Comparison of Lifestyle of Nurses with and Without COVID-19 Working in Hospitals Affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Background: Health and lifestyle are very important considering the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In the meantime, the lifestyle of nurses is of two-fold importance regarding their role in providing a wide range of services. Objectives: The present study aimed to determine and compare the lifestyle of nurses with and without COVID-19 working in hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Methods: This comparative study was performed on 500 nurses working in hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2021. The study population included 500 nurses with (n = 250) and without (n = 250) COVID-19 nurses. The used research methods complied with the STROBE checklist. The data were collected using a demographic information questionnaire and a cross-culturally adapted nurses’ lifestyle questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software (version 25) and descriptive and inferential statistical tests. A P-value less than 0.05 was considered the significance level. Results: The mean age values of participants with and without COVID-19 were 33.9 ± 8.35 and 35.7 ± 7.02 years, respectively. The statistical t-test showed that the overall lifestyle score was significantly higher in nurses with COVID-19 (4.06 ± 0.39) than in nurses without COVID-19 (3.90 ± 0.43) (P = 0.010). The overall score of lifestyle subscales in the COVID-19 group was higher than the nonCOVID-19 group. In this regard, the highest subscale score was related to the competence dimension in both COVID-19 (4.69 ± 0.300) and nonCOVID-19 (4.57 ± 0.418) groups (P = 0.001). Conclusions: The lifestyle of COVID-19 nurses is better than nonCOVID-19 nurses. Accordingly, planning is necessary to improve the lifestyle of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially nurses without COVID-19.