Comparison of COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Stress among Frontline Medical Personnel in Daegu City, Korea
<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Frontline medical staff usually experience high levels of stress, which could greatly impact their work output. We conducted a survey to investigate the level of stress and its association with job types, work departments, and medical centers among COVID...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Medicina |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/57/6/583 |
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| author | Su-Jeong Shin Yun-Jeong Kim Hyun-Wook Ryoo Sungbae Moon Sang-Hun Lee You-Ho Moon Tae-Chang Jang Dong-Chan Park |
| author_facet | Su-Jeong Shin Yun-Jeong Kim Hyun-Wook Ryoo Sungbae Moon Sang-Hun Lee You-Ho Moon Tae-Chang Jang Dong-Chan Park |
| author_sort | Su-Jeong Shin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Background and Objectives</i>: Frontline medical staff usually experience high levels of stress, which could greatly impact their work output. We conducted a survey to investigate the level of stress and its association with job types, work departments, and medical centers among COVID-19 pandemic frontline medical personnel. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: We conducted a cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire among 307 frontline medical staff who cared for COVID-19 patients in Daegu city. We used a 33-item questionnaire to assess respondents’ general characteristics, job stress, personal effects associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and their stress level. A general health questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) was included in our questionnaire. <i>Results</i>: Majority (74.3%) of the respondents were in the stress group. The mean GHQ-12 score was 14.31 ± 4.96. More females (67.4%, <i>p</i> < 0.05) and nurses (73.3%, <i>p</i> = 0.001) were in the stress group compared to males and doctors. Medical staff in the general ward considered the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic situation higher. Nurses perceived work changes (<i>p</i> < 0.05), work burden (<i>p</i> < 0.05), and personal impact (<i>p</i> < 0.05) more serious than doctors. Medical staff in Level 3 emergency department (ED) perceived a lack of real-time information (<i>p</i> = 0.012), a lack of resources, and negative personal impacts associated with the pandemic as more serious than staff in Level 1 and Level 2 EDs. Medical staff in the intensive care unit perceived work changes (<i>p</i> < 0.05), work burden (<i>p</i> < 0.05), and lack of personal protective equipment (<i>p</i> = 0.002) as more serious than staff in the ED and general ward. <i>Conclusion</i>: Providing real-time information and resources for reducing work burden and negative personal impact is central to maximizing the work output of the COVID-19 pandemic frontline medical staff. Supporting their mental health through regular programs and intervention is also imperative. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:39:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-81c1bfd14dc24e768f300c6aad0318d7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1010-660X 1648-9144 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:39:07Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medicina |
| spelling | doaj.art-81c1bfd14dc24e768f300c6aad0318d72023-11-21T23:04:18ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X1648-91442021-06-0157658310.3390/medicina57060583Comparison of COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Stress among Frontline Medical Personnel in Daegu City, KoreaSu-Jeong Shin0Yun-Jeong Kim1Hyun-Wook Ryoo2Sungbae Moon3Sang-Hun Lee4You-Ho Moon5Tae-Chang Jang6Dong-Chan Park7Department of Emergency Medicine, Yeungnam University Medical Center, Daegu 42415, KoreaDepartment of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41944, KoreaDepartment of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41944, KoreaDepartment of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41944, KoreaDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Dongsan Medical Center, Keimyung University, Daegu 42601, KoreaDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Yeungnam University College of Medicine, Daegu 42415, KoreaDepartment of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Daegu Catholic University, Daegu 42472, KoreaDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Daegu Fatima Hospital, Daegu 41199, Korea<i>Background and Objectives</i>: Frontline medical staff usually experience high levels of stress, which could greatly impact their work output. We conducted a survey to investigate the level of stress and its association with job types, work departments, and medical centers among COVID-19 pandemic frontline medical personnel. <i>Materials and Methods</i>: We conducted a cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire among 307 frontline medical staff who cared for COVID-19 patients in Daegu city. We used a 33-item questionnaire to assess respondents’ general characteristics, job stress, personal effects associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and their stress level. A general health questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) was included in our questionnaire. <i>Results</i>: Majority (74.3%) of the respondents were in the stress group. The mean GHQ-12 score was 14.31 ± 4.96. More females (67.4%, <i>p</i> < 0.05) and nurses (73.3%, <i>p</i> = 0.001) were in the stress group compared to males and doctors. Medical staff in the general ward considered the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic situation higher. Nurses perceived work changes (<i>p</i> < 0.05), work burden (<i>p</i> < 0.05), and personal impact (<i>p</i> < 0.05) more serious than doctors. Medical staff in Level 3 emergency department (ED) perceived a lack of real-time information (<i>p</i> = 0.012), a lack of resources, and negative personal impacts associated with the pandemic as more serious than staff in Level 1 and Level 2 EDs. Medical staff in the intensive care unit perceived work changes (<i>p</i> < 0.05), work burden (<i>p</i> < 0.05), and lack of personal protective equipment (<i>p</i> = 0.002) as more serious than staff in the ED and general ward. <i>Conclusion</i>: Providing real-time information and resources for reducing work burden and negative personal impact is central to maximizing the work output of the COVID-19 pandemic frontline medical staff. Supporting their mental health through regular programs and intervention is also imperative.https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/57/6/583mental healthmedical staffCOVID-19 pandemicstress anxiety |
| spellingShingle | Su-Jeong Shin Yun-Jeong Kim Hyun-Wook Ryoo Sungbae Moon Sang-Hun Lee You-Ho Moon Tae-Chang Jang Dong-Chan Park Comparison of COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Stress among Frontline Medical Personnel in Daegu City, Korea Medicina mental health medical staff COVID-19 pandemic stress anxiety |
| title | Comparison of COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Stress among Frontline Medical Personnel in Daegu City, Korea |
| title_full | Comparison of COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Stress among Frontline Medical Personnel in Daegu City, Korea |
| title_fullStr | Comparison of COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Stress among Frontline Medical Personnel in Daegu City, Korea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparison of COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Stress among Frontline Medical Personnel in Daegu City, Korea |
| title_short | Comparison of COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Stress among Frontline Medical Personnel in Daegu City, Korea |
| title_sort | comparison of covid 19 pandemic related stress among frontline medical personnel in daegu city korea |
| topic | mental health medical staff COVID-19 pandemic stress anxiety |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/57/6/583 |
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