Signifying the Relationship between Fear of COVID-19, Psychological Concerns, Financial Concerns and Healthcare Employees Job Performance: A Mediated Model.

Muddassar Sarfraz,Larisa Ivascu,Xiangbo Ji,Ilknur Ozturk,Muhammad Asghar

doi:10.3390/ijerph19052657

Muddassar Sarfraz, Larisa Ivascu + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19052657

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Abstract

The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has undoubtedly created immense health problems in the global healthcare sector. Apart from its impact on physical health, it has devastatingly affected the psychological well-being of individuals. Based on Affective Events Theory (AET), the current study aims to contemplate the relationship between Fear of COVID-19 (CVF), psychological concerns (PC), and financial concerns (FC) while considering the impact on the healthcare employees’ job performance (JP). Moreover, this study investigates the mediating role of job anxiety (ANX), stress (ST), and depression (DEP). The data were collected through an online structured questionnaire (Google Forms) from 489 employees working in the healthcare centers of Pakistan. The structured equation modeling (partial least square) approach is adopted for data analysis. The study results showed that Fear of COVID-19, psychological and financial concerns positively and significantly affect healthcare workers’ job performance. Depression, anxiety, and stress mediated the relationship between Fear of COVID-19, psychological concerns, financial concerns, and job performance. The study theoretically and practically contributes to the existing literature on psychological and mental health by providing a better understanding of the individual variables that affect employees’ job performance.

Highlights

In December 2019, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)emerged from China, affecting every domain of human lives [1]
To support psychological well-being, this study aims to explore the role of psychological factors affecting the mental health of healthcare employees, influencing their work performance during the pandemic period
Based on the above literature, we developed the following hypothesis: Hypothesis 5: Anxiety negatively mediates the relation between COVID-19 fear, psychological concerns, financial concerns, and job performance

Summary

Introduction

In December 2019, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)emerged from China, affecting every domain of human lives [1]. The profound representation of the hideous infection has made the world’s healthcare division face psychological vulnerability. The COVID-19 high efficacy disrupted human settlement, accelerating the world’s mortality rate causing an extreme toll on the healthcare industry. The prolonged continuation of the malignant infection massively exasperated global health repercussions, illuminating this event as a universal health emergency by the World Health. Pandemic fear has emerged as the most disrupting factor interrupting the employees’ work role across worldwide organizations [3]. This pathogen brought the world’s biggest psychological problem affecting universal healthcare performance [4]. The high COVID-19 infectivity (i.e., fear) has significantly made individuals worry about its health repercussions, deteriorating psychological well-being [5]

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