Risk perception and Emotion evaluation of Health care workers varied during different periods of COVID-19: a repeated cross-sectional research

Abstract

Background Health care workers (HCWs) on the front line of the COVID-19 were facing greater risks than usual, and their perception of these risks could also be an important part of their anti-epidemic work. This study aimed to examine risk perception and negative emotions of during two periods of the COVID-19 and emphasized emotional intervention management of HCWs impacting the risk perceptions and self-protection and would provide plausible intervention points for the psychological aid under a stressful condition.Methods The current study was adapted a repeated cross-sectional research participated by 504 Chinese HCWs who were assigned to work at the current disease resistance line. The demographic information about gender, profession, and location were collected in the demographic questionnaire. Risk perception questionnaire was adapted for COVID-19 to assess risk perception and the Chinese version of emotional self-rating scale (PANAS) was used to evaluate HCWs’ negative emotions.Results Findings revealed the risk perception and negative emotions of HCWs varied in different gender, profession and the location, as well as in different periods of COVID-19. Besides, the levels of tension, fear, worry and risk perception were higher during Period 1 than they were during Periods 2 of COVID-19. Over the different periods, the predominated negative emotions of HCWs presented varied, but the positive relations to risk perception were consisted and could be a significant predictor of risk perception. Worry was found to be closely related to and a significant predictor of high-level risk perception in the period 1; whereas in the period 2 the predictive type of negative emotion was tension.Conclusion The significance of this research lies in its examination of risk perception and negative emotions of HCWs combating the COVID-19 during two periods of the pandemic. The findings showed both risk perception and negative emotions of HCWs were affected by the COVID-19 and underscored the importance of negative emotions as a significant factor for risk perception of Chinese HCWs enduring the great challenge of pandemic. To ensure safety and prevent the return of the pandemics, it would be better to monitor the risk perception and negative emotions of HCWs and emphasize the risk protection behaviors.

Capturing the Trajectory of Psychological Status and Analyzing Online Public Reactions During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic Through Weibo Posts in China

“…The public psychological status differed among different periods of the COVID-19 pandemic; this result was consistent with other studies Zhao et al, 2020;Yin et al, 2021). This study also illustrated the decline of pessimistic sentiment during the regular epidemic prevention and control period, which has also been revealed by other scholars (Jia and Liu, 2021).…”

Korean Nursing Students’ Emotional Response Types to Pandemic: Application of Q-Methodology

“…Those who exhibited self-protection (Type 1) were willing to overcome the challenges of a pandemic; however, they demonstrated a psychologically defensive attitude. The characteristics of Type 1 affirm the findings from a previous study, which found that individuals' perception of risks is influenced by their intuitive judgments, subjective emotions, and understanding of objective risks in the outside world [21]. In addition, the participants strongly agreed with the Q-item: "Q30.…”

“…An examination of their interviews revealed that, to them, a nurse's sense of duty was not unconditional; rather, it implied doing one's best to serve others while protecting oneself. Moreover, Type 1 supports the finding that an individual's ability to perceive risks is vital for adjustment and self-protection [21]. Furthermore, having a selfprotective attitude can enhance an individual's psychological comfort and make them take precautions [22,23].…”