Personal and professional experiences related to Sars-Cov-2 infection and attitudes to vaccination against COVID-19: the case of medical workers in the Republic of Moldova

Abstract

Annotation: The global COVID-19 pandemic has presented huge challenges for health systems worldwide, but also for the entire population, leading to about 545 millions of infections and over 6.3 million of deaths so far. Faced with an unprecedented critical situation, front-line health workers, directly involved in the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with SARS-CoV-2, have been exposed to the risk not only of becoming infected but also of developing psychological distress and mental health symptoms. Since the spring of 2020, they have gone through a series of experiences, which have influenced their attitudes towards health and professional activity: the growing number of confirmed and suspected cases, the overwhelming workload, the lack of personal protective equipment, the constant pressure by mass media, the lack of necessary medicines and others, which frequently created the feeling of lack of adequate social and governmental support. The studies conducted during this period have reported adverse psychological reactions among health care workers: reluctance to work or think positively, resignation due to inability to cope with the demands of the profession, symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression, which could have long-term psychological implications. The research presented in this article aimed to identify the cognitive, emotional and behavioral aspects of the attitudes of medical workers in the Republic of Moldova towards SARSCoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination, related to the experiences of the pandemic. The data were collected in a survey conducted in January-February 2022 on a sample of about 130 medical workers, employed in departments with COVID-19 profile and other medical institutions. The results show the attitudes, correlated with the professional and personal experiences within the COVID-19 pandemic.