Work stress and caring intention among health care workers in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic
Abstract Background: Healthcare workers may feel stress when caring for patients suspected as having a highly infectious and novel disease, such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Objectives: This study aimed to identify the psychological responses and factors affecting these responses amon...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Tungs’ Medical Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.4103/ETMJ.ETMJ-D-23-00021 |
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| author | Ken-Hui Fu Hsiang-Fen Lai Chia-Sui Weng Wen-Hao Huang Cheng-Chih Lin Ying-Hui Wu |
| author_facet | Ken-Hui Fu Hsiang-Fen Lai Chia-Sui Weng Wen-Hao Huang Cheng-Chih Lin Ying-Hui Wu |
| author_sort | Ken-Hui Fu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background: Healthcare workers may feel stress when caring for patients suspected as having a highly infectious and novel disease, such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Objectives: This study aimed to identify the psychological responses and factors affecting these responses among healthcare workers in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Healthcare workers regardless of their experience in caring for COVID-19 patients in our hospital voluntarily participated in this cross-sectional study in April 2021. We used a self-assessment questionnaire with 70 items to identify the psychological responses and affecting factors. Results: The experience of caring for COVID-19 patients was significantly associated with eight stressors, including “frequent modification of infection control procedures,” “worrying about being negligent and endangering coworkers,” “worrying about lack of manpower,” “being without a properly fitted environment,” “protective gears being a drag in providing quality care,” “protective gears causing physical discomfort,” “worrying about inflicting COVID-19 on family” and “worrying about nosocomial spread.” Using multivariate logistic regression, “switching thoughts and facing the situation with positive attitudes” (odds ratio: 2.974, P = 0.011), “ever caring COVID-19 patients” (odds ratio: 1.990, P = 0.018), “I felt scared” (odds ratio: 0.180, P < 0.001), and “I thought it is unlucky” (odds ratio: 0.492, P = 0.029) were identified as independent factors for the healthcare workers’ willingness to participate in future missions regarding infectious respiratory diseases. Conclusion: The experience of caring for COVID-19 patients was significantly associated with several stressors related to psychological, practical, and environmental aspects, but not with immediate reactions to the mission. Experiences in caring for COVID-19 patients and positive attitudes could increase the healthcare workers’ willingness to participate in future missions regarding infectious respiratory diseases, and feeling scared and unlucky can reduce this willingness. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4dc8d9d7d5ec4eafb8e7e2e30e0d795d |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2071-3592 2949-9720 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Tungs’ Medical Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-4dc8d9d7d5ec4eafb8e7e2e30e0d795d2025-01-25T10:20:06ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsTungs’ Medical Journal2071-35922949-97202024-01-01181213310.4103/ETMJ.ETMJ-D-23-00021Work stress and caring intention among health care workers in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemicKen-Hui FuHsiang-Fen LaiChia-Sui WengWen-Hao HuangCheng-Chih LinYing-Hui WuAbstract Background: Healthcare workers may feel stress when caring for patients suspected as having a highly infectious and novel disease, such as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Objectives: This study aimed to identify the psychological responses and factors affecting these responses among healthcare workers in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Healthcare workers regardless of their experience in caring for COVID-19 patients in our hospital voluntarily participated in this cross-sectional study in April 2021. We used a self-assessment questionnaire with 70 items to identify the psychological responses and affecting factors. Results: The experience of caring for COVID-19 patients was significantly associated with eight stressors, including “frequent modification of infection control procedures,” “worrying about being negligent and endangering coworkers,” “worrying about lack of manpower,” “being without a properly fitted environment,” “protective gears being a drag in providing quality care,” “protective gears causing physical discomfort,” “worrying about inflicting COVID-19 on family” and “worrying about nosocomial spread.” Using multivariate logistic regression, “switching thoughts and facing the situation with positive attitudes” (odds ratio: 2.974, P = 0.011), “ever caring COVID-19 patients” (odds ratio: 1.990, P = 0.018), “I felt scared” (odds ratio: 0.180, P < 0.001), and “I thought it is unlucky” (odds ratio: 0.492, P = 0.029) were identified as independent factors for the healthcare workers’ willingness to participate in future missions regarding infectious respiratory diseases. Conclusion: The experience of caring for COVID-19 patients was significantly associated with several stressors related to psychological, practical, and environmental aspects, but not with immediate reactions to the mission. Experiences in caring for COVID-19 patients and positive attitudes could increase the healthcare workers’ willingness to participate in future missions regarding infectious respiratory diseases, and feeling scared and unlucky can reduce this willingness.https://doi.org/10.4103/ETMJ.ETMJ-D-23-00021caring intentioncovid-19healthcare workerstress |
| spellingShingle | Ken-Hui Fu Hsiang-Fen Lai Chia-Sui Weng Wen-Hao Huang Cheng-Chih Lin Ying-Hui Wu Work stress and caring intention among health care workers in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic Tungs’ Medical Journal caring intention covid-19 healthcare worker stress |
| title | Work stress and caring intention among health care workers in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Work stress and caring intention among health care workers in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Work stress and caring intention among health care workers in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Work stress and caring intention among health care workers in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Work stress and caring intention among health care workers in Taiwan during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | work stress and caring intention among health care workers in taiwan during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | caring intention covid-19 healthcare worker stress |
| url | https://doi.org/10.4103/ETMJ.ETMJ-D-23-00021 |
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