Psychological Response of Healthcare Workers and Stigma Experienced during Early Covid-19 Pandemic Period in Kerala

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic the healthcare workers are most valuable resource for every country. They are going through a tough time exposing themselves at risk while working at hospitals and clinics. Along with the concerns for their own personal safety, they are anxious about passing the infection to their families. Health-care workers who care for elderly parents or young children will be drastically affected by school closures, social distancing policies, reverse quarantine needs and disruption in the transport facilities, food and other essentials. This study aimed to identify the psychological response of Healthcare workers and stigma experienced during initial phase of COVID-19 Pandemic in Kerala. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted among doctors, nurses and other paramedical hospital staff in Kerala during May-June 2020. About 605 healthcare providers from different districts participated in the study by filling an online semi structured, self-administered questionnaire in Google forms. Data were analyzed by SPSS18 software, using descriptive statistics and chi square test used as test of significance. Results: About 70% reported that COVID-19 had a significant impact on their life. More than half (315) of the participants are worried about the “uncertainty about how the pandemic will progress and who will get infection next”. About half of the health care workers are worried about “Being exposed to COVID-19 at work and taking the infection home to your family”. And 10.6% of health professionals reported they experienced some form of stigma. About 38.8% experienced a change in sleep pattern. Conclusion: While nearly half of the participants are worried about the uncertainty about how the pandemic will progress, nearly half are confident that we can control the pandemic. Around 10% healthcare workers experienced stigma from neighborhood as they are exposed to COVID19.