The Relationship Between COVID-19-Induced Anxiety and Coping Styles in Doctors and Nurses Working in COVID-19 Wards of Hospitals of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences During 2020 - 2021

Background: The outbreak of coronavirus and psychosocial health-related consequences is one of the most important human social events in the 21st century. Physicians and nurses are vulnerable to infection due to close contact with COVID-19 patients and therefore face severe psychological consequences, including anxiety. Objectives: This study was aimed to determine the relationship between COVID-19-related anxiety and coping styles in doctors and nurses working in COVID-19 wards of hospitals affiliated with Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. Methods: In this cross-sectional correlational study, 278 doctors and nurses working in COVID-19 wards of hospitals affiliated with Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences during 2020 - 2021 were recruited. Sampling in this study is simple random. The Lazarus-Folkman’s Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ) was used to assess coping strategies and the Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS) was used to assess COVID-19-induced anxiety. Descriptive statistics including relative frequency and frequency as well as one-dimensional and two-dimensional tables were used to display the data. Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Pearson correlation coefficient was used to analysis the results. Results: A total of 278 subjects (57.1% (159)) were nurses and 42.8% (119) were physicians. Among the coping styles used by staff, the highest score (17.9 ± 4.4) was reported for the planned solution. The results showed that the mean score of coronary anxiety in physicians and nurses was 37.07 ± 4.8 which according to the scoring of the above questionnaire, coronary anxiety in employees is moderate, also between emotional coping styles (confrontational (r = 0.69, P = 0.213), avoidance (r = 0.63, P = 0.032), restraint (r = 0.73, P = 0.321), avoidance (r = 0.84, P = 0.012) and positive correlation anxiety, and there are significant while coping problem-solving styles (seeking social support (r = -0.74, P = 0.023), responsibility (r = -0.64, P = 0.041), thoughtful problem solving (r = -0.89, P = 0.032), positive reassessment (r = -0.58, P = 0.104)) with anxiety, are negative correlation. Conclusions: Emotion-oriented coping styles had a significantly positive correlation and problem-oriented coping styles had a significantly negative correlation with employees’ increased anxiety. Shaping, strengthening, and reconstructing coping styles in people based on their needs and mental conditions can improve the mental health of doctors and nurses. Further research is suggested to study the coping styles among the medical staff of different wards and medical assistants of different academic levels and specialties.