Anxiety and depression have been prevalent among Healthcare Workers (HCWs) amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of anxiety and depression among HCWs amid the pandemic and their association with religious coping. A cross-sectional study design was applied. The scales utilized were Malay versions of the Brief Religious Coping Scale (Brief RCOPE M) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS M). In total, 200 HCWs were recruited. HCWs scored higher in positive religious coping (mean: 21.33) than negative religious coping (mean: 10.52). The prevalence of anxiety and depression was 36.5% and 29.5%. Both positive and negative religious coping were significantly associated with anxiety (p < 0.01) and depression (p < 0.05, p < 0.01). Positive coping predicted reduction in anxiety (adjusted b = −0.15, p = 0.001) and log-transformed depression score (adjusted b = −0.019, p = 0.025). Negative coping predicted increment of anxiety (adjusted b = 0.289, p < 0.001) and log-transformed depression score (adjusted b = 0.052, p < 0.001). Positive religious coping is vital in reducing anxiety and depression among HCWs amid the pandemic. Strategies which increase positive religious coping and reduce negative religious coping must be emphasized to boost mental health among HCWs.

Objective At the dawn of the new decade of the 20th century, the world was taken aback by the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study aimed to study the nature of religious coping of frontline healthcare workers seen through the perspective of gender, socio-economic status, and occupation. Methods An online-based study was carried out among frontline healthcare workers involved in the care of COVID-19 patients (n = 200). Sociodemographic data form and the Brief Religious Coping scale were used in this study. Results There were more female healthcare workers (60.5%) and doctors (69.5% vs. 30.5%). Healthcare workers used more positive religious coping than negative religious coping (median score: 22 vs. 9). Positive religious coping was seen more in females (median score: 23 vs. 21, P = .015). Non-doctors applied positive coping more than doctors (median score: 26 vs. 21, P < .001). There were significant differences in positive religious coping scores across income groups, with the B40 group having the highest score (median score: 24). Post hoc pairwise comparison concluded that the B40 group had significantly higher positive religious coping scores than the M40 group. Conclusion Positive coping was utilized more among female healthcare workers, nondoctors, and the lowest socio-economic group. As prior literature has shown that positive religious coping is desirable and has superior mental health outcomes, our findings show that more effort should be channeled into enhancing positive religious coping, particularly among male healthcare workers, doctors, and the middle and high socio-economic group.

Background: Phacoemulsification is a modern method of cataract extraction. Sub-tenon anaesthesia used to be the preferred anaesthetic technique for this procedure before intracameral anaesthesia gained its popularity in recent years. Nevertheless, many surgeons still believe that sub-tenon anaesthesia is better than topical anaesthesia. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the experiences of patients who were treated for cataract by phacoemulsification surgery using either sub-tenon or intracameral anaesthesia. Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Participants were asked to complete a questionnaire within 1-2 hours following surgery. The questionnaires were designed to gather information on the patient’s level of anxiety, visual perception and amount of pain experienced during cataract surgery. Results: A total of 62 patients were included in the study. Thirty-one patients received anaesthesia by sub-tenon injection, whereas another 31 patients received anaesthesia by intracameral injection. There were no significant differences in the level of pain experienced by the two groups of patients during instillation of anaesthesia and during surgery (p=0.205 and p=0.592, respectively). There were also no significant differences in terms of visual perception and anxiety levels during surgery between the two groups (p=0.178 and p=0.731, respectively). Conclusion: Intracameral anaesthesia obviates the need for an injection during cataract surgery and is as comfortable for patients as sub-tenon anaesthesia in terms of visual perception, level of pain, and anxiety.

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