Stress, Resilience and Moral Distress among Health Care Providers During COVID-19 Pandemic

Latif A; Yaqub S; Dar A.Q; Awan S.U; Farhat Hina; Khokhar A.M

doi:10.51273/esc21.2517116

Authors

Ahmed Latif
Sobia Yaqub
Qudsia Anwar Dar
Umer Sultan Awan
Hina Farhat
Muhammad Abbas Khokhar

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51273/esc21.2517116

Keywords:

Stress, Resilience, HCPs

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to determine level of stress, resilience and moral distress among health care providers during covid-19 pandemic.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional study performed using an online questionnaire. Data was collected from Health Care Providers, working in various tertiary care hospitals of Lahore, using an online questionnaire. Perceived stress scale (PSS), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC 10) and Moral Distress Thermometer were used to determine level of stress, resilience and moral stress respectively among the HCPs. Scores on the PSS can range from 0 to 40 with scores of 0-13, 14-26 and 27-40 being considered as low, moderate and high stress respectively. The Moral Distress Thermometer has scores ranging from 0-10 with value of ≥4 considered high. Data was analyzed using SPSS version.23.Descriptive variables were reported as means and frequencies. Intergroup analysis was done using Chi square test with p<0.05 taken as significant.
Results: A total of 278 (n=278) HCPs participated in study. According to the PSS (Perceived Stress Scale) scores, 5.03% (14) reported low, 86.69% (241) moderate and 8.27% (23) high stress levels. The mean stress score is 21.56+/-4.32. Providing patient care (mean = 2.28+/-1.15 SD) and transmitting infection to others (mean = 3.02+/-1.10 SD) were deemed major causes of stress. The mean CD-RISC score was 23.14+/-7.81 SD. Only 10.8% (30) had a score of ≥ 32. The mean Moral Distress score was 4.2+/-2.98 SD, with 53.2% (149) participants reporting high Moral distress (score ≥ 4).
Conclusion: The high level of stress among HCPs during COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need of urgent measures to overcome this psychological issue which if left un-addressed can affect performance of HCPs.

How to cite: Latif A., Yaqub S., Dar A.Q., Awan S.U., Farhat Hina., Khokhar A.M., Stress, Resilience and Moral Distress among Health care Providers during COVID-19 pandemic. Esculapio 2021;17 (01):