ABSTRACT
Objective: To assess the risk perception mental health impact and coping strategies during Covid-19 pandemic among health care workers. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Community Dentistry, Frontier Medical & Dental College, Abbottabad from 1st January 2021 to 31st December 2021. Methodology: Two hundred health care workers were given questionnaire for complete detailing their information regarding demographic, occupational, anxiety scoring and depression state. Results: The age of the health care workers was mostly within 26-40 years followed by greater than 18 years. It was observed that anxiety was presented at a mild score within doctors and other health care worker staff while it was seen to a moderate level within the nursing health care workers. Furthermore, the gender distribution of anxiety showed higher level of anxiety among females than males. Within genders a low risk perception was seen within males than females. Among the health care workers, the risk perception was highest in nurses followed by paramedic and other health care staff. Conclusion: Covid-19 has caused devastating effects on the psychological stability of the health care workers which needs to be properly assessed and addressed.
ABSTRACT
Purpose During the COVID-19 crisis, diversified attitudes and behaviors of structural equation modeling (SME) retailers were observed in using social media marketing that could have helped mitigate the adverse effects of this crisis on businesses. This paper aims to present a thorough investigation of these perceptions and limited acceptance of social media marketing among SME retailers in a developing country during a crisis. Design/methodology/approach The investigation was designed using a mixed-method design. A qualitative investigation, as the first part, explored SME retailers' perceptions of the use of social media marketing when they were faced with mandatory lockdown that stifled their business activity. The insights from qualitative study and literature helped devise the second part of the study, a quantitative study using the technology acceptance model (TAM). Analysis of responses from a sample of SME retailers (n = 149) was done using SEM in this study. Findings In the qualitative study, SME retailers were found to have a varying outlook toward social media marketing. Some ventured into social media marketing while others were impeded by their limited understanding. The second (quantitative) study showed the general applicability of TAM such that perceived ease of use through perceived usefulness influenced SME retailers' attitudes toward the usage of social media marketing during the COVID-19 crisis. An important finding in both studies was that business owners' education level influenced their perceptions of social media marketing. Research limitations/implications The investigation, albeit a comprehensive one, was conducted in a particular market and for SME retailers. This opens avenues for conducting similar studies in other segments of entrepreneurs to generate insights based on comparative analysis across segments and scenarios. Originality/value Limited or no marketing in the physical marketplace amid lockdown meant almost an existential crisis for entrepreneurs, especially SME retailers, in developing countries during the COVID-19 crisis. While technology acceptance by SME retailers has been discussed in the literature, there are limited discourses on technology acceptance among entrepreneurs and SME retailers during a crisis. These findings from the COVID-19 crisis explicate the possibilities and limitations of technology usage as a means to mitigate challenges faced by entrepreneurs during a crisis.