ABSTRACT
Background: The impact of COVID-19 on mental health has been continuously reported, especially among healthcare workers. In the literature, anxiety and depressive symptoms are not uncommon in infected individuals. However, there is little data on these psychological events in healthcare professionals. Objective(s): To determine the prevalence and associated factors of anxiety and depressive symptoms in healthcare workers infected by COVID-19. Method(s): This is a cross-sectional study conducted among healthcare workers at Farhat Hached University Hospital infected by COVID 19. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on the socio-professional and medical characteristics of the participants. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD-S). Result(s): A total of 477 confirmed COVID-19 in healthcare workers were included in this study (85.9%). The mean age of the participants was 39.9 +/-10.8 years. Women represented 78.2%. The majority of the infected participants were nurses (32.1%). The paucisymptomatic form of the disease was the most frequent (73.8%). After returning to work, 62.7% of the participants retained residual symptoms and 15.5% experienced stigma reactions from their colleagues. The overall prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms were 25.4% and 19.1%, respectively. These identified problems were significantly interrelated. Furthermore, residual symptoms and duration of confinement predicted anxiety symptomatology, while female gender and symptomatic clinical form of COVID-19 were significantly associated with depressive symptomatology. Conclusion(s): The psychological events of COVID-19 are frequent among healthcare workers. Thus, systematic screening and early management of psychological disorders are necessary to preserve the human resources of the health sector.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Health professionals are the leaders of the war against the SARS-COV2 pandemic. Their adherence to the vaccination against this new virus is crucial to ensure a sufficient coverage in the community. Objectives: To evaluate hesitancy towards SARS-COV2 vaccines among the Tunisian health professionals and their use of information sources about these vaccines. Methods: A cross-sectional study was led online between the 7th and the 21th of January 2021 among Tunisian health professionals. A number of at least 460 participants were required. Data were collected anonymously using a pre-established and pre-tested questionnaire recorded in a free Google form. Results: A total of 493 responses were obtained. The mean age of participants was 37.4 (± 9.5) years. Females represented 70.2% of participants. The rate of hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccines was 51.9%. Lack of information about the COVID19 vaccines was reported by 81.7% of participants. Social media were the most used source of information by them (66.9%) while 7.9% of them used the national information site for health professionals. Use of social media more than two hours per day was positively associated with hesitancy towards vaccination against SARS-COV2 with an OR of 2.5 (95% CI: 1.5-4.2) contrary to the use of the national website for information for health professionals which was negatively associated with hesitancy with an OR of 0.5 (95% CI:0.2-0.9). Conclusion: The current information strategy should be reinforced in Tunisia. Social media may represent a good channel for disseminating valid messages and tackling misinformation. Engaging health care professionals in social media to counter the vaccine related misinformation would boost the national information strategy.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Healthcare personnel (HCP) are at the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic and are recognized as a priority target group for COVID-19 vaccines. However, the acceptance or refusal of vaccination among HCP is debated. Objectives: To investigate the prevalence and the predictors of COVID-19 vaccination refusal among Tunisian HCP. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted using an anonymous online survey among Tunisian HCP from 7 to 21th of January 2021. Primary endpoints were the intention to decline vaccination against COVID-19 if a vaccine was available. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the factors associated with the intention to decline the COVID-19 vaccination. Results: Of the 546 responses, 493 were retrieved. Among included HCP, 292 (59.2%) were physicians, 53 (10.8%) were paramedical personnel, 70 (14.2%) were pharmacists and 78 (15.8%) were dentists. Overall, 62 of 493 HCP (12.6%) stated their intention to refuse vaccination. Logistic regression analysis revealed that being aged more than 40 years-old was a predictor of COVID-19 vaccination refusal among HCP with an adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of 2 (95%CI: 1.2-3.6). A history of vaccination against influenza during the current season and the use of television as a source of information about COVID-19 vaccination predicted a lower risk of refusing COVID-19 vaccination with AORs of 0.2(95%CI: 0.1-0.4) and 0.5 (95%CI: 0.3-0.8) respectively. Conclusion: The current information campaign about COVID-19 vaccination should be reinforced among Tunisian HCP. Older ones may be involved in this campaign as leaders. The use of the official media seems to be a good communication channel for this campaign.