Impact of COVID-19 on Japanese municipal public health nurses and public health practices related to communication with community residents

Abstract

Objective This study analyzed the impact of COVID-19 on municipal public health nurses and public health practices related to communication with community residents.Method A self-administered questionnaire survey targeted 474 public health nurses working in 40 municipalities in Japan's Aomori Prefecture. Participants were asked about the following basic attributes: whether they provided care for people who were COVID-19 positive or were in close contact with infected people; physical or mental impacts; how each work area was impacted; how mask-wearing affected their communication with community residents; positive and negative aspects of current infection-control measures; how they communicated and shared information with residents as they provided care; challenges and initiatives; and creative work efforts. We conducted the survey from September 23 to October 7, 2020, and analyzed the data using SPSS and KH Coder.Results We received 228 responses (48.1% valid responses); 11.4% reported that they provided care or were in close contact with people who were COVID-19 positive. At least 60% of respondents had been impacted mentally. Mask-wearing hindered communication with community residents, however, it did not significantly impact trust-building. COVID-19 measures had a positive impact on respondents' public health work as infection-prevention awareness increased and infection-control measures advanced. Meetings, including online conferences, became more efficient, and nurses had opportunities to reexamine their work performance. Negative consequences included weakened communication with residents, slander against infected people, increased stress among residents, repercussions from not going out, and difficulty implementing necessary public health services. Most of the interaction, information sharing, and support for residents were carried out over the phone. Responses regarding new challenges and initiatives were classified into six categories: public health services that consider infection-control measures; various preventive measures; efforts to establish new lifestyles; review of methods for conducting group-health check-ups; review of operations and implementation of creative efforts in providing health guidance; and review of meetings, training sessions, and online conferences.Conclusion The survey revealed that COVID-19 affected most public health nurses mentally. Challenges in providing in-person care were reported. Nurses faced significant obstacles communicating with residents; however, they reported that services incorporating infection-control measures were progressively gaining traction. Nurses are exploring new communication methods based on established community trust. Furthermore, it is necessary to explore public health services that fulfill both the current and future community requirements.