Stress and Associated Factors among Frontline Healthcare Workers in the COVID-19 Epicenter of Da Nang City, Vietnam

Nhan Phuc Thanh Nguyen, Duong Dinh Le, Robert Colebunders, Joseph Nelson Siewe Fodjo, Trung Dinh Tran and Thang Van Vo
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Nhan Phuc Thanh Nguyen: Institute for Community Health Research, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University, Hue 530000, Vietnam
Duong Dinh Le: Faculty of Public Health, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University, Hue 530000, Vietnam
Robert Colebunders: Global Health Institute, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
Joseph Nelson Siewe Fodjo: Global Health Institute, University of Antwerp, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
Trung Dinh Tran: Faculty of Public Health, Da Nang University of Medical Technology and Pharmacy, Da Nang 550000, Vietnam
Thang Van Vo: Institute for Community Health Research, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Hue University, Hue 530000, Vietnam

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 14, 1-9

Abstract: Frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) involved in the COVID-19 response have a higher risk of experiencing psychosocial distress amidst the pandemic. Between July and September 2020, a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic appeared in Vietnam with Da Nang city being the epicenter. During the outbreak, HCWs were quarantined within the health facilities in a bid to limit the spread of COVID-19 to their respective communities. Using the stress component of the 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21), we assessed the level of stress among HCWs in Da Nang city. Between 30 August and 15 September 2020, 746 frontline HCWs were recruited to fill in an online structured questionnaire. Overall, 44.6% of participants experienced increased stress and 18.9% severe or extremely severe stress. In multivariable analysis, increased stress was associated with longer working hours (OR = 1.012; 95% CI: 1.004–1.019), working in health facilities providing COVID-19 treatment (OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.04–2.39), having direct contact with patients or their bio-samples (physicians, nurses and laboratory workers; OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.02–1.99), low confidence in the available personal protective equipment (OR = 0.846; 95% CI: 0.744–0.962) and low knowledge on COVID-19 prevention and treatment (OR = 0.853; 95% CI: 0.739–0.986). In conclusion, many frontline HCWs experienced increased stress during the COVID-19 outbreak in Da Nang city. Reducing working time, providing essential personal protective equipment and enhancing the knowledge on COVID-19 will help to reduce this stress. Moreover, extra support is needed for HCWs who are directly exposed to COVID-19 patients.

Keywords: COVID-19; stress; Vietnam; healthcare workers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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