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khodadadi J, Nayeri V, vahedian M, sheikhjebeli E, sharifizad A, assi M H. Prevalence of Anxiety and Suicidal Ideation in Nurses Working in COVID-19 Wards Compared to Nurses From Other Hospital Wards During the Pandemic. Qom Univ Med Sci J 2023; 17 : 2478.1
URL: http://journal.muq.ac.ir/article-1-3760-en.html
URL: http://journal.muq.ac.ir/article-1-3760-en.html
Javad Khodadadi1 
, Vahideh Nayeri * 2, Mostafa Vahedian3 , Elham Sheikhjebeli4 , Alireza Sharifizad5 , Mohmmad hossein Assi5
, Vahideh Nayeri * 2, Mostafa Vahedian3 , Elham Sheikhjebeli4 , Alireza Sharifizad5 , Mohmmad hossein Assi5
1- Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Kamkar-Arabnia Hospital, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
2- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Nekouei-Hedayati-Forghani Hospital, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran. ,mvnm1356@yahoo.com
3- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Spiritual Health Research Center, School of Medicine, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
4- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Literature and Psychology, Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman, Iran.
5- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
2- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Nekouei-Hedayati-Forghani Hospital, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran. ,
3- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Spiritual Health Research Center, School of Medicine, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran.
4- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Literature and Psychology, Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman, Iran.
5- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Nurses who are in direct contact with patients infected with COVID-19 or other diseases are at higher risk of developing psychological disorders such as anxiety compared to the general population. Therefore, it is important to measure the level of anxiety and suicidal thoughts in nurses to solve their psychological problems during the COVID-19 pandemic and encourage psychologists and psychiatrists to provide clinical intervention to nurses exposed to these psychological symptoms. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and suicidal thoughts in nurses caring for patients with COVID-19 compared to nurses in other departments in two teaching hospitals in Qom, Iran.
Methods
This is an analytical cross-sectional study. The study population consists of all nurses working in two teaching hospitals (Shahid Beheshti and Kamkar Arabnia) in Qom Province in 2021. The required sample size was estimated to be 347 using the formula. Sampling was done using a convenience sampling method. To collect data, a demographic information, Beck’s anxiety inventory, and the Beck scale for suicidal ideation. After obtaining the code of ethics from the research committee of Qom University of Medical Sciences and an informed consent from the participants, they were divided into two groups of COVID and non-COVID unit. They completed the questionnaires individually which took 20-30 minutes. The incomplete questionnaires were removed from the analysis. For data analysis, descriptive statistics including mean, percentage, and frequency were used. The data were analyzed in SPSS software, version 22 using independent t-test or ANOVA for quantitative data, and chi-square test for qualitative data. Pearson’s correlation test was used to check the correlation between the variables. The significance level was set at 0.05.
Results
Among participants, 107(30.8% were male and 240(69.2%) were female. Their mean age was 24.98±6.2 years. In terms of educational level, 34(9.8%) had an associate degree, 297(85.6%) had a bachelor’s degree, 14 (4%) had a master’s degree, and 2(0.6%) had a doctorate degree. In terms of work experience, 65(18.7%) had a work experience less than 5 years, 251(72.3%) were with 5-10 years of experience, 30(8.6%) with 10-15 years, and one (0.3%) with more than 15 years. In terms of employment status, 57(16.4%) had temporary employment 186(53.6%) had permanent employment, 91 (26.2%) were planned and 13(3.7%) were hourly-paid nurses. Moreover, 124(35.7%) had fixed working shifts and 223(64.3%) had rotating shifts.
Among participants, 139(40.1%) were in the COVID group and 208(59.9%) were in the non-COVID group. There was no significant difference in anxiety among patients in terms of age (P=0.455), educational level (P=0.671), work experience (P=0.637), or employment status (P=0.091), but the difference was significant in terms of gender (P<0.001) and work shift (P<0.001). Most of men (n=62, 17.9%) had an anxiety score of 16-25, while most of women (n=96, 27.7%) had an anxiety score of 8-15. Most of nurses with a rotating shift (n=69, 19.9%) had an anxiety score of 16-25, while most of those with a fixed work shift (n=88, 25.4%) had an anxiety score of 8-15.
There was no significant difference in suicidal ideation among patients in terms of age (P=0.926), gender (P=0.136), work experience (P=0.544), employment status (P=0.342), or work shift (P=0.919), but the difference was significant in terms of educational level (P<0.001). Most of nurses had a suicidal ideation score of 0-5 (n=299), of whom 29 had associate degrees, 258 bachelor’s degrees, 10 master’s degrees and 2 doctoral degrees. Nurses in the COVID group had significantly higher anxiety scores than nurses in the non-COVID group (P<0.001), but no significant difference was found between the COVID and non-COVID groups in terms of suicide ideation score (P=0.979).
Conclusion
The prevalence of anxiety and suicide ideation is significantly higher in female nurses than in male nurses, in nurses with rotating shift compared to those with fixed shift, and in nurses working in the COVID-19 wards compared to nurses in other departments. Therefore, to improve the mental health of nurses working in the COVID-19 wards and to improve the quality of nursing care for COVID-19 patients, it is recommended to design and implement relaxation programs and teaching nurses how to stay calm during the pandemic.
Ethical Considerations
Compliance with ethical guidelines
This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Qom University of Medical Sciences (Code: IR.MUQ.REC.1401.058).
Funding
This article was extracted from the research project, funded by Qom University of Medical Sciences.
Authors contributions
The authors contributed equally to preparing this article.
Conflicts of interest
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the Vice-Chancellor for Research of Qom University of Medical Sciences, the officials of Nekuei Hedayati Forqani and Shahid Beheshti hospitals in Qom, and all participants for their support and cooperation.
Methods
This is an analytical cross-sectional study. The study population consists of all nurses working in two teaching hospitals (Shahid Beheshti and Kamkar Arabnia) in Qom Province in 2021. The required sample size was estimated to be 347 using the formula. Sampling was done using a convenience sampling method. To collect data, a demographic information, Beck’s anxiety inventory, and the Beck scale for suicidal ideation. After obtaining the code of ethics from the research committee of Qom University of Medical Sciences and an informed consent from the participants, they were divided into two groups of COVID and non-COVID unit. They completed the questionnaires individually which took 20-30 minutes. The incomplete questionnaires were removed from the analysis. For data analysis, descriptive statistics including mean, percentage, and frequency were used. The data were analyzed in SPSS software, version 22 using independent t-test or ANOVA for quantitative data, and chi-square test for qualitative data. Pearson’s correlation test was used to check the correlation between the variables. The significance level was set at 0.05.
Results
Among participants, 107(30.8% were male and 240(69.2%) were female. Their mean age was 24.98±6.2 years. In terms of educational level, 34(9.8%) had an associate degree, 297(85.6%) had a bachelor’s degree, 14 (4%) had a master’s degree, and 2(0.6%) had a doctorate degree. In terms of work experience, 65(18.7%) had a work experience less than 5 years, 251(72.3%) were with 5-10 years of experience, 30(8.6%) with 10-15 years, and one (0.3%) with more than 15 years. In terms of employment status, 57(16.4%) had temporary employment 186(53.6%) had permanent employment, 91 (26.2%) were planned and 13(3.7%) were hourly-paid nurses. Moreover, 124(35.7%) had fixed working shifts and 223(64.3%) had rotating shifts.
Among participants, 139(40.1%) were in the COVID group and 208(59.9%) were in the non-COVID group. There was no significant difference in anxiety among patients in terms of age (P=0.455), educational level (P=0.671), work experience (P=0.637), or employment status (P=0.091), but the difference was significant in terms of gender (P<0.001) and work shift (P<0.001). Most of men (n=62, 17.9%) had an anxiety score of 16-25, while most of women (n=96, 27.7%) had an anxiety score of 8-15. Most of nurses with a rotating shift (n=69, 19.9%) had an anxiety score of 16-25, while most of those with a fixed work shift (n=88, 25.4%) had an anxiety score of 8-15.
There was no significant difference in suicidal ideation among patients in terms of age (P=0.926), gender (P=0.136), work experience (P=0.544), employment status (P=0.342), or work shift (P=0.919), but the difference was significant in terms of educational level (P<0.001). Most of nurses had a suicidal ideation score of 0-5 (n=299), of whom 29 had associate degrees, 258 bachelor’s degrees, 10 master’s degrees and 2 doctoral degrees. Nurses in the COVID group had significantly higher anxiety scores than nurses in the non-COVID group (P<0.001), but no significant difference was found between the COVID and non-COVID groups in terms of suicide ideation score (P=0.979).
Conclusion
The prevalence of anxiety and suicide ideation is significantly higher in female nurses than in male nurses, in nurses with rotating shift compared to those with fixed shift, and in nurses working in the COVID-19 wards compared to nurses in other departments. Therefore, to improve the mental health of nurses working in the COVID-19 wards and to improve the quality of nursing care for COVID-19 patients, it is recommended to design and implement relaxation programs and teaching nurses how to stay calm during the pandemic.
Ethical Considerations
Compliance with ethical guidelines
This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Qom University of Medical Sciences (Code: IR.MUQ.REC.1401.058).
Funding
This article was extracted from the research project, funded by Qom University of Medical Sciences.
Authors contributions
The authors contributed equally to preparing this article.
Conflicts of interest
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the Vice-Chancellor for Research of Qom University of Medical Sciences, the officials of Nekuei Hedayati Forqani and Shahid Beheshti hospitals in Qom, and all participants for their support and cooperation.
Type of Study: Original Article |
Subject:
عفونی
Received: 2023/06/18 | Accepted: 2023/07/30 | Published: 2023/08/1
Received: 2023/06/18 | Accepted: 2023/07/30 | Published: 2023/08/1
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