Exploring Anxiety Level among Nurses During COVID-Pandemic. A Systematic Review

Section: Review Articles
Issue
Vol. 12 No. 1 (2024): Volume 12 Issue 1
Published
Jan 12, 2024
Pages
30-49

Abstract

Background: This systematic review explores fear and anxiety levels among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, alongside other mental health dimensions.Methods: A total of 18 selected studies were analyzed, focusing on tools like the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS) to measure fear and anxiety.Results: Nurses exhibited high fear levels, particularly concerning infecting loved ones and potential fatalities. While no specific COVID-19 anxiety scale was identified, the AMICO scale from Spain shows promise.Conclusion: The identified risk factors encompassed personal, working, and attitudinal factors related to COVID-19. This review underscores the need for tailored support strategies and interventions to address nurses' mental well-being during the pandemic.

References

  1. Abid, M., & Riaz, M. (2021). Association between fear of COVID-19 and emotional distress in nurses with mediating role of socio-demographic features. Frontiers in psychology, 12, 734623.
  2. Agyemang, G., Bema, Y., Eturu, D. A., Bawontuo, V., & Kuupiel, D. (2023). Occupational stress and burnout experience among healthcare workers compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa: a scoping review protocol. Syst Rev, 12(1), 34. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-023-02200-w
  3. Alsharif, F. (2021). Nurses knowledge and anxiety levels toward COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia. Nursing Reports, 11(2), 356-363. https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep11020034
  4. Amsalem, D., Lazarov, A., Markowitz, J. C., Naiman, A., Smith, T. E., Dixon, L. B., & Neria, Y. (2021). Psychiatric symptoms and moral injury among US healthcare workers in the COVID-19 era. BMC Psychiatry, 21(1), 546. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03565-9
  5. Belash, I., Barzagar, F., Mousavi, G., Janbazian, K., Aghasi, Z., Ladari, A. T., Taghizadeh, M., Jahanbakhsh, F., Saripour, E., & Gholami, F. (2021). COVID-19 pandemic and death anxiety among intensive care nurses working at the Hospitals Affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Science. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 10(7), 2499-2502.
  6. Burstyn, I., & Holt, K. (2022). A Cross-Sectional Survey of the Workplace Factors Contributing to Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression Among Nurses and Physicians During the First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in Two US Healthcare Systems. Ann Work Expo Health, 66(3), 312-333. https://doi.org/10.1093/annweh/wxab085
  7. Burton, J., Lynn, P., & Benzeval, M. (2020). How understanding society: the UK household longitudinal study adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  8. Campos, J., Martins, B. G., Campos, L. A., de Ftima Valado-Dias, F., & Marco, J. (2021). Symptoms related to mental disorder in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Int Arch Occup Environ Health, 94(5), 1023-1032. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-021-01656-4
  9. Cho, K. H., & Kim, B. (2021). The psychological responses of nurses caring for COVID-19 patients: AQ methodological approach. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(7), 3605.
  10. Cohen, M., Cruz, L. N., Cardoso, R. B., Albuquerque, M., Montarroyos, U. R., de Souza, W. V., Ludermir, A. B., de Carvalho, M. R., da Silva Vicente, J. D., Viegas Filho, M. P., Cortes, F. J. M., de Siqueira Silva, M. T., Almeida, C. M. C., Lima, L., Veras, M., Kendall, C., Kerr, L., Martelli, C. M. T., & Camey, S. A. (2023). Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of frontline healthcare workers in a highly affected region in Brazil. BMC Psychiatry, 23(1), 255. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04702-2
  11. Coimbra, B. M., Zylberstajn, C., van Zuiden, M., Hoeboer, C. M., Mello, A. F., Mello, M. F., & Olff, M. (2023). Moral injury and mental health among health-care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: meta-analysis. Eur J Psychotraumatol, 15(1), 2299659. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2023.2299659
  12. Cui, S., Jiang, Y., Shi, Q., Zhang, L., Kong, D., Qian, M., & Chu, J. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 on anxiety, stress, and coping styles in nurses in emergency departments and fever clinics: a cross-sectional survey. Risk management and healthcare policy, 14, 585-594. https://doi.org/10.2147/RMHP.S289782
  13. Denning, M., Goh, E. T., Tan, B., Kanneganti, A., Almonte, M., Scott, A., Martin, G., Clarke, J., Sounderajah, V., Markar, S., Przybylowicz, J., Chan, Y. H., Sia, C. H., Chua, Y. X., Sim, K., Lim, L., Tan, L., Tan, M., Sharma, V., Ooi, S., Winter Beatty, J., Flott, K., Mason, S., Chidambaram, S., Yalamanchili, S., Zbikowska, G., Fedorowski, J., Dykowska, G., Wells, M., Purkayastha, S., & Kinross, J. (2021). Determinants of burnout and other aspects of psychological well-being in healthcare workers during the Covid-19 pandemic: A multinational cross-sectional study. PLoS One, 16(4), e0238666. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238666
  14. Gasteiger, N., Vedhara, K., Massey, A., Jia, R., Ayling, K., Chalder, T., Coupland, C., & Broadbent, E. (2021). Depression, anxiety and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic: results from a New Zealand cohort study on mental well-being. BMJ Open, 11(5), e045325. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-045325
  15. Gmez-Salgado, J., Allande-Cuss, R., Domnguez-Salas, S., Garca-Iglesias, J. J., Coronado-Vzquez, V., & Ruiz-Frutos, C. (2021). Design of Fear and Anxiety of COVID-19 Assessment Tool in Spanish Adult Population. Brain Sci, 11(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11030328
  16. Ignjatovi Risti, D., Hini, D., Bankovi, D., Koovi, A., Risti, I., Rosi, G., Risti, B., Milovanovi, D., Janji, V., Jovanovi, M., Selakovi, D., Jovii, M., Stevanovi, N., Milanovi, P., Milenkovi, N., Paunovi, M., Staevi Karlii, I., Novakovi, I., Aleksi, J., Drakovi, M., Ranelovi, N., ori, M., & Gavrilovi, J. (2020). Levels of stress and resilience related to the COVID-19 pandemic among academic medical staff in Serbia. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci, 74(11), 604-605. https://doi.org/10.1111/pcn.13124
  17. Ik, O., Tengilimolu, D., Tosun, N., Zekiolu, A., & Tengilimolu, O. (2022). Evaluating the factors (stress, anxiety and depression) affecting the mental health condition of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Evaluation & the Health Professions, 45(1), 86-96. https://doi.org/10.1177/01632787211062660
  18. Magnavita, N., Tripepi, G., & Di Prinzio, R. R. (2020). Symptoms in Health Care Workers during the COVID-19 Epidemic. A Cross-Sectional Survey. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 17(14). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17145218
  19. Mattila, E., Peltokoski, J., Neva, M. H., Kaunonen, M., Helminen, M., & Parkkila, A.-K. (2021). COVID-19: anxiety among hospital staff and associated factors. Annals of Medicine, 53(1), 237-246. https://doi.org/10.1080/07853890.2020.1862905
  20. Mekonen, E., Shetie, B., & Muluneh, N. (2021). The psychological impact of COVID-19 outbreak on nurses working in the Northwest of Amhara Regional State Referral Hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 13, 1353-1364. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S291446
  21. Mosolova, E., Chung, S., Sosin, D., & Mosolov, S. (2020). Stress and anxiety among healthcare workers associated with COVID-19 pandemic in Russia. Psychiatria Danubina, 32(3-4), 549-556.
  22. Motahedi, S., Aghdam, N. F., Khajeh, M., Baha, R., Aliyari, R., & Bagheri, H. (2021). Anxiety and depression among healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study. Heliyon, 7(12).
  23. Muoz-Muoz, M., Carretero-Bravo, J., Prez-Muoz, C., & Daz-Rodrguez, M. (2022). Analysis of the psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the nursing staff of the intensive care units (ICU) in Spain.
  24. Muoz-Muoz, M., Carretero-Bravo, J., Prez-Muoz, C., & Daz-Rodrguez, M. (2022). Analysis of the psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the nursing staff of the intensive care units (ICU) in Spain. Healthcare,
  25. Natividad, M. J. B., Aljohani, K. A., Roque, M. Y., & Gamboa, H. M. (2021). Feelings, stress, and coping of nurses amidst COVID-19 outbreak in Saudi Arabia. Sudan Journal of Medical Sciences, 16(2), 285-300.
  26. Sampaio, F., Sequeira, C., & Teixeira, L. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 outbreak on nurses mental health: A prospective cohort study. Environmental research, 194, 110620. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2020.110620
  27. Snchez-Snchez, E., Garca-lvarez, J. ., Garca-Marn, E., Gutierrez-Serrano, M., Alfrez, M. J. M., & Ramirez-Vargas, G. (2021). Impact of the covid-19 pandemic on the mental health of nurses and auxiliary nursing care techniciansa voluntary online survey. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(16), 8310. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168310
  28. Setiawati, Y., Wahyuhadi, J., Joestandari, F., Maramis, M. M., & Atika, A. (2021). Anxiety and Resilience of Healthcare Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 14(null), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S276655
  29. Shen, Y., Zhan, Y., Zheng, H., Liu, H., Wan, Y., & Zhou, W. (2021). Anxiety and its association with perceived stress and insomnia among nurses fighting against COVID19 in Wuhan: a crosssectional survey. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 30(17-18), 2654-2664.
  30. Simn Melchor, A., Jimnez Sesma, M. L., Solano Castn, J., Simn Melchor, L., Gaya Sancho, B., & Bordonaba Bosque, D. (2022). Anlisis del impacto psicoemocional de la pandemia del COVID-19 entre los profesionales de enfermera. Enfermera global, 21(66), 184-234.
  31. Simonetti, V., Durante, A., Ambrosca, R., Arcadi, P., Graziano, G., Pucciarelli, G., Simeone, S., Vellone, E., Alvaro, R., & Cicolini, G. (2021). Anxiety, sleep disorders and self-efficacy among nurses during COVID-19 pandemic: A large cross-sectional study. J Clin Nurs, 30(9-10), 1360-1371. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.15685
  32. Stodolska, A., Wjcik, G., Baraska, I., Kijowska, V., & Szczerbiska, K. (2023). Prevalence of burnout among healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic and associated factors - a scoping review. Int J Occup Med Environ Health, 36(1), 21-58. https://doi.org/10.13075/ijomeh.1896.02007
  33. Tayyib, N. A., & Alsolami, F. J. (2020). Measuring the extent of stress and fear among Registered Nurses in KSA during the COVID-19 Outbreak. Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences, 15(5), 410-416.
  34. Ura, G. A., Yksel, S., Dlek, E. K., Erden, S., & irin, K. (2022). Health problems and reasons for stress of intensive care nurses during COVID-19. Florence Nightingale Journal of Nursing, 30(1), 55.
  35. Zheng, R., Zhou, Y., Fu, Y., Xiang, Q., Cheng, F., Chen, H., Xu, H., Fu, L., Wu, X., Feng, M., Ye, L., Tian, Y., Deng, R., Liu, S., Jiang, Y., Yu, C., & Li, J. (2021). Prevalence and associated factors of depression and anxiety among nurses during the outbreak of COVID-19 in China: A cross-sectional study. Int J Nurs Stud, 114, 103809. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2020.103809

Authors

Sandeep Poddar

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation), Lincoln University College, Malaysia

ORCID
Issa Hwedi Alkhamaiseh

Adult Health Department, Faculty of Nursing, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan

ORCID

Identifiers

Download this PDF file
PDF

Statistics