scholarly journals Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Licensed Full-Time Practicing Nurses Undertaking Part-Time Studies in Higher Education: A Cross-Sectional Study

Author(s):  
Siu-Ling Chan ◽  
Naomi Takemura ◽  
Pui-Hing Chau ◽  
Chia-Chin Lin ◽  
Man-Ping Wang

Frontline nurses face an unpreceded situation with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, and many report suffering from physical and psychological stress. This online, cross-sectional survey used questionnaires, such as the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) questionnaire, the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2), the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, stress-related questions, and Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (Brief-COPE), to determine the psychological impact of COVID-19 on licensed full-time practicing nurses undertaking part-time studies in higher education. Recruitment commenced from August to September 2020; 385 students were approached, and 124 completed the survey (response rate: 32%). Most of the respondents were frontline nurses working in public sectors (89.5%), 29% of whom reported symptoms of depression, and 61.3% reported mild to severe levels of anxiety. The GAD-7 was significantly associated with the resilience score (β = −0.188; p = 0.008) and exhaustion (β = 0.612; p < 0.001). The PHQ-2 was significantly associated with ‘anxiety about infection’ (β = 0.071; p = 0.048). A lower anxiety level was significantly associated with a higher resilience level and a lower level of exhaustion, and a lower depression level was significantly associated with a lower anxiety about infection. Nursing programs incorporating resilience building may mitigate psychological distress of the study population.

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Mohamed Elsayed ◽  
Radwa Abdullah El-Abasiri ◽  
Khaled T. Dardeer ◽  
Manar Ahmed Kamal ◽  
Mila Nu Nu Htay ◽  
...  

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has raised the necessity to rapidly develop safe and effective vaccines to limit the spread of infections. Meanwhile, vaccine hesitancy is a significant barrier to community vaccination strategies. Methods: An internet-based cross-sectional survey was conducted from March to April 2021 during the start of the vaccination campaigns. Results: A total of 1009 subjects participated, and the mean age (±SD) was 29.11 ± 8.2 years. Among them, 68.8% believed that vaccination is an effective method to control the spread of the disease, 81.2% indicated acceptance of the vaccine, and 87.09% reported that their doctor’s recommendation was essential for decision making. After adjusting for socioeconomic characteristics, rural residency (AOR 1.783, 95%CI: 1.256–2.531), working a part-time job (AOR 2.535, 95%CI: 1.202–5.343) or a full-time job (AOR 1.951, 95%CI: 1.056–3.604), being a student (AOR 3.516, 95%CI: 1.805–6.852) and having a partner (AOR 1.457, 95%CI: 1.062–2.00) were significant predictors for higher vaccine acceptance among the study participants. Believing in the vaccine’s efficacy showed the strongest correlation with vaccine acceptance (Spearman’s r = 0.309, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Although general vaccine acceptance is high (32.85%) in participants in our study, gender and geographic disparities were observed in the investigated urban population of young, well-educated Egyptians.


Blood ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 108 (11) ◽  
pp. 5518-5518
Author(s):  
David H. Henry ◽  
Shawn M. Wade ◽  
Mariana Servin ◽  
William Hershfield

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The time incurred in seeking care for the treatment of side effects of chemotherapy (CT) or radiotherapy (RT) can result in lost productivity and resulting lost wages for cancer patients (pts) and their caregivers. The purpose of this study was to assess the amount of time spent by pts and caregivers to seek treatment for side effects of CT/RT and to examine productivity losses associated with such visits. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from April to May 2006 using a random sample of pts from a chronic illness panel of 550,233 pts. Inclusion criteria were being at least 18 years of age, diagnosed with cancer, and receiving CT and/or RT either currently or during the 12 months prior to participating in the study. Percentages and means were used to calculate descriptive statistics. RESULTS: A total of 1,569 cancer pts were surveyed: 1,302 pts online and 267 pts by telephone. No significant differences were found between phone and online respondents. Of the pts currently receiving CT and/or RT (N=814), a total of 249 pts received treatment for side effects of CT/RT. The total time spent per visit to receive treatment for side-effects of CT/RT was approximately 5 hrs/visit including preparation time, travel time, and time spent at the clinic. Approximately one-half (54%) of the 249 patients currently receiving treatment for side effects of CT/RT were employed full-time (44%) or part-time (10%). Among employed patients currently receiving treatment for side effects of CT/RT, the mean number of work days missed as a result of visits for the treatment of CT/RT related side effects was 20 days per year. The primary reason for continuing to work during cancer treatment was financial need, reported by 59% of patients. Approximately 83% of all patients indicated that a caregiver generally accompanied them on their visits to the doctor’s office, clinic, or hospital to receive treatment for side effects of CT/RT. Seven out of ten caregivers (68%) were reported as being employed either full-time (62%) or part-time (6%). CONCLUSIONS: Time related burden for patients receiving treatment for side effects of CT/RT and their caregivers is significant. Reduction in frequency of such visits is important from the standpoint of patients’ economic livelihood and can stand to benefit employers and society. Table 1. Time Spent on Healthcare Provider Visits for Treatment of Side Effects Related to Chemotherapy and/or Radiation (N=249) Activity (per visit) Minutes Spent (mean) Standard Deviation Minutes Spent (median) Preparing to go to the doctor’s office, clinic or hospital 81 127 55 Travel to and from the doctor’s office, clinic, or hospital 102 188 58 Waiting at the doctor’s office, clinic, or hospital to see the doctor or another healthcare professional 64 72 39 Seeing the doctor or another healthcare professional 64 75 43 Total 311 380 210


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. e0248684
Author(s):  
Hridaya Raj Devkota ◽  
Tula Ram Sijali ◽  
Ramji Bogati ◽  
Meraj Ahmad ◽  
Karuna Laxmi Shakya ◽  
...  

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has been creating a panic and distressing situations among the entire population globally including Nepal. No study has been conducted assessing the psychological impact of this pandemic on the general public in Nepal. The objective of this study is to assess the mental health status during COVID-19 outbreak and explore the potential influencing factors among the population attending the hospital fever clinics with COVID–19 symptoms. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted between May—June, 2020 with a sample of 645 participants aged 18 and above in 26 hospitals across Nepal. Telephone interviews were conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire along with a validated psychometric tool, the Depression, Anxiety and Stress (DASS-21) scale. The metrics and scores of symptoms and their severity were created and analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the association of potential covariates with outcome variables. Results The prevalence of anxiety, depression and stress were 14%, 7% and 5% respectively. In reference to Karnali, participants from Bagmati province reported higher level of anxiety (OR 3.44, 95% CI 1.31–9.06), while stress (OR 4.27, 95% CI 1.09–18.32) and depressive symptoms (OR 3.11, 95% CI 1.05–9.23) observed higher among the participants in Province 1. Women were more at risk of anxiety (OR 3.41, 95% CI 1.83–6.36) than men. Similarly, people currently living in rented houses reported more stress (OR 2.97, 95% CI 1.05–8.43) and those living far from family reported higher rates of depressive symptoms (OR 3.44, 95% CI 1.03–11.46). Conclusion The study identified increased prevalence of stress, anxiety and depressive symptoms during the initial stage of COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal. Considering the findings, there is urgent need to develop and implement appropriate community-based mental health programs targeting individuals who have had COVID-19 symptoms and who are prone to develop adverse mental health outcomes.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
kejimu sunzi ◽  
cheng lei ◽  
jun pan ◽  
mei ju

Abstract Background: Nursing is becoming ever more demanding, and is regarded as a stressful occupation because of manpower shortages and various other challenges associated with nursing practice.This article describes the students’ professional commitment and career maturity, and students establish their career objectives during the early stages of their graduate study. Methods: A cross sectional,survey design was conducted at universities in China. A sample of 184 students was selected using the professional commitment scale and career maturity scale to investigate the status quo of professional commitment and career maturity of full-time nursing postgraduates. Data was collected using self-designed demographic characteristics of the student, professional commitment scale, career maturity scale in 2019.Data was analyzed using correlation coefficient test(α < 0.05 ).Results: Participants returned 184 surveys (response rate, 100%) . Career maturity (105.12±11.13), Specialty commitment(90.0 ±12.09),Career maturity was positively correlated with Professional Commitment (r=0.20).Conclusions: The career maturity and professional commitments of full-time nursing postgraduates were of an average level. Career planning courses could be useful to strengthen the vocational education of the post-graduate students.


Author(s):  
Zuha Aishath ◽  
Intan Marfarrina Omar ◽  
Waheeda Aishath

The quality of higher education (HE) is one of the key areas the higher education system of the Maldives focuses on to develop and expand the sector. Two of the factors that contribute to and influence the quality of HE are professional development (PD) and lecturers’ competency. However, in the context of Maldives, although efforts are made in the area of PD, little to no research has been conducted in this area. Hence, the purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between lecturer PD activities and their competencies in Maldives’ higher education institutes. A quantitative research design was adopted, which conducted a cross-sectional survey by administering a structured online questionnaire. A total of 171 lecturers participated, which included both full-time and part-time lecturers from two public and two private institutions. Data analysis revealed that there is a weak positive correlation between PD activities and lecturers’ competency; rs(129)=0.232, p=0.008. It is also possible that PD activities conducted do not cater for the needs of lecturers, and a culture where structured and individual PD activities are supported and encouraged is not efficiently established. In light of these findings, it is important to strengthen and expand the existing PD policies and focus on providing effective PD sessions on topics and areas that are most needed for lecturers, rather than on generic topics. This study contributes to the empirical literature on PD in the context of Maldives and to the overall development of the HE sector.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (S 01) ◽  
pp. S27-S33
Author(s):  
Abhishek Lal ◽  
Anas Sanaullah ◽  
Mahnoor Khawaja M. Saleem ◽  
Naseer Ahmed ◽  
Afsheen Maqsood ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate psychological distress caused by the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic among the adult population residing in Pakistan. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional survey-based study comprised 1,000 adults residing in Pakistan. A questionnaire was formulated and circulated among adult population of Pakistan, the depression and anxiety symptoms using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scales were assessed. Statistical Analysis Independent t-test, cross tabulation, and regression analysis were used to identify variables having impact on PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores. A p-value of ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Among 1,000 participants, 573 were males and 427 were females who completed the survey. Majority were restricted to home for more than 40 days. Considerable number of participants reported depressive (540, 54%) and anxiety (480, 48%) symptoms. Gender, age, earnings, and occupation have significant relation with psychological distress, although similar was not found with education levels. Conclusion Psychological distress, a concerning yet addressable issue was found among adults arising amid COVID-19 outbreak. Currently, physical health effects of COVID-19 are being looked, while mental health effects being under-addressed. This issue should be addressed to avoid any psychological impact in future.


2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (8) ◽  
pp. 785-794 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew R. Gallucci ◽  
Jeffrey C. Petersen

Context:  Athletic training facilities have been described in terms of general design concepts and from operational perspectives. However, the size and scope of athletic training facilities, along with staffing at different levels of intercollegiate competition, have not been quantified. Objective:  To define the size and scope of athletic training facilities and staffing levels at various levels of intercollegiate competition. To determine if differences existed in facilities (eg, number of facilities, size of facilities) and staffing (eg, full time, part time) based on the level of intercollegiate competition. Design:  Cross-sectional study. Setting:  Web-based survey. Patients or Other Participants:  Athletic trainers (ATs) who were knowledgeable about the size and scope of athletic training programs. Main Outcome Measure(s):  Athletic training facility size in square footage; the AT's overall facility satisfaction; athletic training facility component spaces, including satellite facilities, game-day facilities, offices, and storage areas; and staffing levels, including full-time ATs, part-time ATs, and undergraduate students. Results:  The survey was completed by 478 ATs (response rate = 38.7%) from all levels of competition. Sample means for facilities were 3124.7 ± 4425 ft2 (290.3 ± 411 m2) for the central athletic training facility, 1013 ± 1521 ft2 (94 ± 141 m2) for satellite athletic training facilities, 1272 ± 1334 ft2 (118 ± 124 m2) for game-day athletic training facilities, 388 ± 575 ft2 (36 ± 53 m2) for athletic training offices, and 424 ± 884 ft2 (39 ± 82 m2) for storage space. Sample staffing means were 3.8 ± 2.5 full-time ATs, 1.6 ± 2.5 part-time ATs, 25 ± 17.6 athletic training students, and 6.8 ± 7.2 work-study students. Division I schools had greater resources in multiple categories (P &lt; .001). Differences among other levels of competition were not as well defined. Expansion or renovation of facilities in recent years was common, and almost half of ATs reported that upgrades have been approved for the near future. Conclusions:  This study provides benchmark descriptive data on athletic training staffing and facilities. The results (1) suggest that the ATs were satisfied with their facilities and (2) highlight the differences in resources among competition levels.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsay Hedden ◽  
Setareh Banihosseini ◽  
Nardia Strydom ◽  
Rita McCracken

Abstract Background There are ongoing accessibility challenges in primary care in British Columbia, Canada, with 17% of the population not having a regular source of care. Anecdotal evidence suggests that physicians are moving away from a community-based comprehensive practice model, which could contribute to shortages. Thus, we aimed to identify and describe how family physicians are currently organizing their primary care practices in a large health region in British Columbia and to examine differences between newer graduates and more established physicians. Methods Data for this cross-sectional study were drawn from an annual physician privileging survey. N = 1017 physicians were invited to participate. We categorized practice style into five distinct groupings and compared features across respondent groups, including personal and practice location characteristics, hospital and teaching work, payment and appointment characteristics, and scope of practice. We discuss the implications of styles of practice and associated characteristics on health workforce policy and planning. Results We received responses from 525 (51.6%) physicians. Of these, 355 (67.6%) reported doing at least some community-based primary care. However, only 112 (21.3%) provided this care full time. Most respondents supplemented community-based work with part-time hours in focused practice, hospitals, or inpatient facilities. We found diversity in the scope and style of practice across practice models. Compared to established physicians, new graduates (in practice less than 10 years) work more weekly hours (more patient care, and paperwork in particular). However, we found no difference between new and established physicians in the odds of providing any or full-time community-based primary care. Conclusions Despite a lack of formalized structural reform in British Columbia’s primary care system, most physicians are finding alternative ways to model their practice and shifting away from work at single-location, community-based clinics. This shift challenges assumptions that are relied on for workplace planning that is intended to ensure adequate access to longitudinal, community-based family medicine.


Author(s):  
Jayashree Janagam ◽  
K. C. Muraleedharan ◽  
Deepthi Gilla ◽  
N. D. Mohan

Background: Pandemics are known to cause poor mental well-being and an increased risk of mental disorders. The foremost concern emerging from different aspects of COVID-19 is its impact on mental health. There were many surveys conducted on the general population related to the effect of COVID-19 and few studies on its psychological impact but there is sparse literature on how the containment measures affected the psychiatric patients. Objective of the study was to investigate whether the COVID-19 related lockdown affected the subjective mood and behavior of psychiatric patients and their caregivers. The secondary purpose is to assess the difficulties encountered in procuring medicines and the effect of non-availability of homoeopathic medicines if any.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on mentally ill patients and their care-givers in the Outpatient Department of Psychiatry in National Homoeopathy Research Institute in Mental Health (NHRIMH), Kottayam. Respondents were evaluated with a specially framed questionnaire containing 22 questions to assess the effect of lockdown on psychiatric patients and their caregivers, who attended the OPD after the COVID-19 related lockdown. The data generated through the study are analysed and presented in this article.Results: Out of the total 548 participants (M-65.9%, F-34.1%) who responded to the survey, 290 (53%) cases expressed that they were distressed to be under lockdown. 26.5% of the clients reported worsening of mental health conditions during lockdown compared to pre-lockdown. 54.2% of the patients found difficulty in procuring homoeopathic medicines during Lockdown.Conclusions: Authorities should consider the ways of limiting the effects of confinement on mentally ill patients and their caregivers by developing strategies to mitigate the adverse consequence of the pandemic. 


Author(s):  
Prathibha M. T. ◽  
Sara Varghese ◽  
Gokul Dev V. ◽  
Jincy J.

Background: People with chronic diseases are more likely to have depression than those without any physical illness. Lack of adherence to treatment, poor compliance to life style modification therapy and lost to follow up are major concerns raised in the management of hypertension among subjects with co-morbid depression. Hence it is very important to explore the epidemiology of depression among hypertensives. Methods: The study was conducted in Medical College health unit area of urban Trivandrum as a cross sectional survey among adults >18 years who were diagnosed to have hypertension. The subjects were interviewed using a semi structured questionnaire to collect the socio-demographic variables and the 9 item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ 9) to capture depression. Data from a sample of 432 hypertensive individuals collected were analyzed and Chi square, t test, was done to find the associated factors. Results: Mean age of the study subjects was 62.47 years. Among the study subjects the blood pressure was under control among only 33.8% of the study population. The prevalence of depression was found to be 33.3% (144) with 95% C.I (27.98-39.14). Gender, Socio economic status, marital status, low educational status, regular physical activity, duration of hypertension, uncontrolled BP, were found to be significantly associated with depression. Conclusions: The prevalence of depression among hypertensive individuals is high in this study population. Adequate control of BP along with awareness among primary care physicians in identifying those with hypertension and co-morbid depression is essential. 


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