Abstract
BackgroundThe health care professionals have a unique role in controlling the pandemic of COVID-19 and decreasing its mortality and morbidity. The burden of care and psychological impact of working in this circumstance can be unfavorable for many caregivers. In this qualitative study, the health care professionals' perception of stress during COVID-19 pandemic in Iran was assessed and several implications were proposed.Materials and MethodsThe participants were selected among staff who were providing medical services to patients with COVID-19 infection at the largest teaching hospital in Iran. Quota sampling was used to include physicians, nurses, and other paramedics. The grounded theory was selected to develop interview questions. Moreover, the thematic approach was applied to analyze the data content and data analysis was performed based on open and axial coding following the implementation of codes in MAQDA software.ResultsA wide range of psychological reactions including anxiety, feelings of guilt, depression, and anger were detected in the staff. Uncertainty accompanied by the pandemic of COVID-19 and shortcomings in preparation for crisis management were recognized as the two main sources of stress among health care professionals.ConclusionBased on the findings of the study, it is important to identify and evaluate the mental health needs of healthcare professionals. To reduce stress among health staff at COVID-19 care centers, it seems that the optimal strategy is simultaneous improvement in equipment and crisis management.
Highlights
As of today, we have witnessed the spread of an invisible enemy which was envisaged as pneumonia of an unknown origin in late December 2019
By emphasizing on two main dimensions of the disease through raising “how” and “why” questions [13], an attempt was made to gain insight into how stress is experienced and how it is manifested among health care staff who are involved with COVID-19 patients
In a multicenter study about health care workers’ (HCWs) mental health status in Iran during COVID-19 pandemic, depression was negatively associated with most quality of life domains, yet, social support was positively correlated with physical function, energy, and emotional well-being [21]
Summary
We have witnessed the spread of an invisible enemy which was envisaged as pneumonia of an unknown origin in late December 2019. Iran is among the countries with the highest number of people affected and the highest number of deaths due to COVID-19 in the Middle East [1] Working in this crisis condition like the previous epidemics in the world [2] or natural disasters [3] put a heavy burden on the physicians, nurses, and other health care staff in the referral hospitals [4]. The burden of care and psychological impact of working in this circumstance can be unfavorable for many caregivers In this qualitative study, the health care professionals’ perception of stress during COVID-19 pandemic in Iran was assessed and several implications were proposed
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