Survey of staff experiences during COVID-19 pandemic (POSTER)

Purpose: This survey investigated the potential impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic on possible stigma associated with being a healthcare worker (HCW). This study aligns with similar work conducted during earlier outbreaks of infectious disease. It provides insight into the scope of this potential problem and describes how HCWs perceive community views and the potential influence on provision of patient care. Methods: A paper-based survey with 33 questions was conducted within Mental Health wards and community services as well as the Medical and Surgical wards of a large metropolitan hospital in Queensland. Exploratory factor analysis was used to explore the dimensionality of the HCW stigma scale from the staff survey. Principal axis factoring was used for extraction with Promax rotation accounting for correlation among factors. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess validity and reliability. Results: A total of 545 staff (67.9% nursing, 6.6% medical, 14.7% Allied Health) completed the survey between June and July 2020. The exploratory factor analysis showed that 5 factors explained 55% of the variance and represent factors of (i) fear of getting infected with COVID-19, (ii) being avoided or judged by others, (iii) willingness to care for COVID-19 patients, (iv) healthcare settings’ morale and (v) following precautions from getting infected with COVID-19. Contrary to our hypothesis, Australian HCWs do not appear to have the same levels of self-stigma that has been reported elsewhere. Conclusion: The results of this study contribute to the knowledge of how healthcare workers perceive community views. Although staff may feel well supported at work, there may be a conflicting stigma originating from their social interactions beyond the workplace. ; No Full Text