel Fear of Missing Out," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-19, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:21:y:2024:i:9:p:1124-:d:1464466. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.