Healthcare workers' anxieties and coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey

Abstract

Purpose: this study aimed to investigate the anxiety levels of healthcare workers and the coping strategies they used for stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design and methods: this descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in April 2020 in Turkey with 444 healthcare workers via three online questionnaires: A participant information form, the State Anxiety Inventory (SAI), and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire. Findings: healthcare workers might be considered to experience more anxiety during the pandemic than shown in the studies conducted before the pandemic. Significant differences in SAI score were found in terms of age, gender, and education status. Practice implications: age, gender, and some variables related to the pandemic affected the anxiety levels and coping strategies of healthcare workers.