FEAR OF THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) AND SAFETY AMONG THE HEALTH WORKFORCE IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS

Abstract

Health professionals’ fear of the coronavirus is a growing concern in the health system, as the disease’s spread among staff and patients can have a crisis-like impact both inside and outside facilities. COVID-19 is a disease that can spread over a large area throughout hospitals and the community. A quantitative study was conducted to describe health professionals’ fear of the coronavirus. The sample (n = 213) consisted of health professionals from different departments in public hospitals in Al-Madinah city in Saudi Arabia. A 35-item questionnaire addressed the fear of the coronavirus, workload, hazards, job satisfaction, and intent to stay. However, nurses and physicians were less likely to fear the coronavirus than allied health personnel, pharmacists, and other hospital employees who work in administrative areas. Most participants worried about a coronavirus outbreak and feared that if they caught the virus, their friends or family would also become infected. They believed the coronavirus to be much more dangerous than the seasonal flu. The major contribution of this research rests on recognising that following news and social media regarding the coronavirus can be overwhelming and contribute to feelings of fear of the coronavirus or fear of being infected.