International Journal of Public Health (Sep 2022)

Risk Perception Related to COVID-19 and Future Affective Responses Among Healthcare Workers in Switzerland: A Mixed-Methods Longitudinal Study

  • Véronique S. Grazioli,
  • Konstantinos Tzartzas,
  • Jérémie Blaser,
  • Madison Graells,
  • Elodie Schmutz,
  • Isabelle Petitgenet,
  • Bernard Favrat,
  • Javier Sanchis Zozaya,
  • Ioannis Kokkinakis,
  • Regis Marion-Veyron,
  • Patrick Bodenmann

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/ijph.2022.1604517
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 67

Abstract

Read online

Objectives: Whereas early findings suggest that risk perceptions related to COVID-19 affect psychological well-being in healthcare workers (HCWs), the temporal associations between these variables need to be clarified and HCWs lived experience further explored. This study proposes a mixed evaluation of COVID-19-related risk perception and affective responses among HCWs.Methods: A longitudinal mixed-method study was conducted. HCWs (N = 138) completed measures of COVID-19 risk perceptions, depression, anxiety, burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS) at baseline and 6 months later. A subsample (n = 20) participated in semi-structured interviews exploring both risk perceptions and affective responses.Results: Main quantitative findings showed positive associations between worry to contaminate others and depression (IRR = 1.04, p < 0.05), anxiety (IRR = 1.03, p < 0.01), STS (b = 0.3, p < 0.05), and perceptions of lacking protection (IRR = 1.04, p < 0.05) with anxiety scores. Four themes emerged from the thematic content analysis: 1) life was turned upside down; 2) skills were put in quarantine; 3) dealing with patient discomfort; 4) balance to be found between protection and restrictions.Conclusion: These findings emphasize the importance to develop tailored interventions, such as group discussion sessions, to optimize risk perception and help manage uncertainty.

Keywords