Do anxiety levels and attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines among healthcare workers change after COVID-19 vaccination?

Hasan Balaban; Meltem Demirdağ Çevikkan; Selin Tanyeri Kayahan

doi:10.18621/eurj.1128240

Research Article

Do anxiety levels and attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines among healthcare workers change after COVID-19 vaccination?

Year 2023, Volume: 9 Issue: 6 - November 2023, 1303 - 1313, 04.11.2023

Hasan Balaban Meltem Demirdağ Çevikkan Selin Tanyeri Kayahan

https://doi.org/10.18621/eurj.1128240

Abstract

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has significant effects on the mental health of societies and individuals worldwide while especially for healthcare workers these effects pose a higher risk due to occupational exposure. COVID-19 vaccines have been a turning point in the pandemic, however concepts as vaccine hesitancy and anti-vaccination have come into question again. This study aimed to comparatively evaluate the attitudes of healthcare professionals towards the COVID-19 vaccines, their pandemic-related anxiety and phobia levels before and after vaccination.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the anxiety levels and attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines of healthcare professionals working in a state hospital were evaluated by administrating Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), Coronavirus-19 Phobia Scale (CP19-S), and Attitudes Towards COVID-19 Vaccine Scale (ATV-COVID-19) to the participants both in the pre-vaccine (n = 154) and post-vaccine (n = 81) periods. All these scales were previously validates in Turkish population. 44.8% (n = 69) of pre-vaccine sample and 45.7% (n = 37) of post-vaccine sample were female and all participants were Turkish. Participants were questioned about COVID-19 symptoms during each application and kept in touch in terms of side effects.

Results: One hundres fifty-four pre-vaccine and 81 post-vaccine health workers were included in the study. After the vaccination scores of CAS and CP19-S decreased significantly compared to the pre-vaccine period (p < 0.001 and p = 0.005, respectively); while ATV-COVID-19 scores significantly increased (p < 0.001). Participants did not report significant adverse events in the post-vaccine period.

Conclusions: The results of the study in the form of a decrease in anxiety and fear levels and an increase in positive attitudes towards the vaccine after vaccination suggest that vaccination may have a positive effect on the mental health of healthcare workers.

Keywords

COVID-19, vaccination, healthcare workers, anxiety, phobia, vaccine hesitancy

References

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2. World Health Organization. World Health Organization Global COVID-19 Data. Available from: https://covid19.who.int/
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10. Szmyd B, Karuga FF, Bartoszek A, Staniecka K, Siwecka N, Bartoszek A, et al. Attitude and behaviors towards SARS-CoV-2 vaccination among healthcare workers: a cross-sectional study from Poland. Vaccines (Basel) 2021;9:218.
11. Silva WAD, de Sampaio Brito TR, Pereira CR. COVID-19 anxiety scale (CAS): Development and psychometric properties. Curr Psychol 2022;41:5693-702.
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13. Geniş B. Issue 7 Perception of COVID-19 (P-COVID-19), Perception of Causes of COVID-19 (PCa-COVID-19), Perception of Control of COVID-19 (PCo-COVID-19). Humanit 2020;306:306-26.
14. Arpaci I, Karataş K, Baloğlu M. The development and initial tests for the psychometric properties of the COVID-19 Phobia Scale (C19P-S). Pers Individ Dif 2020;164:110108.
15. Hao Q, Wang D, Xie M, Tang Y, Dou Y, Zhu L, et al. Prevalence and risk factors of mental mealth problems among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Psychiatry 2021;12:567381.
16. Ornell F, Schuch JB, Sordi AO, Kessler FHP. “Pandemic fear” and COVID-19: mental health burden and strategies. Braz Psychiatry 2020;42:232-5.
17. Shanafelt T, Ripp J, Trockel M. Understanding and addressing sources of anxiety among health care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. JAMA 2020;323:2133-4.
18. Melnyk BM, Orsolini L, Tan A, Arslanian-Engoren C, Melkus GD, Dunbar-Jacob J, et al. A national study links nurses’ physical and mental health to medical errors and perceived worksite wellness. J Occup Environ Med 2018;60:126-31.
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21. Chen S, Aruldass AR, Cardinal RN. Mental health outcomes after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in the United States: a national cross-sectional study. J Affect Disord 2022;298(Pt A):396-9.
22. Haddaden M, Aldabain L, Patel N, Maharaj A, Saif A, Imam Z, et al. Health care workers attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination and the effect on personal and professional life. J community Hosp Intern Med Perspect 2021;11:585-9.
23. Zdziarski K, Landowski M, Zabielska P, Karakiewicz B. Subjective feelings of Polish doctors after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021;18:6291.
24. Nasir M, Zaman MA, Majumder TK, Ahmed F, Nazneen R, Omar E, et al. Perception, preventive practice, and attitude towards vaccine against COVID-19 among health care professionals in Bangladesh. Infect Drug Resist 2021;14:3531-40.
25. Turan GB, Aksoy M, Özer Z, Demir C. The association between coronaphobia and attitude towards COVID-19 vaccine: a sample in the east of Turkey. Encephale 2022;48:38-42.
26. Karayürek F, Çebi AT, Gülses A, Ayna M. The impact of covid-19 vaccination on anxiety levels of Turkish dental professionals and their attitude in clinical care: a cross-sectional study. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021;18:10373.
27. Kennedy A, Lavail K, Nowak G, Basket M, Landry S. Confidence about vaccines in the United States: understanding parents’ perceptions. Health Aff (Millwood) 2011;30:1151-9.
28. Wang J, Jing R, Lai X, Zhang H, Lyu Y, Knoll MD, et al. Acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Vaccines (Basel) 2020;8:482.
29. Giuliani M, Ichino A, Bonomi A, Martoni R, Cammino S, Gorini A. Who is willing to get vaccinated? A study into the psychological, socio-demographic, and cultural determinants of COVID-19 vaccination intentions. Vaccines (Basel) 2021;9:810.
30. Barry M, Temsah M-H, Alhuzaimi A, Alamro N, Al-Eyadhy A, Aljamaan F, et al. COVID-19 vaccine confidence and hesitancy among health care workers: a cross-sectional survey from a MERS-CoV experienced nation. PLoS One 2021;16:e0244415.
31. World Health Organization. Ten threats to global health in 2019. 2019.
32. Salali GD, Uysal MS. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is associated with beliefs on the origin of the novel coronavirus in the UK and Turkey. Psychol Med 2020 Oct 19. doi: 10.1017/S0033291720004067
33. Temsah M-H, Barry M, Aljamaan F, Alhuzaimi A, Al-Eyadhy A, Saddik B, et al. Adenovirus and RNA-based COVID-19 vaccines’ perceptions and acceptance among healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia: a national survey. BMJ Open 2021;11:e048586.
34. Reiter PL, Pennell ML, Katz ML. Acceptability of a COVID-19 vaccine among adults in the United States: How many people would get vaccinated? Vaccine 2020;38:6500-7.
35. Akarsu B, Canbay Özdemir D, Ayhan Baser D, Aksoy H, Fidancı İ, Cankurtaran M. While studies on COVID-19 vaccine is ongoing, the public’s thoughts and attitudes to the future COVID-19 vaccine. Int J Clin Pract 2021;75:e13891.
36. Li M, Luo Y, Watson R, Zheng Y, Ren J, Tang J, et al. Healthcare workers’ (HCWs) attitudes and related factors towards COVID-19 vaccination: a rapid systematic review. Postgrad Med J 2021 Jun 30. doi: 10.1136/postgradmedj-2021-140195.
37. Hajure M, Tariku M, Bekele F, Abdu Z, Dule A, Mohammedhussein M, et al. Attitude towards COVID-19 vaccination among healthcare workers: a systematic review. Infect Drug Resist 2021;14:3883-97.
38. Shekhar R, Sheikh AB, Upadhyay S, Singh M, Kottewar S, Mir H, et al. COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among health care workers in the United States. Vaccines (Basel) 2021;9:119.

Year 2023, Volume: 9 Issue: 6 - November 2023, 1303 - 1313, 04.11.2023

Hasan Balaban Meltem Demirdağ Çevikkan Selin Tanyeri Kayahan

https://doi.org/10.18621/eurj.1128240

Abstract

References

1. Pollard CA, Morran MP, Nestor-Kalinoski AL. The COVID-19 pandemic: a global health crisis. Physiol Genomics 2020;52:549-57.
2. World Health Organization. World Health Organization Global COVID-19 Data. Available from: https://covid19.who.int/
3. Vahratian A, Blumberg SJ, Terlizzi EP, Schiller JS. Symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder and use of mental health care among adults during the COVID-19 pandemic - United States, August 2020-February 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021;70:490-4.
4. Santarone K, McKenney M, Elkbuli A. Preserving mental health and resilience in frontline healthcare workers during COVID-19. Am J Emerg Med 2020;38:1530-1.
5. Chew NWS, Lee GKH, Tan BYQ, Jing M, Goh Y, Ngiam NJH, et al. A multinational, multicentre study on the psychological outcomes and associated physical symptoms amongst healthcare workers during COVID-19 outbreak. Brain Behav Immun 2020;88:559-65.
6. Fattori A, Cantù F, Comotti A, Tombola V, Colombo E, Nava C, et al. Hospital workers mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: methods of data collection and characteristics of study sample in a university hospital in Milan (Italy). BMC Med Res Methodol 2021;21:163.
7. Bryant-Genevier J, Rao CY, Lopes-Cardozo B, Kone A, Rose C, Thomas I, et al. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal ideation among state, tribal, local, and territorial public health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic - United States, March-April 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021;70:947-52.
8. Hebbani AV, Pulakuntla S, Pannuru P, Aramgam S, Badri KR, Reddy VD. COVID-19: comprehensive review on mutations and current vaccines. Arch Microbiol 2021;204:8.
9. Kaplan AK, Sahin MK, Parildar H, Adadan Guvenc I. The willingness to accept the COVID-19 vaccine and affecting factors among healthcare professionals: a cross-sectional study in Turkey. Int J Clin Pract 2021;75:e14226.
10. Szmyd B, Karuga FF, Bartoszek A, Staniecka K, Siwecka N, Bartoszek A, et al. Attitude and behaviors towards SARS-CoV-2 vaccination among healthcare workers: a cross-sectional study from Poland. Vaccines (Basel) 2021;9:218.
11. Silva WAD, de Sampaio Brito TR, Pereira CR. COVID-19 anxiety scale (CAS): Development and psychometric properties. Curr Psychol 2022;41:5693-702.
12. Biçer İ, Çakmak C, Demir H, Kurt ME. Coronavirus anxiety scale short form: Turkish validity and reliability study. Anadolu Klin Tıp Bilim Derg 2020;25:216-25.
13. Geniş B. Issue 7 Perception of COVID-19 (P-COVID-19), Perception of Causes of COVID-19 (PCa-COVID-19), Perception of Control of COVID-19 (PCo-COVID-19). Humanit 2020;306:306-26.
14. Arpaci I, Karataş K, Baloğlu M. The development and initial tests for the psychometric properties of the COVID-19 Phobia Scale (C19P-S). Pers Individ Dif 2020;164:110108.
15. Hao Q, Wang D, Xie M, Tang Y, Dou Y, Zhu L, et al. Prevalence and risk factors of mental mealth problems among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Psychiatry 2021;12:567381.
16. Ornell F, Schuch JB, Sordi AO, Kessler FHP. “Pandemic fear” and COVID-19: mental health burden and strategies. Braz Psychiatry 2020;42:232-5.
17. Shanafelt T, Ripp J, Trockel M. Understanding and addressing sources of anxiety among health care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. JAMA 2020;323:2133-4.
18. Melnyk BM, Orsolini L, Tan A, Arslanian-Engoren C, Melkus GD, Dunbar-Jacob J, et al. A national study links nurses’ physical and mental health to medical errors and perceived worksite wellness. J Occup Environ Med 2018;60:126-31.
19. Lai J, Ma S, Wang Y, Cai Z, Hu J, Wei N, et al. Factors associated with mental health outcomes among health care workers exposed to coronavirus disease 2019. JAMA Netw Open 2020;3:e203976.
20. Lu W, Wang H, Lin Y, Li L. Psychological status of medical workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study. Psychiatry Res 2020;288:112936.
21. Chen S, Aruldass AR, Cardinal RN. Mental health outcomes after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in the United States: a national cross-sectional study. J Affect Disord 2022;298(Pt A):396-9.
22. Haddaden M, Aldabain L, Patel N, Maharaj A, Saif A, Imam Z, et al. Health care workers attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination and the effect on personal and professional life. J community Hosp Intern Med Perspect 2021;11:585-9.
23. Zdziarski K, Landowski M, Zabielska P, Karakiewicz B. Subjective feelings of Polish doctors after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021;18:6291.
24. Nasir M, Zaman MA, Majumder TK, Ahmed F, Nazneen R, Omar E, et al. Perception, preventive practice, and attitude towards vaccine against COVID-19 among health care professionals in Bangladesh. Infect Drug Resist 2021;14:3531-40.
25. Turan GB, Aksoy M, Özer Z, Demir C. The association between coronaphobia and attitude towards COVID-19 vaccine: a sample in the east of Turkey. Encephale 2022;48:38-42.
26. Karayürek F, Çebi AT, Gülses A, Ayna M. The impact of covid-19 vaccination on anxiety levels of Turkish dental professionals and their attitude in clinical care: a cross-sectional study. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021;18:10373.
27. Kennedy A, Lavail K, Nowak G, Basket M, Landry S. Confidence about vaccines in the United States: understanding parents’ perceptions. Health Aff (Millwood) 2011;30:1151-9.
28. Wang J, Jing R, Lai X, Zhang H, Lyu Y, Knoll MD, et al. Acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Vaccines (Basel) 2020;8:482.
29. Giuliani M, Ichino A, Bonomi A, Martoni R, Cammino S, Gorini A. Who is willing to get vaccinated? A study into the psychological, socio-demographic, and cultural determinants of COVID-19 vaccination intentions. Vaccines (Basel) 2021;9:810.
30. Barry M, Temsah M-H, Alhuzaimi A, Alamro N, Al-Eyadhy A, Aljamaan F, et al. COVID-19 vaccine confidence and hesitancy among health care workers: a cross-sectional survey from a MERS-CoV experienced nation. PLoS One 2021;16:e0244415.
31. World Health Organization. Ten threats to global health in 2019. 2019.
32. Salali GD, Uysal MS. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is associated with beliefs on the origin of the novel coronavirus in the UK and Turkey. Psychol Med 2020 Oct 19. doi: 10.1017/S0033291720004067
33. Temsah M-H, Barry M, Aljamaan F, Alhuzaimi A, Al-Eyadhy A, Saddik B, et al. Adenovirus and RNA-based COVID-19 vaccines’ perceptions and acceptance among healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia: a national survey. BMJ Open 2021;11:e048586.
34. Reiter PL, Pennell ML, Katz ML. Acceptability of a COVID-19 vaccine among adults in the United States: How many people would get vaccinated? Vaccine 2020;38:6500-7.
35. Akarsu B, Canbay Özdemir D, Ayhan Baser D, Aksoy H, Fidancı İ, Cankurtaran M. While studies on COVID-19 vaccine is ongoing, the public’s thoughts and attitudes to the future COVID-19 vaccine. Int J Clin Pract 2021;75:e13891.
36. Li M, Luo Y, Watson R, Zheng Y, Ren J, Tang J, et al. Healthcare workers’ (HCWs) attitudes and related factors towards COVID-19 vaccination: a rapid systematic review. Postgrad Med J 2021 Jun 30. doi: 10.1136/postgradmedj-2021-140195.
37. Hajure M, Tariku M, Bekele F, Abdu Z, Dule A, Mohammedhussein M, et al. Attitude towards COVID-19 vaccination among healthcare workers: a systematic review. Infect Drug Resist 2021;14:3883-97.
38. Shekhar R, Sheikh AB, Upadhyay S, Singh M, Kottewar S, Mir H, et al. COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among health care workers in the United States. Vaccines (Basel) 2021;9:119.

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Details

Primary Language	English
Subjects	Psychiatry
Journal Section	Original Articles
Authors	Hasan Balaban 0000-0001-9456-8913 Meltem Demirdağ Çevikkan 0000-0003-2742-1254 Selin Tanyeri Kayahan 0000-0001-9667-4525
Early Pub Date	May 29, 2023
Publication Date	November 4, 2023
Submission Date	June 9, 2022
Acceptance Date	September 5, 2022
Published in Issue	Year 2023 Volume: 9 Issue: 6 - November 2023

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AMA	Balaban H, Demirdağ Çevikkan M, Tanyeri Kayahan S. Do anxiety levels and attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines among healthcare workers change after COVID-19 vaccination?. Eur Res J. November 2023;9(6):1303-1313. doi:10.18621/eurj.1128240

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