Physicians Presenteeism and Spirituality in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the spirituality (spiritual attitudes) and presenteeism (inability to be present at work) of family medicine clinic assistants who worked in many areas related to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) pandemic in a pandemic hospital and to determine the factors affecting them and to investigate the relationship between them. The study is an observational and cross-sectional study and the sample consisted of family medicine residents (n=127) working in the Family Medicine Clinic of Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, which served as the largest pandemic hospital in Turkey, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first part of the questionnaire form included the sociodemographic information of the participants, the second part included the data to determine the presenteeism status and its causes, and the Stanford presenteeism scale to devote oneself to work scale was applied. The third part included the spirituality scale. The presenteeism scale mean score of the physicians participating in the study was 18.75 points out of 30 points. The mean score of the spirituality scale was found to be 100.14 points out of 135 points, and the relationship between them was not found to be statistically significant. It has been observed that physicians who took a more active role in the pandemic had a lower level of inability to be present in their work, that is, higher job performance, compared to those who remained on passive duty for various reasons. A positive moderate correlation was found between the general health status of physicians and their job performance. It was determined that among the people with whom the physicians lived together during the pandemic period, the situation of being absent from work was higher in those who had a relative with a chronic disease compared to those who did not. It has been determined that those who have a spare person who can take care of themselves in the pandemic are less likely to be absent from their jobs than those who do not. It has been determined that among the physicians who had COVID-19, the situation of being absent from work was higher in those who required a rest report after isolation, compared to those who did not. On the other hand, physicians' mean scores of spirituality scale sub-dimensions such as "spiritual coping, transcendence, search for meaning, spiritual contentment, connection, harmony with nature" and total spirituality score were found to be high. In the study, physicians' presenteeism was found to be at a moderate level and spirituality at a high level. The awareness of physicians about the concept of presenteeism and spirituality was increased, the literature related to the conduct of this study was contributed in the field of health, and a different perspective was presented to the literature on the necessity of evaluating the human as a whole for the solution of presenteeism and the importance of addressing the regulatory role of spiritual attitudes.