Perceived Stress and Perceived Vulnerability at Healthcare Workers during COVID-19 Pandemic

Objective: This study evaluated the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers (HCWs) and determined several risk factors. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was administered to 244 HCWs recruited via the Google Docs platform. The 36-item questionnaire comprised three domains: demographic details, the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS-10), and the Perceived Vulnerability to Disease Questionnaire (PVDQ). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the risk factors for adverse psychological responses. Results: Overall, 244 HCWs aged between 20 and 60 years old participated in the survey and the mean scores for perceived stress (PS), perceived infectability (PI), and germ aversion (GA) were 20.15, 28.83 and 47.78, respectively. Additionally, they were positively associated with gender. Females' score on PS (p=0.001), PI (p=0.017), and GA were also significantly higher than men (p=0.001).Scores on PSS-10 showed a significant difference between age groups (p=0.010) in contrast to GA (p=0.515) or PI (p=0.346).The regression model showed that the PI scores were higher among men (B=3.145) than among women (p=0.019).The analysis showed significant effects working during COVID-19 on PI scores (B=3.101; p=0.006).Furthermore, GA was also significantly related to worsening of the COVID-19 pandemic (B=2.73; p=0.004) and was higher among females (B=4.622; p<0.001). Condusion: According to the results of the study, gender, age, professional experience and knowledge, and working during a pandemic were important factors for PS and PVD. Additionally, supporting the mental health for HCWs obtaining adequate support and taking precautions are essential.