Socio-occupational factors associated with psychological distress in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: Psychological distress due to the context of the COVID-19 pandemic has become very common, especially in health care workers, who have been one of the most affected populations. Objective: To determine the socio-occupational factors associated with psychological distress in health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Peruvian highlands. Methods: Cross-sectional design study, where 3 previously validated scales measuring psychological distress, fear of being infected with COVID-19 and workload were applied (alpha values: 0.79, 0.91 and 0.83, respectively). These were added to other socio-occupational variables;descriptive and analytical statistics were obtained. Results: When multivariate analysis was performed, it was found that those who had a higher score of fear of contagion by COVID-19 (RPa: 1.45;IC95%: 1.12-1.87;valor p= 0.005) and those who had a higher perception of work overload (RPa: 1.45;IC95%: 1.12-1.87;valor p= 0.005) were those who had greater perception of psychological distress, moreover, compared to physicians, psychologists had more psychological distress (RPa: 2.73;IC95%: 1.67-4.46;valor p< 0.001). Conclusion: Significant associations were found, with the predominant finding being that there is a strong association between psychological distress and fear of possible infection with COVID-19, as well as with the perception of work overload, mainly in professional psychologists. © 2022, Editorial Ciencias Medicas. All rights reserved.

Perception of Peruvian university students about the academic repercussions generated by COVID-19

The main objective of the research was to try to see the perception of virtual classes and the possible academic repercussions that university students had in Peru, and their associated factors, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analytical cross-sectional study in Peruvian university students during the first wave of the pandemic, the variable that mediates perception was obtained through a validated scale. In the analytical statistics, it was found that women had a higher frequency of perception of academic repercussions (PRa: 1.37;95% CI: 1.18-1.59;p value <0.001), this adjusted for age, study career and university. Women were the ones who perceived the most repercussions. Although an association was only found with the sex of the respondents, larger studies should be carried out and in more advanced stages of the pandemic, since our results can be taken as baseline, but the influence of others should be followed up and determine the influence of other variables.

Fatalities associated with pre and post SARS-CoV-2 infection in Peru

Having been previously infected does not guarantee that one is safe in this pandemic, therefore, it is important to estimate the change in perceptions. The aim was to determine the fatalistic perception of patients recovered from COVID-19 in Peru and to identify the sociodemographic differences that influence the fatalistic perception of recovered and uninfected patients. Observational, retrospective cohort. The exposure variable was whether the patient had already been infected by COVID-19, the dependent variable was the fatalistic perception in the event of becoming ill with COVID-19 (in the case of those who had already been ill, the question was asked in the event of reinfection);this was measured with a validated test and being fatalistic was defined as those who were in the upper third of the scores;analytical statistics were obtained. Of the 8957 respondents, 37% reported that they had already been infected by COVID-19. In bivariate analysis, there was no difference in fatalism according to having been previously infected (p=0.426). In multivariate analysis, there was a lower risk of fatalism among men (aRR: 0.85;95%CI: 0.80-0.90;p-value<0.001), but an increased risk among those who believed they could be reinfected (aRR: 1.39;95%CI: 1.23-1.56;p-value<0.001), adjusted for three variables. Un conclusion, there is no association between fatalistic perception of the pandemic and having been infected with COVID-19 in Peru. However, being a woman and believing in a possible reinfection were risk factors for presenting fatalistic ideas.

Acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination among pregnant Peruvian women: attitudes and associated factors

Now that COVID-19 vaccines are available for pregnant women, it is important to know their perception and intention to be vaccinated. The objective was to determine the attitude of pregnant women towards vaccination against COVID-19 in Peru and the factors associated with it. This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in the 24 Peruvian departments during the months of December 2020 and January 2021. Fifty percent of the respondents had not yet decided whether they would be vaccinated, 36% said they would be vaccinated, 8% said they would not be vaccinated under any circumstances, and 6% would only be vaccinated if they were forced to do so. In the multivariate analysis, it was found that they would not be vaccinated because they did not trust the health system (p-value=0.002;more pregnant women did not trust the health sector), on the other hand, in the reasons why they would be vaccinated, it was found that this vaccination would improve the health of their family or loved ones (p-value=0.005;fewer pregnant women would be vaccinated for this reason). It is concluded that the percentage of pregnant women who would get vaccinated is low, being the main reason for the improvement of the health of your family, while distrust in the health system, lack of knowledge of the development of vaccines and not considering themselves a population at risk were the main factors associated with resistance to vaccination.

Perception of the COVID-19 effects in face-to-face and distance education in Peruvian university students

The pandemic caused many changes due to social distancing, one of them is in terms of virtual university classes. Therefore, the objective was to validate an instrument that measures the perception of the effects of COVID-19 on distance education in university students of health sciences and other careers in Peru. An instrumental and cross-sectional study was carried out. Thousands of distance learning students from health sciences and other careers participated during the first wave of the Coronavirus. The survey on the perception that it has of the repercussions caused by the health emergency on face-to-face and distance education was designed and validated;in addition, another scale was exploratory to measure the perception of the spread of the coronavirus. The analysis showed high reliability and good internal consistency, with adequate Cronbach's alpha values. For the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), the Bartlett test and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin coefficient were used. All the items received a favorable evaluation by the experts (Aiken's V> 0.70);this with respect to relevance, representativeness and clarity. Three virtual average factors were identified, their use and presence, all saturation indices were greater than 0.50. The survey proved to be reliable and representative, this above all because it was evaluated in students from the different Peruvian departments;which can be used to evaluate this in diverse similar populations.

Design and validation of a financial stress scale in Peruvian dependent workers during the COVID-19 pandemic (EFT-Cov19)

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc in the lives of workers in different parts of the world. The instability inherent to this stage of health emergency has had repercussions on the mental health of this population. The aim was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a financial stress scale for Peruvian dependent workers. Observational, analytical, instrumental and cross-sectional study in 749 workers. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA), by unweighted least squares, was performed after analysis of Bartlett's test and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin coefficient (KMO). The absolute and incremental goodness of fit was determined by means of the comparative fit index (CFI) and the Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI). A PFA was performed after analysis of the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin index (KMO = 0.903) and Bartlett's test of sphericity (1751.9;gl = 36;p < 0.001), which were adequate. The items converged into a single factor. The EFT-Cov19 correlated positively with the LABOR-PE (r = 0.564, p < 0.01) and with a medium effect size. The reliability of the EFT-Cov19 was calculated with Cronbach's a coefficient, obtaining an acceptable value (a = 0.896;95% CI = 0.88 - 0.90). In conclusion, the EFT-Cov19 scale is a valid, reliable and adequate scale to measure financial stress in dependent workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Socio-occupational factors associated with anxiety, depression and stress in health professionals of the Peruvian highlands during the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 has generated an unprecedented pandemic. This scenario could affect the mental health of healthcare personnel, influencing their work performance with the possibility of leaving long-term sequelae. The objective was to determine the socio-occupational factors associated with suffering from anxiety, depression and stress in health professionals in the Peruvian highlands during the pandemic. Cross-sectional study. Doctors and other professionals at the Ramiro Priale Priale National Hospital in the Peruvian highlands were surveyed virtually. Depression, anxiety and stress were measured with the DASS-21 scale;these were associated with different socio-labour variables. More severe depression was found at older ages and if a family member had been ill at home, but less severe depression was found among those who had children, those who had more years of professional practice and those who had social security. Those who had children had less anxiety;less severe anxiety and those who had a relative away from home who became ill;on the other hand, those who worked more hours per day had more moderate anxiety, severe anxiety if the respondent had become ill and both types if a family member had died had more moderate anxiety. Those who worked more hours per day and those who had a deceased family member had more stress. The most relevant characteristics of health workers with mental health problems were older age, family history of COVID-19, history of death of a family member from COVID-19 and longer working hours.

Academic repercussions of virtual education on Latin American students: Validation of a scale

Introduction: The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has forced students to be able to adapt to new means of education. The closure of educational centers has generated a massive migration to virtuality and, often, neither the institutions nor the students were prepared for this modality. Objective: To validate a scale that measures the academic repercussions as a consequence of the measures taken by the pandemic among university students in 13 countries of Latin America. Methodology: Instrumental, analytical and cross-sectional study. The sampling was non-probabilistic and by convenience. Evaluations of form and substance were carried out. The substantive evaluation was carried out by expert judgment, and a small pilot was conducted to evaluate the form of the items. Results: In the substantive analysis, item 1 was the most relevant (V = 0.93;95% CI: 0.82-0.98), as was the case for representativeness and clarity. Furthermore, the preliminary analysis of the items shows that item 6 has the highest mean score (M = 2.67) and item 1 the lowest (M = 2.19). Regarding variability, item 4 (SD = 1.40) shows the greatest dispersion. The relevance of the exploratory factor analysis is justified by the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin coefficient (0.854) and Bartlett's test (17716.5;gl = 15;p = 0.000) being acceptable and significant. Conclusions: The REP-ACAD-COVID-19-LAT scale is a valid and reliable scale to measure the impact of virtuality in times of health emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic. © 2022 The Authors

FINANCIAL STRESS SCALE (EFEMP-COV19): INITIAL EVIDENCE OF VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY IN SMALL AND MEDIUM PERUVIAN ENTREPRENEURS

Objective:To design and validate a scale of financial stress due to the impact of COVID-19 for Peruvian entrepreneurs. Material and Methods: Instrumental and cross-sectional study, carried out in 278 small and medium Peruvian entrepreneurs.The instrument was designed taking indicators found in the scientific literature. Results: The items show Aiken V indicators with values > 0,70. The Exploratory Factor Analysis was justified, with a KMO (0.853) and Bartlett (3459.6;gl = 55;p < 0.001). Product of the robust analyses (X2 = 125.436;p < 0.001;TLI = 0.957;CFI = 0.965 and GFI = 0.986);a single factor was found that explains 68.21% of the total variance of the test and its factor loadings range between 0.673 and 0.920, in addition, the reliability is very acceptable;α = 0.952 (CI95% = 0.93-0.96). Conclusion: The scale proves to be valid and reliable for measuring financial stress in Peruvian entrepreneurs.

Fatalistic ideas about the possible spread of COVID-19 according to the kind of disease the Peruvian patients suffered from

It has been observed that some groups of patients had the perception that if they fell ill from COVID-19 they could have greater complications. The aim of this study was to determine the association between fatalistic thinking about the possible infection of coronavirus according to the type of disease suffered by Peruvian patients. An analytical study of secondary data was carried out, which used a previous data to obtain respondents who had a disease (according to 9 groups/medical specialties), and cross-checked this according to fatalistic thinking (from a validated test). Of the 4483 respondents, 15% had a disease. Those with a respiratory disease perceived that they would be complicated post infection (p<0.001), also those with a cancer or tumor (p<0.001) or those with an endocrinological disease (p=0.002). Those who thought they would become depressed if they became ill were those with a respiratory (p=0.013) or gastroenterological disease (p=0.001). Those who perceived that they might die were those with a respiratory disease (p<0.001), those with any cancer or tumor (p=0.007), endocrinological (p<0.001) and neurological or psychiatric diseases (p<0.001). They could make a fatal decision upon learning of the infection are those who had an endocrinological disease (p=0.039). In conclusion, some groups of patients have a higher perception of getting sick, getting complicated, dying or even taking other fatal actions after learning that they have coronavirus infection;therefore, they should be given psychological support. © 2021 Instituto de Altos Estudios de Salud Publica. All rights reserved.

Association between being a vulnerable population and low level of knowledge about COVID-19 in 17 cities of Peru at the beginning of the pandemic

Knowledge is key to face any disease, but there are few baseline studies from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective was to determine the association between being a vulnerable population and the low knowledge of the population in 17 Peruvian cities at the beginning of the pandemic. Knowledge was measured using a nine-question scale, which asks about the mechanism, symptoms and consequences;this was crosschecked against socio-demographic variables using analytical statistics. Of the 3913 respondents, the lowest knowledge was about how to react to cold symptoms and what treatment a person with an initial non-severe coronavirus infection should follow (37% and 53% correct answers;respectively). In the multivariate analysis, those who had lower percentages of a poor level of knowledge of the disease were those with higher education (aPR: 0.74;95%CI: 0.62-0.88;p-value=0.001), among those with some postgraduate studies (aPR: 0.59;95%CI: 0.43-0.68;p-value<0.001), among those who were part of the health personnel (aPR: 0.15;95%CI: 0.05-0.46;p-value=0.001) and among women (aPR: 0.84;95%CI: 0.73-0.96;p-value=0.009), on the other hand, the older the age, the worse the level of knowledge of the disease (aPR: 1.012;95%CI: 1.005-1.018;p-value=0.001), adjusted by 4 variables. There was a low level of knowledge in some aspects and this is associated with some specific characteristics according to being considered a vulnerable population. © 2021 Instituto de Altos Estudios de Salud Publica. All rights reserved.

Validation of a scale to measure the perception of sars-cov-2 vaccines acceptance: the vac-covid-19 scale

Introduction: Since the announcement of the start of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines development, many myths and vaccine opponents have come to the fore. Therefore, in this scenario, it is imperative to have an instrument to assess the population perception of this subject matter. Objective: To validate a scale to measure the perception of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines acceptance. Methods: This is an instrumental and multicentre study, through which a list of possible reasons for whether or not people would be vaccinated was generated. After submitting them to 15 experts, a pilot survey was conducted virtually in a population of almost 3000 participants in the 24 regions of Peru. Descriptive statistics and the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were conducted using the FACTOR program. Results: The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) coefficient (KMO = 0.917) and the Bartlett’s test of sphericity (3343.3;gl = 136;p <0.001) were conducted. According to EFA results, two factors were found to explain 58.17% of the total variance. The fit indices show that the proposed model is adequate (χ2 = 826.321;df = 43;p = 0.001;RMR = 0.054;GFI = 0.952;AGFI = 0.927;CFI = 0.946;TLI = 0.931;and RMSEA = 0.078). Finally, Cronbach’s α was found to be very satisfactory for the generated scale (α = 0.831;95% CI = 0.82 – 0.84). Conclusion: A simple and efficient scale was validated to assess positive and negative perceptions of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines (the VAC-COVID-19 scale), with a Cronbach’s coefficient of 0.831. © 2021 by Author/s and Licensed by Modestum.

Perception of possible sars-cov-2 infection and associated complications in seven labor sectors in peru

Objective: To determine the perception of possible infection caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and associated complications according to the labor sector in Peru. Methods: We performed an observational, cross sectional, and secondary data analysis. The study had three dependent variables that were obtained from a locally validated questionnaire, in which it is asked whether the professionals had the perception that they could be infected with SARS-CoV-2 at work, or could transmit the virus to their family/friends, and regarding the possibility of complications related to the infection. Results: Of the 2843 workers participating in the study, those in the health sector perceived that they were more likely to be infected at work. In the multivariate analysis, adjusted for four variables, health sector workers also perceived that they could be infected more frequently at work (adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR): 1.74;95% confidence interval (CI): 1.40-2.15;p <0.001). These professionals, moreover, perceived that they could transmit the virus to their family/friends (aPR: 0.76;95% CI: 0.63-0.92;p = 0.005) or that there would be complications resulting from the infection (aPR: 0.59;95% CI: 0.48-0.73;p <0.001). On the other hand, engineering sector workers were the ones who had a greater perception that they could infect their family/friends (aPR: 1.95;95% CI: 1.20-3.20;p = 0.007), while workers from other sectors perceived that they could have more chances of complications from the infection (aPR: 1.17;95% CI: 1.05-1.30;p = 0.006). Conclusion: The health sector may be the most vulnerable in this context, which is why occupational health teams should develop and implement specific surveillance plans to prevent and reduce the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases among healthcare workers.

Perception of the public health measures implemented in peru to stop the spread of covid-19

Introduction: It is important to assess the popular perception of the impact of the measures taken by governments in response to the fast spread of the coronavirus. Objective: Determine the perception of the public health measures implemented by the Peruvian government to stop the spread of COVID-19. Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional analytical study was conducted based on a virtual survey applied to more than 4 000 people across the country. Results: The vast majority of respondents agreed that COVID-19 is a serious epidemic / pandemic (47% in agreement and 42% very much in agreement). However, only 22%, 21%, 17% and 46% thought that the country, the health sector, the hospitals and the doctors, respectively, were prepared to face it. The most widely supported migration measures were border closure (68% very much in agreement) and denying entrance to travelers returning from China or other countries with high rates of coronavirus infection (60% very much in agreement). Respondents agreed that mass gatherings should not be held for a while (69% very much in agreement), a figure followed by those proposing to declare a public health emergency (61% very much in agreement) and the closure of colleges and universities for some time (50% very much in agreement). Many statistical associations of these perceptions were found, according to sex, age or educational level (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The population supports most of the measures, those related to socioeducational characteristics receiving greater support. © 2021, Editorial Ciencias Medicas. All rights reserved.

Perceived job insecurity in employment due to the impact of covid-19: Validation of an instrument on peruvian workers (labor-pe-covid-19)

Objective: To determine the psychometric properties of the original four-item Occupational Insecurity Scale in Peruvian workers. Material and Methods: Transversal and instrumental study that took the Work Insecurity Scale to be able to validate it in the context of the COVID-19. With a sample of 332 workers from public and private entities, the form and content of the scale was validated. Results: Aiken’s V was found with values > 0.70 for the four items. The values of asymmetry and kurtosis were 24.3. In addition, AFE is justified with a KMO (0.780) and a Bartlett (654,235;gl = 6;p < 0.001). As a result, all items were condensed into a single factor. Finally, the values (λ) for the one-dimensional model were significant (item 1 = 0.85;item 2 = 0.90;item 3 = 0.84;item 4 =-0.40). Conclusions: The Perceived Insecurity at Work Scale (LABOR-PE-COVID-19) is a valid, clear and representative scale. © 2020, Accion Medica S.A. All rights reserved.

Factors associated with fatalism in the face of COVID-19 in 20 Peruvian cities in March 2020

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has generated diverse reactions, but these have not yet been measured in the Latin American population. Objective: To determine the factors associated with the perception of fatalism in the face of COVID-19 infection in inhabitants of 20 cities in Peru. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional, multicenter study with a sample size of 2 466 people from 20 cities of Peru that measured fatalism during the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted through a validated survey (Cronbach's alpha: 0,78) consisting of 7 items. Statistical analysis was conducted in terms of each city, and p < 0,05 was considered significant. Results: Of the 2 466 respondents, 36 % were depressed, 26 % thought that they might die, 17 % say that this was evidence of the end of the world, and 9 % could make a fatal decision. Women were more likely to engage in three of the fatalistic behaviors (becoming infected, p=0,020;infecting others, p = 0,004, and becoming depressed, p = 0,020). At an older age there were 5 perceptions (infecting others, p =0,007;becoming complicated, p < 0,001;becoming depressed, p < 0,001, thinking they would die, p < 0,001;or committing suicide, p = 0,014). Those at risk of complications of COVID-19 had 4 perceptions (infecting others, p = 0,024;becoming complicated, p = 0,002;thinking they would die, p < 0,001;and thinking that this is a sign of the end of the world, p = 0,039). Respondents who were agnostic exhibited a lower frequency in 5 perceptions, while atheist respondents showed a lower frequency in 2 perceptions. Conclusion: Many fatalistic ideas are found among the population in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.