Coronaphobia among healthcare professionals and its associations with sleep quality, physical activity, and fatigue in Turkey

ABSTRACT

Background

Healthcare professionals are at high risk of developing physical and mental health outcomes due to the coronavirus.

Purpose

The study aimed to investigate coronaphobia levels in healthcare professionals and explore the relationship between other related factors in Turkey.

Methods

This cross-sectional descriptive study included 422 participants. Sociodemographic characteristics such as age and gender; and features about working details of the participants including the history of Covid-19 were recorded. The Covid-19 Phobia Scale (C19P-S), The Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Jenkins Sleep Scale (JSS), and International Physical Activity Questionnaire – Short Form (IPAQ-SF) were used to measure outcomes.

Results

It was found that the total mean score obtained from the C19P-S of the doctors, physiotherapists, nurse-midwives, and other health professionals in the study were 46.31 ± 14.64, 50.55 ± 15.69, 54.82 ± 19.82, and 54.38 ± 17.81, respectively. A comparison of the C19P-S results showed that there is a significant difference between health professionals (p < 0.05). Doctors' physical activity levels were statistically related to their coronaphobia levels. Similarly, the coronaphobia levels of physiotherapists, nurses, and midwives were found to have a statistically significant relationship with their fatigue levels.

Conclusion

It was found that healthcare professionals in Turkey have moderate coronaphobia levels and it affected some quality of life parameters such as sleep quality, fatigue severity, and physical activity status.

KEYWORDS:

• C19P-S
• pandemic
• lockdown
• sleep quality
• fatigue
• physical activity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The authors reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Özge İpek Dongaz

Özge İpek Dongaz is a research assistants in the Department of Physiotherapy at Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Faculty of Health Sciences. They are continuing their PhD degrees in the field of physiotherapy.

Dilara Özen Oruk

Dilara Özen Oruk is a research assistants in the Department of Physiotherapy at Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Faculty of Health Sciences. They are continuing their PhD degrees in the field of physiotherapy.

Asalet Aybüke Güp

Asalet Aybüke Güp is a research assistants in the Department of Physiotherapy at Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Faculty of Health Sciences. They are continuing their PhD degrees in the field of physiotherapy.

Meltem Koç

Meltem Koç received her doctorate from Gazi University in the field of physiotherapy and rehabilitation. She works as an assistant professor at Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Faculty of Health Sciences.

Banu Bayar

Banu Bayar work as professors in the Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation at Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Faculty of Health Sciences.

Kılıçhan Bayar

Kılıçhan Bayar work as professors in the Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation at Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University Faculty of Health Sciences.