Knowledge, Risk Perceptions and Depression Related to COVID-19: The Comparison between Nurses and other Professionals in Nanjing, China
Tsorng-Yeh Lee
School of Nursing, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Yaping Zhong
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Australia.
Fan Li
School of Nursing, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, China.
Zijiao Tao
Sir Run Run Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, China.
Tao Shi
School of Healthcare Security, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, China.
Ji Ji *
School of Nursing, Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, China.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Background: COVID-19 is a deadly infectious disease that dramatically affects the safety of hospital professionals. Their knowledge, risk perception, and depression levels towards COVID-19 need to be understood.
Purpose: This study aimed to compare the differences in knowledge, risk perceptions, and depression related to COVID-19 between nurses and other professionals in hospital settings.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Nanjing, China at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic with four standardized questionnaires, including (a) demographic data, (b) knowledge about COVID-19, (c) risk perceptions, and (d) depression. Data from the two groups of participants were analyzed by Chi-square tests, correlations, and t-tests.
Results: The mean correct answer rate of knowledge for nurses was 76.42%, and for other professionals was 73.94%. T-tests indicated significant differences in total mean knowledge score and mean scores in four out of five subscale scores (p<.05). All significant differences in scores showed that nurses' knowledge was higher than other professionals, except one subscale score, which revealed that nurses' knowledge of pets could spread COVID-19 was lower than other professionals. The highest perceived risk scores in both groups were contracting influenza. The second highest was scores on COVID-19 and H1N 1 the third. T-tests indicated significant differences between these two groups in scores of contracting these three infectious diseases, with nurses higher than other professionals (p<.001). T-test also showed that the depression of nurses was higher than other professionals (p<.000). Positive relationships existed between risk perceptions and depression (p<.001).
Conclusions: More education is needed to improve hospital professionals' knowledge of COVID-19. Since nurses' risk perceptions of contracting COVID-19 and dying from this deadly infection were higher than other professionals; further studies might help researchers understand the underlying reasons better. Hospital leaders should pay attention to workers' mental health and initiate proper strategies to reduce their depression related to COVID-19. Further investigation is needed since few publications mention the relationship between the perceived risk of hospital professionals and home and food accidents.
Keywords: COVID-19, depression, knowledge, nurses, risk perception