Field study for determining the effect of COVID-19 on healthcare workers Effect of COVID-19 on healthcare workers

Aim: This study determines the anxiety levels of health workers by evaluating their anxiety status in the challenging process of the pandemic. Material and Methods: One hundred forty health workers who studied at pandemic hospital were included in the study. The data were collected using the Pandemic Period Data Form (PPDF), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), prepared for assessing anxiety levels of health workers in the face of the COVID-19 outbreak. Results: In the study there was a significant difference between the health care workers working in intensive care units and those working in non-intensive care units in terms of age, gender, and presence of children. We found that there was a significant difference in STAI state anxiety scores (p <.05) of health workers in terms of having children, and they had higher levels of state anxiety. On average, the health workers from intensive care units had higher levels of PPDF anxiety. In this study, we detected that the COVID-19 anxiety levels of the health workers between the ages of 20 and 30 were higher compared with those aged 41 and above (p < .05). Discussion: It was found that the pandemic process had a negative impact on health workers as their anxiety increased in this process. Elimination of the gaps related to application or information in the published guidelines can help health workers feel more safe.