COVID-19 Salgın Günlerinde Çocuk Sağlığı ve Hastalıkları Asistanlarının Anksiyete Düzeyi

Objectives: The aim of this study is to reveal how pediatrics residents’ anxiety levels and their approaches to children have been shaped during unexpected experience of COVID-19 outbreak and to evaluate the effects of working in pandemic clinics on anxiety. Materials and Methods: This study was planned as a cross-sectional study. Pediatrics residents working in Izmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital Pediatrics Education Clinic were contacted and asked whether they wanted to fill the prepared electronic questionnaire. The information including informed volunteer consent form and questionnaires was sent to the acceptors via e-mail/Whatsapp. The socio-demographic data form and Spielberger State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S and STAI-T) were sent to the participants. Results: Sixty four pediatrics residents participated. The average age of the participants in our study was 27.98±2.62 years. Of them, 79.7%(n=51) were female, while 20.3% (n=13) were male. While 7.8% (n=5) had a history of suffering from mental illness before COVID-19, there was no history of mental illness in 92.2% (n=59). 67.2% (n=43) of the pediatrics residents included in the study worked in the pandemic service and outpatient clinics. We found that pediatrics residents included in the study showed clinically significant anxiety symptoms at the rate of 89.1% (n=57) in terms of the Spielberger state anxiety scale and at the rate of 65.6% (n=42) in terms of the Spielberger trait anxiety scale. Considering whether the residents included in the study worked or did not work in the pandemic outpatient clinic/inpatient clinic, no statistically significant difference was found in terms of STAI scores (p>0.05). Conclusion: Our study is the first study to evaluate the anxiety levels associated with the COVID-19 outbreak among pediatrics residents in our country. In our study, both the state anxiety level and the trait anxiety level were found to be higher in pediatrics residents, with a higher level of state anxiety. The results of our study suggest the necessity of interventions for the concerns of all healthcare professionals, especially pediatrics residents.