Behavioural Changes in the Personal and Professional Lives of Doctors during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-sectional Observational Study

• Main Authors: Vivek Parasher, kamlesh kanwar Shekhawat, Sonal Bhati, Mansi Sharma
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: JCDR Research and Publications Private Limited 2021-03-01
• Series: Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research
• Subjects: health care workers; stress disorders; workload
• Online Access: https://www.jcdr.net/articles/PDF/14645/48153_CE[Ra]_F(Sh)_PF1(AG_KM)_PFA(SHU)_PB(AG_KM)_PN(KM).pdf

Introduction: During the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Health Care Workers (HCWs) have experienced an unexpected increase in workload which leads to feelings of uncertainty, anxiety, and isolation. Furthermore, they are more vulnerable to contract the infection and transmit it to their family and colleagues. Aim: To evaluate the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on doctors life in term of personal and professional changes. Materials and Methods: The present observational, crosssectional study was conducted on doctors in various institutes of Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. The study comprised an online questionnaire survey which consisted of three parts; the first part constituted demographic data, the second one constituted questions on the personal life status and changes, and the third part constituted questions regarding the professional life and some miscellaneous questions gauging the doctor’s knowledge of the current scenario. The collected data were entered in a Microsoft excel sheet, and the results were calculated. Results: Most of the participants were between 25-34 years (47.8%) and male (71%). A majority of the doctors had a family with children (44.2%) and a spouse who was a HCW too (59.8%). A majority of the practitioners worked with patients with coronavirus (52.3%) and thus felt worried about their family members (93.3%). Although most participants knew about telemedicine (89.3%), most of the practitioners did not practice it (76.8%). Conclusion: Although HCWs do not face harassment, they suffer anxiety regarding contracting COVID-19 themselves and transmitting it to their family members.