A comparative study on acute stress levels of healthcare professionals and public in COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in important consequences for healthcare workers, such as long shifts, staying away from family members due to the risk of illness, and working under intense stress. Outbreaks are considered as traumatic factors like other natural disasters and are expected to cause trauma-related disorders. In this study, it was aimed to determine the acute stress levels and stress responses of both the community sample and healthcare workers via using the National Stressful Events Survey Acute Stress Disorder Short Scale (NSESSS). A total of 1027 volunteers, including 387 healthcare workers and 640 non-healthcare workers, participated in the study. The NSESSS levels of non-healthcare workers were significantly higher than healthcare worker, females compared to males, and singles than married ones. As the thought that work justice was provided in healthcare workers increased, NSESSS levels decreased. As the difficulty of finding protective equipment in healthcare workers decreased, NSESSS levels decreased. Nurses' ages, time spent on duty, and NSESSS levels were significantly higher than physicians and other healthcare workers. In the pandemic period, it can be a guide in determining the risk factors and risk groups in terms of acute stress, taking preventive mental health measures, and providing early intervention.