Psychological Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic in Dental Healthcare Workers
Articles > Article · 2022
Authors: Gözde KANDEMİR DEMİRCİ, Mustafa Melih Bilgi, Esin Erdoğan, İlknur Kaşıkçı Bilgi, Mehmet Kemal ÇALIŞKAN
Meandros Medical and Dental Journal, Journal Indexed in SCI Expanded, International, Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), 2022, vol 23, pp 125-135
DOI: 10.4274/meandros.galenos.2021.58751
Summary
ÖzAmaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, COVID-19 pandemisi sırasında acil hastaları tedavi eden bir diş hekimliği acil üniversite kliniğindeki Diş Sağlığı Çalışanlarının (DSÇ) ruh sağlığı durumunu değerlendirmektir.Gereç ve Yöntemler: Bir üniversitenin acil diş kliniğinde pandemi sırasında aktif olarak çalışan DSÇ'lerden 115 katılımcı seçildi.Katılımcıların depresyon, anksiyete ve stres düzeyleri Depresyon-Anksiyete-Stres Ölçeği ile, uykusuzluk düzeyleri ise uykusuzluk şiddet indeksi ile değerlendirildi.Bağımsız sürekli ve bağımlı değişkenlerObjective: This study aimed to evaluate the mental health status of Dental Health Care Workers (DHCWs) in a dental emergency university clinic treating urgent patients during the pandemic. Materials and Methods:A hundred fifteen participants were selected from DHCWs who actively worked during the pandemic in a Dental Emergency Clinic of a university.Depression, anxiety and stress levels of participants were measured with the Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale and their insomnia levels were assessed with the Insomnia Severity Index.Correlations between independent continuous and dependent variables tested with Spearman test.Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used used to evaluate possible effects of independent variables.The psychological data of the aerosol-generating treatment group were compared to the rest of the participants using Mann-Whitney U tests.In all tests α=0.05 significance level was set.Results: The rates of DHCWs scored above the cut-off points were 54% for depression, 40% for anxiety, 36% for stress and 40% for insomnia.Feeling negative emotions before the pandemic significantly interacted with all psychometric measurements.Younger age, feeling anxious about changing working conditions and/or obtaining personal protective equipment was correlated positively with stress points (p=0.035,p=0.008, p=0.007, respectively).A significant percentage of DHCWs presented high scores on depression, anxiety, stress and insomnia in this study.Conclusion: The authorities and healthcare executives must show programmed leadership and support for DHCWs during the COVID-19 outbreak.The integration of programs developed to mitigate stress among DHCWs recommended during the COVID-19 pandemic.