Assessing Sources of Stress towards the Mental Well-Being in Vaccine Administration Centres (VACs) Volunteers

Abstract

COVID-19 has sparked a surge in volunteering in society. Volunteering offers a chance for people to support and contribute to society during the pandemic. It is crucial to study the impact of volunteering on mental health and well-being. Thus, this paper aims to investigate the influence of perceived stressors on mental well-being among VACs volunteers. An anonymous online survey was conducted among volunteers at VACs in Selangor regarding their perceived stress, mental health, and well-being symptoms during their initial volunteering months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Both descriptive statistics and multiple regression analyses were conducted. Participants were 226 volunteers (58% female; 42% male); nearly half were aged between 35 and 44 years (46.5%), 65% were from a non-academic background, and 60.6% were part-time non-clinical who completed the survey questionnaire. Regression results indicate that workload & environment and dealing with vaccine recipients significantly predict psychological distress, physical discomfort, and mental stress in volunteers during the current pandemic. Meanwhile, knowledge and skills are only significantly influenced by physical discomfort. The findings will assist policymakers and all stakeholders in managing the necessary measures to prevent mental health problems during the upcoming pandemic, guide future potential volunteering processes in emergencies and enhance community volunteering programs.