The Impact of Violence on the Anxiety Levels of Healthcare Personnel During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic stressed the importance of healthcare personnel. However, there is evidence of an increase in violence against them, which brings consequences, such as anxiety. The aim of this study was to analyze the anxiety levels of health professionals who have or not suffere...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Mariá Romanio Bitencourt, Lincoln Luís Silva, Ana Carolina Jacinto Alarcão, Amanda de Carvalho Dutra, Marcos Rogério Bitencourt, Giovana Jorge Garcia, Luciano de Andrade, João Ricardo Nickenig Vissoci, Sandra Marisa Pelloso, Maria Dalva de Barros Carvalho
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-11-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.761555/full
_version_ 1818917172147126272
author Mariá Romanio Bitencourt
Lincoln Luís Silva
Ana Carolina Jacinto Alarcão
Amanda de Carvalho Dutra
Marcos Rogério Bitencourt
Giovana Jorge Garcia
Luciano de Andrade
João Ricardo Nickenig Vissoci
Sandra Marisa Pelloso
Maria Dalva de Barros Carvalho
author_facet Mariá Romanio Bitencourt
Lincoln Luís Silva
Ana Carolina Jacinto Alarcão
Amanda de Carvalho Dutra
Marcos Rogério Bitencourt
Giovana Jorge Garcia
Luciano de Andrade
João Ricardo Nickenig Vissoci
Sandra Marisa Pelloso
Maria Dalva de Barros Carvalho
author_sort Mariá Romanio Bitencourt
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic stressed the importance of healthcare personnel. However, there is evidence of an increase in violence against them, which brings consequences, such as anxiety. The aim of this study was to analyze the anxiety levels of health professionals who have or not suffered violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, and verify the variables associated with the risk of starting to take medication for anxiety.Methods: We assessed the anxiety profile of health professionals in Brazil through an online questionnaire, using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7), in relation to groups of participants who have or not suffered violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient to check the consistency of the responses, and the effect size using the r coefficient. Principal Component Analysis was used to verify the differences in anxiety scores between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was also used to verify the variables associated with the risk of starting medication for anxiety and considered statistically significant when p < 0.05.Results: A total of 1,166 health professionals participated in the study, in which 34.13% had a normal anxiety profile, 40.14% mild, 15.78% moderate, and 9.95% severe. The mean score of the sum of the GAD-7 was 7.03 (SD 5.20). The group that suffered violence had a higher mean (8.40; SD 5.42) compared to the group that did not (5.70; SD 4.60). In addition, the median between both groups was significantly different (7.0 vs. 5.0; p < 0.01). Approximately 18.70% of the participants reported having started taking medication to treat anxiety during the pandemic. The factors that increased the chances of these professionals starting medication for anxiety p < 0.05 were having suffered violence during the pandemic (OR 1.97; 95% CI 1.42–2.77), being nurses (OR 1.61; 95% CI 1.04–2.47) or other types of health professionals (OR 1.58; 95% CI 1.04–2.38), and having a mild (OR 2.11; 95% CI 1.37–3.34), moderate (OR 4.05; 95% CI 2.48–6.71) or severe (OR 9.08; 95% CI 5.39–15.6) anxiety level.Conclusion: Brazilian healthcare professionals who have suffered violence during the pandemic have higher anxiety scores and higher risk to start taking anxiety medication.
first_indexed 2024-12-20T00:29:50Z
format Article
id doaj.art-79a7234d868b4ecbb89da6c8d96db219
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1664-0640
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-20T00:29:50Z
publishDate 2021-11-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Psychiatry
spelling doaj.art-79a7234d868b4ecbb89da6c8d96db2192022-12-21T19:59:58ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402021-11-011210.3389/fpsyt.2021.761555761555The Impact of Violence on the Anxiety Levels of Healthcare Personnel During the COVID-19 PandemicMariá Romanio Bitencourt0Lincoln Luís Silva1Ana Carolina Jacinto Alarcão2Amanda de Carvalho Dutra3Marcos Rogério Bitencourt4Giovana Jorge Garcia5Luciano de Andrade6João Ricardo Nickenig Vissoci7Sandra Marisa Pelloso8Maria Dalva de Barros Carvalho9Graduation Program in Health Sciences, State University of Maringá, Maringá, BrazilGraduation Program in Biosciences and Physiopathology, State University of Maringá, Maringá, BrazilFaculdade Adventista Paranaense, Ivatuba, BrazilGraduation Program in Health Sciences, State University of Maringá, Maringá, BrazilGraduation Program in Health Sciences, State University of Maringá, Maringá, BrazilDepartment of Medicine, University of Cesumar, Maringá, BrazilGraduation Program in Health Sciences, State University of Maringá, Maringá, BrazilDuke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, United StatesGraduation Program in Health Sciences, State University of Maringá, Maringá, BrazilGraduation Program in Health Sciences, State University of Maringá, Maringá, BrazilIntroduction: The COVID-19 pandemic stressed the importance of healthcare personnel. However, there is evidence of an increase in violence against them, which brings consequences, such as anxiety. The aim of this study was to analyze the anxiety levels of health professionals who have or not suffered violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, and verify the variables associated with the risk of starting to take medication for anxiety.Methods: We assessed the anxiety profile of health professionals in Brazil through an online questionnaire, using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale (GAD-7), in relation to groups of participants who have or not suffered violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient to check the consistency of the responses, and the effect size using the r coefficient. Principal Component Analysis was used to verify the differences in anxiety scores between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis was also used to verify the variables associated with the risk of starting medication for anxiety and considered statistically significant when p < 0.05.Results: A total of 1,166 health professionals participated in the study, in which 34.13% had a normal anxiety profile, 40.14% mild, 15.78% moderate, and 9.95% severe. The mean score of the sum of the GAD-7 was 7.03 (SD 5.20). The group that suffered violence had a higher mean (8.40; SD 5.42) compared to the group that did not (5.70; SD 4.60). In addition, the median between both groups was significantly different (7.0 vs. 5.0; p < 0.01). Approximately 18.70% of the participants reported having started taking medication to treat anxiety during the pandemic. The factors that increased the chances of these professionals starting medication for anxiety p < 0.05 were having suffered violence during the pandemic (OR 1.97; 95% CI 1.42–2.77), being nurses (OR 1.61; 95% CI 1.04–2.47) or other types of health professionals (OR 1.58; 95% CI 1.04–2.38), and having a mild (OR 2.11; 95% CI 1.37–3.34), moderate (OR 4.05; 95% CI 2.48–6.71) or severe (OR 9.08; 95% CI 5.39–15.6) anxiety level.Conclusion: Brazilian healthcare professionals who have suffered violence during the pandemic have higher anxiety scores and higher risk to start taking anxiety medication.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.761555/fullCOVID-19violencehealthcare personnelpsychological violenceoccupational healthanxiety
spellingShingle Mariá Romanio Bitencourt
Lincoln Luís Silva
Ana Carolina Jacinto Alarcão
Amanda de Carvalho Dutra
Marcos Rogério Bitencourt
Giovana Jorge Garcia
Luciano de Andrade
João Ricardo Nickenig Vissoci
Sandra Marisa Pelloso
Maria Dalva de Barros Carvalho
The Impact of Violence on the Anxiety Levels of Healthcare Personnel During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Frontiers in Psychiatry
COVID-19
violence
healthcare personnel
psychological violence
occupational health
anxiety
title The Impact of Violence on the Anxiety Levels of Healthcare Personnel During the COVID-19 Pandemic
title_full The Impact of Violence on the Anxiety Levels of Healthcare Personnel During the COVID-19 Pandemic
title_fullStr The Impact of Violence on the Anxiety Levels of Healthcare Personnel During the COVID-19 Pandemic
title_full_unstemmed The Impact of Violence on the Anxiety Levels of Healthcare Personnel During the COVID-19 Pandemic
title_short The Impact of Violence on the Anxiety Levels of Healthcare Personnel During the COVID-19 Pandemic
title_sort impact of violence on the anxiety levels of healthcare personnel during the covid 19 pandemic
topic COVID-19
violence
healthcare personnel
psychological violence
occupational health
anxiety
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.761555/full
work_keys_str_mv AT mariaromaniobitencourt theimpactofviolenceontheanxietylevelsofhealthcarepersonnelduringthecovid19pandemic
AT lincolnluissilva theimpactofviolenceontheanxietylevelsofhealthcarepersonnelduringthecovid19pandemic
AT anacarolinajacintoalarcao theimpactofviolenceontheanxietylevelsofhealthcarepersonnelduringthecovid19pandemic
AT amandadecarvalhodutra theimpactofviolenceontheanxietylevelsofhealthcarepersonnelduringthecovid19pandemic
AT marcosrogeriobitencourt theimpactofviolenceontheanxietylevelsofhealthcarepersonnelduringthecovid19pandemic
AT giovanajorgegarcia theimpactofviolenceontheanxietylevelsofhealthcarepersonnelduringthecovid19pandemic
AT lucianodeandrade theimpactofviolenceontheanxietylevelsofhealthcarepersonnelduringthecovid19pandemic
AT joaoricardonickenigvissoci theimpactofviolenceontheanxietylevelsofhealthcarepersonnelduringthecovid19pandemic
AT sandramarisapelloso theimpactofviolenceontheanxietylevelsofhealthcarepersonnelduringthecovid19pandemic
AT mariadalvadebarroscarvalho theimpactofviolenceontheanxietylevelsofhealthcarepersonnelduringthecovid19pandemic
AT mariaromaniobitencourt impactofviolenceontheanxietylevelsofhealthcarepersonnelduringthecovid19pandemic
AT lincolnluissilva impactofviolenceontheanxietylevelsofhealthcarepersonnelduringthecovid19pandemic
AT anacarolinajacintoalarcao impactofviolenceontheanxietylevelsofhealthcarepersonnelduringthecovid19pandemic
AT amandadecarvalhodutra impactofviolenceontheanxietylevelsofhealthcarepersonnelduringthecovid19pandemic
AT marcosrogeriobitencourt impactofviolenceontheanxietylevelsofhealthcarepersonnelduringthecovid19pandemic
AT giovanajorgegarcia impactofviolenceontheanxietylevelsofhealthcarepersonnelduringthecovid19pandemic
AT lucianodeandrade impactofviolenceontheanxietylevelsofhealthcarepersonnelduringthecovid19pandemic
AT joaoricardonickenigvissoci impactofviolenceontheanxietylevelsofhealthcarepersonnelduringthecovid19pandemic
AT sandramarisapelloso impactofviolenceontheanxietylevelsofhealthcarepersonnelduringthecovid19pandemic
AT mariadalvadebarroscarvalho impactofviolenceontheanxietylevelsofhealthcarepersonnelduringthecovid19pandemic