Risk Perception of the Iranian Healthcare Workers Concerning the Covid-19 Crisis and the Factors Affecting it: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: The emergent Covid-19 disease with conspicuous prevalence is putting the healthcare workers' job security at risk. The preventive behaviors in every individual have a close relationship with his/her risk perception of the risk factor. Hence the present study has been undertaken aiming at determining the Iranian healthcare workers' risk perception of the Covid-19 disease and the relevant effective factors. Methods: This anonymous online survey was conducted in March-April, 2020 using targeted snowball sampling among the Iranian healthcare workers. The data was collected via online-social networks using a questionnaire containing demographical specifications (5 questions), risk perceptions (20 questions), with five sub-scales including cognitive, cultural, political, social and emotional factors. Data analysis was performed using SPSS v.16 software.Results: From 165 participants, the youth (20-49 years of age) with 84% and the females with 60% constituted the majority of participants. The average risk perception score of the healthcare workers was 66.43±8.17. The Spearman correlation coefficient showed the significant direct relationship between the risk perception score and all the sub-scales at 0.01 significance level. The political and cultural factors had the highest correlation with the personnel risk perception (r > 0.75).Conclusion: Health workers did not have an excellent risk perception of the emergent Covid-19 disease.