Emergency Medicine Physicians' Approaches to Coping with Stress in COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the stress experienced by emergency medicine physicians working in emergency departments during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the factors they stated to be effective against stress, and their coping approaches to stressful situations. Materials and Methods: The study was designed in a general screening model, and 200 emergency medicine physicians participated via e-mail who work in emergency departments in Turkey. The sources of stress related to the pandemic, the factors that they find effective in combating stress, and their strategies to cope with stress were investigated with relation to their gender, marital status, after-shift accommodation, manner of working in a shift, smoking behavior, having a chronic disease, having children, and spouse's job as a healthcare professional. Results: While the primary source of stress of emergency medicine physicians during the pandemic was the risk of transmitting the virus to their families, the most influential factor in combating stress was leisure activities. Emergency physicians' approaches to coping with stress were significantly predicted by the variables of using full personal protective equipment while working, having an adequate sleep and resting opportunities, obtaining additional economic income, and not knowing the pandemic's end date. Conclusion: Emergency medicine physicians used active problem-oriented approaches, and among these, they used the social support seeking approach the most during the pandemic. It is necessary to provide social support, take precautions to care for healthcare workers' families and arrange emergency physicians' shifts to allocate their time to their leisure activities appropriately to reduce stress.