Work-Life Balance and Mental Health Needs of Health Professionals During COVID-19 Pandemic in Turkey.

ABSTRACT

Health professionals constitute a group that is at a high risk of COVID-19. They have been found to experience difficulties in many issues, one of which is that they face the risk of infecting themselves and others due to interaction with high-risk patients. The present study investigates how demographical and individual factors and work addiction affected work-life balance and mental health needs of health professionals. The data of the present study were collected in the first wave of pandemic. The hypothesized structural equation model was rejected based on the fit indices. The second analysis of modified model was significant and indicated that whether health professionals live alone or with others such as family members had direct effects on work addiction, indirect effects on work-life balance, and needs for mental health. In addition, gender and working hours had direct effects on work-life balance. The highest effect on work-life balance was caused by work addiction. Moreover, work addiction had a moderate effect on mental health needs. As a result, the current study showed that work-life balance, work addiction, and the need for mental health were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic.