The Rate of Anxiety and its Influential Factors among Nurses Caring for COVID-19 Patients at Hospitals in Iran

Nowadays, the issue of the COVID-19 disease has created a wave of worry and fear among the general public, especially nurses. Nurses include a large group of treatment staff who will not be able to act an optimal care if they do not possess an appropriate mental and physical health. The present research was planned to determine the rate of anxiety and its effective factors among nurses caring for COVD-19 patients at hospitals affiliated with Universities of Medical Sciences of Shiraz and Yazd. This descriptive study was carried out in the year 2020 using multi-stage stratified random sampling method. Data were collected and analyzed using demographic and Spielberger standard questionnaire. The mean score of overt and covert anxiety among nurses of Shiraz was 51.71±10.59 and 44.28±8.88, and among Yazdi nurses, it was 47.47±12.43 and 44.28±10.70, respectively. According to the results of the linear regression model, the effective factors on overt anxiety consisted of the place of service, marriage status, age, and nurses’ contact with the COVID-19 patients for a period of minimum 15 days. The effective factors on covert anxiety consisted of marriage status and nurses’ contact with the COVID-19 patients for a period of minimum 15 days. Considering the results of the present study and the importance of nursing profession in such created crisis, it is necessary to develop some programs in order to increase the mental health of such personnel.