Health Care Workers In Turkey Research Articles

The mediation role of work-family conflict in the effect of workplace violence on job satisfaction and intention to leave: a study on health care workers in Turkey.

This study aims to determine how workplace violence experienced by healthcare workers in Turkey affects their job satisfaction and intention to leave. It also examines the mediating role of employees' work-family conflict between these effects. The PROCESS method was used in the study. The research was conducted on 595 health workers in three public hospital affiliated with the Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate. The convenience sampling method was used in the selection of the participants. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that there is a positive, significant, moderate (R = 0.35, p < 0.01) relationship between workplace violence and work-family conflict, and a negative, significant and weak relationship between workplace violence and job satisfaction (R = -0.27, p < 0.01), there is a positive, significant, and weak (R = 0.26, p < 0.01) relationship between workplace violence and intention to leave. In addition, there is a negative, significant, and weak (R = -0.27, p < 0.01) relationship between work-family conflict and job satisfaction, and a positive, significant, and weak (R = 0.28, p < 0.01) relationship between work-family conflict and intention to leave. Workplace violence had significant and negative effects on the employees' job satisfaction and significant and positive effects on the intention to leave and work-family conflicts. As a result of the mediating variable analysis, it was determined that work-family conflict has a partial mediator role in the relationship between workplace violence, job satisfaction, and intention to leave. The results are very important, especially for managers working in the healthcare sector. Reducing workplace violence against healthcare personnel will contribute to increasing productivity in the sector and providing better quality service to the healthcare sector.

Work Environment of Healthcare Workers with (COVID)-19 in a Hospital in Turkey

Objectives: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are among the occupational groups most affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The present study aims to conduct a retrospective investigation of the outpatient occupational disease clinic records of COVID-19 survivor HCWs and the distribution of the study participants within a specific hospital to identify the work units at risk and recommend control measures. Methods: This study investigated HCWs aged 18-65 years who had returned to their work in the hospital upon recovery from COVID-19. Results: A total of 360 HCWs (11.7%) had tested positive for COVID-19. Nurses constituted the highest percentage of COVID-19-positive HCWs (224, 62.2%), while those working in outpatient clinics were at the highest risk, accounting for 110 cases (30.6%). A statistically significant number of HCWs working in the intensive care unit (ICU) had COVID-19-positive co-workers. Furthermore, there was a correlation between the monthly number of all COVID-19-positive cases in Turkey and the number of COVID-19-positive HCWs in Turkey. Conclusions: The results suggest that HCWs did not sufficiently comply with preventive measures in low-risk work units, including outpatient clinics. Furthermore, the number of COVID-19-positive HCWs correlates with the number of COVID-19-positive co-workers and individuals in the general population.

Relationship Between Sociodemographic Differences and Knowledge, Attitude, and Anxiety Levels During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study on Healthcare Workers in Turkey and South Africa

Relationship Between Sociodemographic Differences and Knowledge, Attitude, and Anxiety Levels During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study on Healthcare Workers in Turkey and South Africa

Determination of Knowledge Levels and Attitudes of Healthcare Workers on Coronavirus Disease-19 Vaccines

Objective: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19, and vaccination is crucial. In addition, HCWs have the potential, both through their behaviours and their words, in controlling the pandemic. The aim of this study is to determine the vaccination statuses, knowledge levels and perspectives of HCWs regarding vaccination. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive and cross-sectional study designed for medical students, assistant physicians, nursing students and nurses, in Turkey, between July 15, 2021 and July 30, 2021, using an online questionnaire. Results: Vaccination rate among 822 HCWs was 79.2%. HCWs did not have enough information about vaccines (correct response rates were between 21.6% and 73%). The most important sources of information were social media and the statements of Turkish Minister of Health and Scientific Committee (41.9% and 29.5%, respectively). Vaccination rate was statistically higher in HCWs over 25 years old, physicians, living in the western regions of Turkey, serving patients with COVID-19, those who did not have previous COVID-19, and those who answered the vaccination questions correctly (p=0.019, p&amp;lt;0.001, p&amp;lt;0.001, p=0.042, p&amp;lt;0.001, p&amp;lt;0.001, respectively). The most important reason for vaccine hesitation/rejection was lack of confidence (41.6%). Conclusion: Vaccine hesitation among HCWs in Turkey can be eliminated by paying attention to the correct and effective use of social media, and the Ministry of Health and the Scientific Committee to pay attention to more transparent and precise management of the pandemic

A study on the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and job stress and satisfaction among healthcare workers in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The aim of this study was to determine the sociodemographic characteristics that affect job stress and job satisfaction in 454 healthcare workers (physicians, nurses, midwives, technicians, and other healthcare personnel) working with COVID-19 patients in primary healthcare institutions in Turkey with a cross-sectional, web-based survey between 9 and 30 August 2021. The survey included a personal information form, a standard job stress scale, and the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire. The levels of job stress and job satisfaction did not differ between male and female respondents. Singles reported lower job stress and higher job satisfaction than the married respondents. Job stress did not differ between departments, but respondents on the front line who worked in a COVID-19 intensive care unit (ICU) (at any point and/or at the time of the study) or the emergency department reported lower job satisfaction than those working in other departments. Similarly, while stress did not differ by educational status, satisfaction of respondents with bachelor's or master's degree was lower than that of the rest. Our findings also suggest that working in a COVID-19 ICU and age are significant predictors of higher stress, whereas lower education, working in a COVID-19 ICU, and being married are good predictors of lower satisfaction. Further research should include other sociodemographic variables that may affect stress and satisfaction at work, and similar studies should follow up to see what was left in the wake of the pandemic.

Changes in emotion regulation skills of school age children from the eyes of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey: A cross-sectional study.

While health workers were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic on an individual and professional basis, their families and especially their children were directly or indirectly exposed to similar factors. This study aims to compare the emotion regulation competencies of school-age children of healthcare workers in Turkey, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and to investigate their emotion regulation competencies during the pandemic in terms of care conditions, daily life activities and overall health. This study used the purposeful sampling technique and was designed as a cross-sectional and relational survey study. To conduct this study, permission was received from the Ministry of Health Directorate-General for Health Services, COVID-19 Research Evaluation Commission, and İzmir Kâtip Çelebi University Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee (Date/Decision no: 04.03.2021/0090). The data-collection process was carried out online between March and July, 2021. A total of 106 healthcare workers who serve in pandemic clinics or fields participated in this study. In addition to the information forms prepared by the researchers of this study, the Emotion Regulation Scale (ERS), which was adapted into Turkish, was used. One-way analysis of variance for independent samples was used for the analysis of variables, and paired samples t-test was used to compare emotion regulation competencies before and during the pandemic. The children's total ERS scores increased during the pandemic (47.70 ± 8.35) when compared with their pre-pandemic scores (44.86 ± 9.25), and furthermore this difference was found to be statistically significant (p = 0.000). The total mean ERS score of children with a healthcare worker parent increased significantly during the pandemic compared with the scores before the pandemic, which revealed that emotion regulation occurred at a lower level for these children. The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the emotion regulation competencies of children whose parents are healthcare workers is evident.

The Relationshiıp Between Organizational Commitment and Job Satisfaction: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Study from the Perspective of Healthcare Workers in Turkey

Bu kapsamlı meta analiz çalışması, sağlık sektörü çalışanlarının iş tatmini ve örgütsel bağlılık arasındaki ilişkileri baz alarak hazırlanan yurtiçi yayınların özetini sunmaktadır. Çalışma için veriler Ocak 2022 tarihinde toplanmıştır. Araştırmanın evrenini Ulusal Tez Merkezi üzerinde taranan yüksek lisans ve doktora tezleri, DergiPark Akademik ile TR Dizin tarafından endekslenmiş makaleler oluşturmaktadır. Taramalar ve dahil etme kriterleri neticesinde toplam 46 çalışmanın analiz için uygun olduğuna karar verilmiştir. Kapsamlı meta analiz programı kullanılarak gerçekleştirilen analizler sonucunda, sağlık sektörü çalışanlarının iş tatmini ve örgüsel bağlılıkları arasındaki randomize etki büyüklüğünün genel z ve p testi değerlerinin anlamlı, pozitif ve orta düzeyde olduğu ortaya çıkmıştır. Araştırma kapsamı içerisinde incelenen 2 adet çalışmaya ait güven aralıklarının alt limitlerinin diğer çalışmalara göre daha düşük olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Uygun etki büyüklüğü modeline karar verme aşamasında önce gerekli heterojenite testleri yapılmış, Cohrane Q testinin ki kare test sonucu ve Higgins’in I2 test istatistikleri neticesinde araştırma verilerinin homojen dağılmadığı, orman grafiği sonuçları da göz önünde bulundurularak tespit edilmiştir. Çalışma kapsamında gerçekleştirilen yayın yanlılığı testleri, çalışmada yayın yanlılığı olmadığına ve elde edilen sonuçların güvenilir olduğuna işaret etmektedir. Elde edilen bulguların ileride yapılacak çalışmalara yol gösterici olduğu ve sağlık yöneticileri ile politika yapıcılar için kanıta dayalı bilgiler sunacağı düşünülmektedir.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms, Psychosomatic Symptoms, and Sleep Quality in Health Care Workers in Turkey During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Data From a Large Tertiary Care Hospital

The aim of this study was to examine psychosomatic symptoms, sleep quality, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms of health care workers actively fighting against Coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19). Six hundred seventy-six health care workers were included in the study. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), Impact of Event Scale–Revised (IES-R), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) were applied to the participants. Of the participants, 55.4% were female health care workers. PTSD symptoms were observed in 24.3% of the participants and 42.55% had sleep disorder symptoms. The anxiety, depression, and stress, PHQ-15, and PSQI were determined to be the predictors for potential PTSD. Gender, job title, depression, PHQ-15, and IES-R were determined to be significant predictors for a sleep disorder. Gender, anxiety, IES-R, and PSQI were found to be significant predictors for psychosomatic symptoms. Determining which individuals are likely to be more affected in terms of psychosomatic symptoms, potential PTSD, and sleep disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic and detecting possible risk factors are of great importance. [ Psychiatr Ann . 2022;52(10):427–441.]

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Health Care Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background:Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has taken a significant toll on people worldwide, and in particular, on the health care workers (HCWs) who have worked on the frontlines in the fight against the pandemic. The goal of this study was to investigate the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related factors in HCWs in the era of COVID-19.Methods:This cross-sectional survey study was conducted between September 15, and October 15, 2020, among HCWs in Turkey. The survey consisted of self-administered questionnaires, which included questions about sociodemographic variables, experiences caring for patients with COVID-19, and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), a trauma screening tool. The online survey was completed by 1833 HCWs. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent predictors of PTSD.Results:The mean age of the participants was 32.7±7.0 years; 81.9% were physicians, and 56.5% were female. The rates of COVID-19 history in the respondents, a family member, or a coworker were 13.6%, 32.3%, and 12.6%, respectively. Among the HCWs who participated, 39.9% met the criteria for PTSD. Compared with the physicians, the nonphysician HCWs had a higher rate of PTSD (49.5% vs. 36%) (P<0.001) and higher PCL-5 scores (53.31±19.6 vs. 42.5±20.3) (P<0.001). In addition, 9.7% of the surveyed HCWs reported having suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Independent predictors of PTSD in HCWs were working on a COVID-19 unit, feeling isolated, suicidal ideation, being a nonphysician HCW, fear of spreading coronavirus to family, female sex, and a history of having COVID-19.Conclusions:HCWs were at risk for impairment in mental well-being in the era of COVID-19, with a significant number experiencing PTSD as well as suicidal ideation. Therefore, HCWs, especially those who are working on a COVID-19 unit and are female, should be monitored regularly for PTSD.

Factors Related to Attitudes Toward the COVID-19 Vaccine and Perception of Control of COVID-19 of Healthcare Workers in Turkey

Factors Related to Attitudes Toward the COVID-19 Vaccine and Perception of Control of COVID-19 of Healthcare Workers in Turkey

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on sleep quality in healthcare workers in Turkey

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused serious concerns and psychological distress globally. Healthcare workers remain one of the most affected groups due to life threatening risks in addition to increased working hours and labor intensity. All these factors may affect sleep quality of this population. The aim of this study is to evaluate the sleep behaviors of healthcare professionals working in secondary and tertiary hospitals in a large population in Turkey and to show how sleep quality is affected during the pandemic process using the easily applicable Jenkins Sleep Scale (JSS). The population of this cross-sectional descriptive study consists of two pandemic hospitals determined in Kahramanmaraş province. In our questionnaire, we asked subjective sleep quality, sleep time, time to fall asleep, total sleep time, and medication use. We also used JSS Turkish version (JSS-TR) to assess sleep quality and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) for increased daytime sleepiness.ResultsHealthcare workers who participated in our survey reported that they started to go to bed later, fell asleep later (mean: 41.75 ± 35.35 min), their total sleep time (mean: 6.67 ± 1.88 h) was shortened, and they needed medication to sleep more (5.7%) after the COVID-19 pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, bedtime behavior after 24:00 decreased from 80.1 to 43.9% of those who previously went to bed before 24:00. For those who went to bed after 24:00 before, it increased from 19.9 to 56.1%. In addition, sleep quality as assessed by subjective and JSS significantly deteriorated after the COVID-19 pandemic. Excessive daytime sleepiness increased. Those with ESS > 10 before and after COVID-19 were 3.9% and 14.1%, respectively (p < 0.001).ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic has significantly adversely affected the sleep behavior and sleep quality of healthcare professionals. The JSS is an easily applicable scale for assessing sleep quality in large population studies.

The occurrence and consequences of violence against healthcare workers in Turkey: before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BackgroundBefore and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers (HCWs) were victims of workplace violence (WPV). There are no reliable statistics on the occurrence and consequences of WPV against HCWs in Turkey throughout the pandemic period.ObjectiveWe investigated the rates of WPV against HCWs in Turkey in the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods, variables associated with WPV, and the relationship between these variables and job satisfaction and burnout.MethodsA structured online questionnaire was disseminated through social media channels to HCWs in various healthcare settings. All the respondents also completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and Job Satisfaction Scale. Based on the data obtained, we determined the frequency, causes, and consequences of WPV against HCWs before and during the pandemic.ResultsThere were 701 completed questionnaires. 68.2% of participants were female, and 65.6% of them were doctors. The rate of WPV was 54.1% and 24.3% before and during the pandemic, respectively. Verbal abuse was the most common kind of WPV. Female HCWs were more likely to be physically assaulted than their male counterparts, especially those working in COVID-19 units. The majority of HCWs who were exposed to the violence at least once did not report WPV. HCWs exposed to WPV during the pandemic reported more emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and a lower perceived level of personal achievement.ConclusionHCWs were exposed to significant levels of violence both before and during the pandemic. Preventing WPV against HCWs and removing barriers to reporting abuse is crucial.

Safety of an Inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Among Healthcare Workers in Turkey: An Online Survey

Background:As vaccination against coronavirus disase-19 (COVID-19) evolves, hesitancy has become a problematic issue that has gradually spread worldwide. The main reason for vaccine hesitancy is uncertainties about vaccine side effects.Aims:To evaluate the safety of an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine, CoronaVac, and determine the risk factors of emergence of side effects.Study Design:Cross-sectional study.Methods:An online questionnaire was administered via the internet to healthcare workers who received one or two doses of CoronaVac. The online survey consisted of three sections detailing sociodemographic data, COVID-19 history, and post-vaccine side effects. Side effects that occurred in the period starting from immediately after the first vaccination to the end of the 14th day after the second vaccination were recorded.Results:A total of 1628 healthcare workers responded to the online survey. Of these, 24.3% had a side effect either after the first or second dose of CoronaVac. Redness and/or pain at the inoculation site, headache, muscle and joint pains, palpitations, and dizziness were the most common side effects. Female sex, age <50 years, and thyroid disorder in the pre-vaccine period were found to be risk factors for the emergence of side effects. Blood pressure control could not be achieved in 2.2% of participants despite medication use, and permanent medication was needed in 2.5% of participants for blood pressure control.Conclusion:Almost a quarter of healthcare workers have at least one side effect after the first or second dose of CoronaVac. Female gender, age <50 years, and thyroid disorder appear to be risk factors for the occurrence of side effects.

Rates of underreported needlestick and sharps injuries among healthcare workers in Turkey: in the light of Infection Control Committee data.

Doctors and nurses are frequently exposed to needlestick and sharps injuries (NSIs) because of their work. It is estimated that NSIs are more common than the rates reported to Infection Control Committee. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and reporting rates of NSIs in our hospital. After their consent forms were obtained for the questionnaire, 670 doctors and nurses were interviewed face-to-face by the Infection Control Committee nurse. The questionnaire consisted of 22 questions, and the answers were recorded. The questions were on demographic data and injuries. The data of NSIs, whose active surveillance was made in our hospital since 2005 and in the last 1 year, were also analyzed retrospectively. A total of 119 (17%) people out of 670 people who participated in the study had at least one NSI; 43 (36%) people of the 119 people were doctors and 76 (63.9%) people were nurses. The most common injuries among doctors were found in assistant doctors (60%). No statistically significant differences were detected between the doctors and nurses in terms of injury status (P = 0.398). The most common injuries were found in surgical clinics, and a significant difference was detected here when compared to other clinics. The data that 20 (17%) people of the 118 people who were injured by the NSIs reported the injury were obtained from the Infection Control Committee database. It is seen that injuries are high in surgical clinics and assistant doctors who have high work stress and workload. There were more injuries with sharp objects than the expected rates in our hospital although the reports were made very rarely. First of all, we should determine strategies, especially education, to reduce injuries, and then remove the obstacles to unreported injuries. The methods of clinics with a high rates of reporting needlestick and sharps injuries to the infection control committee should be examined and tried to be applied in our own clinics.

An analysis of antibody response following the second dose of CoronaVac and humoral response after booster dose with BNT162b2 or CoronaVac among healthcare workers in Turkey.

Limited data are available on the short‐ to midterm levels of antibodies to the CoronaVac vaccine and quantitative change in humoral response after homologous or heterologous booster doses. In this prospective cohort study, we evaluated the anti‐receptor‐binding domain (RBD) immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels after two doses of CoronaVac and heterologous/homologous booster administration among healthcare workers in a university hospital in Turkey. Quantitative anti‐RBD IgG antibody levels were measured at first and fourth months in 560 healthcare workers who had completed two doses of CoronaVac vaccine, and within 2 months after the third dose of CoronaVac or BNT162b2. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire during the first blood draw. The seropositivity rate was 98.9% and 89.1%, and the median antibody level was 469.2 AU/ml and 166.5 AU/ml at first and fourth month, respectively. In the fourth month, a mean reduction of 61.4% ± 20% in antibody levels was observed in 79.8% of the participants. The presence of chronic disease (odds ratio [OR]: 1.76, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15–2.69) and being in the 36–50 age group (OR: 2.11, 95% CI: 1.39–3.19) were identified as independent predictors for low antibody response. The antibody level increased 104.8‐fold (median: 17 609.4 vs. 168 AU/ml) and 8.7‐fold (median: 1237.9 vs. 141.4 AU/ml) in the participants who received BNT162b2 and CoronaVac, respectively. During the follow‐up, 25 healthcare workers (4.5%) were infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Considering the waning immunity and circulating variants, a single booster dose of messenger RNA vaccine seems reasonable after the inactivated vaccine especially in risk groups.

The effect of COVID-19 pandemic on life quality of dental professionals

Introduction: The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has become the most challenging issue for dental professionals all over the world. The majority of epidemiological reports focus on quality of life and health of general health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, it was aimed to assess the effects of the pandemic on dental professionals’ quality of life.&#x0D; Material and Method: After the vaccination of healthcare workers in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic, a descriptive cross-sectional study of 487 dental professionals was carried out by the researchers. Short Form-36 (SF-36) which is based on eight dimensions of health were used to assess dental professionals’ quality of life. The data was collected using an electronic questionnaire distributed online. The participants were asked to indicate their socio-demographic data, their practices regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and whether they had contracted the COVID-19 disease.&#x0D; Results: The quality of life of all participants was moderately disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic with a mental health score of 51.32 (±20.66) and a physical health score of 72.9 (±16.73). Participants who had case tracing duty during the COVID-19 pandemic scored lower with 45.83 (±20.08) in mental health and 66.94 (±18.47) in physical health. Overall, COVID-19 pandemic has a serious impact on the quality of life and and this impact is more marked in dental professionals with fewer years of experience and those who had case tracing duty during the COVID-19 pandemic.&#x0D; Conclusion: The results confirm the need to pay attention to the health of dental professionals who had case tracing duty during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results also point out that dental professionals who are recent graduates and working in the public sector may be more likely to have well-being problems due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Continuing Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical Well-Being and Mental Health of ICU Healthcare Workers in Turkey: A Single-Centre Cross-Sectional Later-Phase Study.

BackgroundThis study aimed to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on physical well-being and mental health of ICU healthcare workers (HCWs).MethodsA total of 51 ICU HCWs working at a tertiary care hospital were included in this cross-sectional study conducted before (January 2019-January 2020) and during (January 2021-April 2021) COVID-19 pandemic. Data on sociodemographic and work-related characteristics, COVID 19 history and current mental health issues via Hospital Anxiety-Depression Scale (HADS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-40), Suicidal Ideation Scale (SIS) and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) were recorded.ResultsOverall, 62.7% of participants were nurses, heavy workload (working ≥200 h/month) was reported by 76.5% of participants and previous history of COVID-19 was confirmed by 62.7%. Current mental health issues involved poor sleep quality in majority (96.1%) of participants, anxiety (51.0%), depression (51.0%) in at least half of them and a moderate degree of emotional exhaustion Heavy workload was associated with more remarkable decrease in sleep duration (median change: −0.5 vs. −1.0 h/day, P = .020), Vit B12 (median change: 60[−48-293] vs. −65[−371-262] pg/mL, P < .001) and Vit D (median change: −1.6[−13.1-20] vs. −9.7[−39.7-21.8] ng/mL, P = .004) during pandemic, while working hours per month were also significantly higher in those with versus without anxiety (264[150-390] vs. 240[150-264] h, P = .003) and with versus without depression (264[150-390] vs. 240[150-264] h, P = .037).ConclusionOur findings indicate high prevalence of mental health issues including anxiety and depression as well as poor sleep quality and emotional burnout among ICU HCWs, particularly those with heavy workload.

COVID-19, Anxiety, and Hopelessness: Quality of Life Among Healthcare Workers in Turkey.

The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of intense anxiety and hopelessness experienced by healthcare workers during the pandemic on their quality of life. This cross-sectional, online questionnaire-based study was conducted between August 31, 2020 and October 31, 2020, with 729 healthcare workers in Turkey. The study showed that hopelessness, the weekly working time, fatigue, and the workload of healthcare workers negatively affected their quality of life, those who found the pandemic measures inadequate had a lower quality of life and higher hopelessness levels, and those who needed knowledge on various issues to improve their skills had lower quality of life and higher levels of anxiety and hopelessness. Increasing the measures to make healthcare workers feel competent and ready during the COVID-19 pandemic and meet their information needs to improve their skills will reduce their anxiety and hopelessness and improve their quality of life. Identifying the factors affecting anxiety, hopelessness, and quality of life will help achieve sustainable success in the delivery of health services and promote employee health and safety.

Are patients with obesity "scapegoats"? The obesity prejudice levels of health care workers in Turkey.

This study assessed obesity prejudice levels, attitudes, and perceptions of health care workers toward individuals with obesity and the relationship between health care workers' perceptions of own and society's weight bias, healthy lifestyle preferences, body mass index, and other factors with obesity prejudice levels. This cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted with 700 health care workers in Turkey via an online survey addressing characteristics, perceptions, and attitudes toward obesity including an obesity prejudice scale. Categorical variables were expressed as frequencies and percentages. The χ² test was applied to compare categorical variables. The distribution of the data was evaluated by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Normally distributed data were compared by an independent sample t-test, while the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for comparing non-normally distributed data. Participants' mean age was 40.2±11.3 years and 67.9% were women. Notably, 57.9% worked at tertiary health care centers, 85.9% were physicians, and 64.8% were family physicians; 25% were prejudicial, while 58.1% tended to have prejudice toward individuals with obesity. Obesity prejudice scores were significantly higher among those who were in close contact with and who stated their preference for patients with obesity. Half of the participants tended to have prejudice, and one-fourth were prejudicial toward individuals with obesity. These results highlight the necessity of raising awareness of health care workers to reduce prejudicial attitudes that may negatively impact patients with obesity. Stigmatizing experiences might be detrimental, reducing the quality of life with long-term consequences for emotional and physical health.

Determining the importance of high-reliability healthcare organizations during the Covid-19 pandemic: Evidence from healthcare workers in Turkey

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused changes in the social and economic environments for healthcare. Particularly, to avoid spreading the Coronavirus pandemic, release the stress among healthcare workers, and make them work effectively during the epidemic, high-reliability healthcare organizations give great importance to the improvement of their functions. This study aims to show the importance of high-reliability healthcare organizations comparing their effectiveness during a pandemic by applied qualitative research method with many statistical analyses. In order to achieve the aim of the study, a Likert scale survey technique is used to collect the data by using an online survey. 280 healthcare workers filled the survey from January 17, 2021, to February 22, 2021. Based on the outcomes of the analyses, it has been found that such functions as shared knowledge pattern, provision of self-care, awareness of the coronavirus consequences at the workplace of high-reliability healthcare organizations have a positive and significant relationship at p &amp;amp;lt; 0.01 level with taken appropriate measures against coronavirus variable. Self-awareness of organizational role, organizational resources to provide safety, flexibility of work, environmental safety, and collective mindfulness do not have any relationship with the appropriate measures against Covid-19 variable. This outcome indicates that shared knowledge pattern, provision of self-care, and awareness of the coronavirus consequences at the workplace have a more important role in combating Covid-19 in high-reliability healthcare organizations. AcknowledgmentsWe would like to thank all the healthcare workers, who filled the survey of the study. This paper is supported by EFOP-3.6.3-VEKOP-16-2017-00007—“Young researchers for talent”— supporting careers in research activities in higher education program.