Ching Siew Mooi, Cheong Ai Theng, Yee Anne, Thurasamy Ramayah, Lim Poh Ying, Ismail Irmi Zarina, Mohammad Nik Mazlina, Ho Bee Kiau, Ng Jun Ying, Tan Siow Foon, Zainol Rashid Zienna Zufida, Jogulu Sathya Rao, Lee Kai Wei, Taher Sri Wahyu
MD (Unimas), MMed (Family Medicine), PhD, Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Email:
MBBS (UM), MFamMed (UMl), PhD (UM), Department of Family Medicine Universiti Putra Malaysia Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
Malays Fam Physician. 2023 Sep 12;18:56. doi: 10.51866/oa.238. eCollection 2023.
Malaysia is one of the hardest-hit countries by COVID-19 in Asia. The rapidly rising number of cases had sparked fear among healthcare providers. This study aimed to assess the determinants of fear towards COVID-19 among healthcare providers in primary care settings.
This online-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 1280 healthcare providers aged ≥18 years from 30 primary care clinics in the state of Selangor, Malaysia. The Fear of COVID-19 Scale was used to assess the level of fear, and the results were analysed using multiple linear regression.
The mean age of the respondents was 36 years, and the mean working experience was 11 years. The majority of the respondents were women (82.4%) and Malays (82.3%). The factors that were significantly correlated with higher levels of fear were underlying chronic disease (ß=1.12, P=0.002, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.08, 3.15), concern about mortality from COVID-19 (ß=3.3, P<0.001, 95% CI=0.19, 7.22), higher risk of exposure (ß=0.8, P<0.001, 95% CI=0.14, 5.91), concern for self at work (ß=2.8, P=0.002, 95% CI=0.08, 3.10) and work as a nurse (ß=3.6, P<0.001, 95% CI=0.30, 7.52), medical laboratory worker (ß=3.0, P<0.001, 95% CI=0.12, 4.27) and healthcare assistant (ß=3.9, P<0.001, 95% CI=0.17, 5.73). The level of fear was inversely correlated with a higher work-related stress management score (ß=-0.9, P<0.001, 95% CI=-0.14, -5.07) and a higher sleep quality score (ß=-1.8, P<0.001, 95% CI=-0.28, -10.41).
Family physicians should be vigilant and identify healthcare providers at risk of developing COVID-19-related fear to initiate early mental health intervention.
马来西亚是亚洲受新冠疫情影响最严重的国家之一。病例数的迅速增加引发了医护人员的恐惧。本研究旨在评估基层医疗环境中医护人员对新冠病毒恐惧的决定因素。
这项基于网络的横断面研究在马来西亚雪兰莪州30家基层医疗诊所的1280名年龄≥18岁的医护人员中进行。使用新冠病毒恐惧量表评估恐惧程度，并采用多元线性回归分析结果。
受访者的平均年龄为36岁，平均工作经验为11年。大多数受访者为女性（82.4%）和马来人（82.3%）。与较高恐惧水平显著相关的因素包括潜在慢性病（β=1.12，P=0.002，95%置信区间[CI]=0.08，3.15）、对新冠病毒死亡率的担忧（β=3.3，P<0.001，95%CI=0.19，7.22）、较高的暴露风险（β=0.8，P<0.001，95%CI=0.14，5.91）、工作时对自身的担忧（β=2.8，P=0.002，95%CI=0.08，3.10）以及护士（β=3.6，P<0.001，95%CI=0.30，7.52）、医学检验人员（β=3.0，P<0.001，95%CI=0.12，4.27）和医疗助理（β=3.9，P<0.001，95%CI=0.17，5.73）的职业。恐惧程度与较高的工作相关压力管理得分（β=-0.9，P<0.001，95%CI=-0.14，-5.07）和较高的睡眠质量得分（β=-1.8，P<0.001，95%CI=-0.28，-10.41）呈负相关。
家庭医生应保持警惕，识别有产生与新冠病毒相关恐惧风险的医护人员，以便尽早开展心理健康干预。
