Preventive Care in Nursing and Midwifery Journal (Jan 2020)
Comparison of Anxiety Level in Community Health Care Providers Employing in rural and urban Public Health Centers of Tabriz, 2020
Abstract
Background: The work environment and work-related activities of Community health care providers can cause anxiety in some situations. Persistent anxiety may lead to feelings of self-illness, absenteeism, substance abuse, and low self-esteem. Anxiety in public health care providers can reduce the quality of healthcare services. Objectives: The present study aimed to determine and compare the level of anxiety in community health care providers employing in rural or urban public health centers of Tabriz in 2020. Methods: In this descriptive-comparative study, 140 community health care providers including 70 health workers (behvarz) from rural health house and 70 health care providers from urban public health centers and its branches entered the study through cluster random sampling. The state and trait anxiety level of the samples were compared using a two-part questionnaire including demographic information form and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Data analysis was performed in SPSS software using descriptive and inferential statistics including Chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests. Results: Mean and standard deviation of trait anxiety in the health care providers group working in rural or urban public health centers was 44.19±8.55 and in the health workers group as the health care provider in health house located in village was 44.30±9.17. Mean and standard deviation of state anxiety was 44.63 ± 8.27 and 44.83 ± 11.50 in the same groups relatively. Comparison of state and trait anxiety levels between the two groups of health care providers and health workers showed no statistically significant difference (P<0.05). No significant difference was observed between demographic characteristics and state-trait anxiety levels in both groups (P<0.05). Conclusion: The level of State and Trait anxiety in the two groups of health care providers and health workers was moderate to mild. It is suggested that the authorities take the necessary measures to identify and moderate the causes of anxiety in this group of health workers.