Examining the Emotional Experiences of Individuals Who Have Lost Loved Ones to COVID-19 and Their Perception of the Empathy Displayed by Healthcare Staff

Aims: The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened the necessity for empathy among medical staff; however, personnel have encountered certain challenges. Therefore, this study was undertaken to assess the positive and negative emotions and the perception of empathy among medical staff at hospitals affiliated with Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, focusing on companions of patients who succumbed to COVID-19. Instrument Methods: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study involved 402 companions or companions of patients who passed away due to COVID-19 between 2020 and 2022 in Shahrekord city. The study utilized the Jefferson Scale of Empathy and scales for positive and negative emotions. Data analysis was performed using an independent t-test, analysis of variance, and Scheffe’s test at a significance level of 0.05, employing SPSS 26 software. Findings: A total of 402 companions or companions of deceased patients, comprising 64.9% men and 35.1% women, participated in the study, of whom 81.3% had a first-degree family relationship with the deceased. The average age of the participants was 45.01±10.11 years. The perception level of the doctors’ empathy averaged 12.77±7.27, which was low compared to the total score of 35. The levels of positive and negative emotions were 30.61±8.86 and 29.52±9.53, respectively, which were lower than the total score of 50 in each case. Conclusion: The perception of empathy from medical staff is below the average level. However, the positive and negative affect levels among companions are at an average level.