Perceived Stress among Health Care Workers of an Emerging Infectious Covid-19 Outbreak in Indonesia

Abstract

Background: During the pandemic of Covid-19 in the world, frontline health care workers have been responsible for tracing contacts of patients infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It has an impact on mental health of health care workers. This study aimed to investigate the perceived stress among health care workers who work in health care facilities during the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia.
 Material and methods: A cross sectional study designed was applied in this study. The participants were midwives, nurses, pharmacists, pharmacist assistants, physicians, medical record staff, dental nurse, nutritionists and sanitarian. Demographic questionnaire was delivered to assess age, gender, marital status, job, work place and work place province. Personal protective equipment was added to the questionnaire. A perceived stress scale was used to assess perceived stress.
 Results: Study questionnaires were completed by 196 respondents. The results showed that almost participants had a moderate stress (73%). Most of the subjects were in the age group of 20-30 years old (43.9%). Majority of the participants were female (89.8%). Most of the participants were married (71.4%). In 58.2% of participants’ job was midwife and in 25.5% of the participants’ job was nurse. 50% of the participants worked in Health Centre and 20.9% of the participants worked in referral Covid-19 Hospital. In 26 % of participants work place Province was West Java, 17.9 % of participants work place Province was Banten and 16.3 % of participants work place Province was South Sulawesi. There was a significant difference of participants’ perceived stress in the group of workplace (p = -.023).
 Conclusion: The COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia resulted in increased stress for health care workers in Indonesia. Indonesia governments should improve interventions for preventing the spread of epidemics, promote disease treatment methods, and also offer psychological support especially for health care workers.
 Keyword: health care worker, covid-19, perceived stress, nurses, outbreak.