ISSN 2348-313X (Print) International Journal of Life Sciences Research ISSN 2348-3148 (online) Vol. 9, Issue 3, pp: (12-19), Month: July - September 2021, Available at: www.researchpublish.com
A CORRELATIONAL STUDY ON PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND INSOMNIA AMONG NURSES DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC Divyasree G*, Dharineesh R P*, Kuralamudhu M K** *I year Bachelor in Psychology, Department of Psychology (UA), PSG College of Arts & Science, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. ** Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology (UA), PSG College of Arts &Science, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
Abstract: By December 2019, novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pneumonia emerged in China. Tamil Nadu reported its first case on 7th March 2020 in Chennai. As this virus is highly contagious, health workers are under both physical and psychological pressure. Nurses viewed the novel coronavirus as a menace to their personal life and health. Despite the whole country being under lockdown and people working from their homes, health workers were on duty. They are secluded from their family regarding avoiding the spread of infection, thus creating additional psychological distress. This study aims at analysing the relation between the psychological distress; state of psychological sufferings characterised by symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress and Insomnia faced by frontline workers of COVID-19 pandemic. For this purpose, they were invited to complete an online questionnaire regarding their attitude towards the COVID-19 epidemic and manipulating the novel VIRUS that has no peculiar vaccine though. This study opted for a questionnaire upon nurses of Tamil Nadu as sample (N=100). Psychological parameters used were Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) developed by Lovibond SH & Lovibond PF in 1995 and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) published by Charles. M. Morin in 2009. c. A correlation between depression, anxiety, stress and Insomnia is expected to be the result. This paper would conclude that Depression, Anxiety and Stress may lead to Insomnia among nurses. Keywords: COVID-19, Nurse, Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Insomnia, Pandemic.
1. INTRODUCTION COVID-19 is a deadly disease being a strand of SARS-CoV-2. The first case has reported in CHINA. Later, it started spreading all over the world, which leads to ongoing PANDEMIC (WHO, 2020). People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have Fever or chills, Cough, Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, Fatigue, Muscle or body aches, Headache, New loss of taste or smell, Sore throat, Congestion or runny nose, Nausea or vomiting and Diarrhoea (CDC, 2020). As this virus is highly contagious, health workers are under both physical and psychological pressure. Health Care Professionals exposed to working with patients during an epidemic/pandemic are at heightened risk of mental health problems in the short and long terms (Suzannah Stuijfzand and Joland Elmers, 2020). But according to the article, willingness to accept H1N1 pandemic influenza vaccine, nurses who were working in the isolation wards during the novel H1N1 pandemic showed professional senses that were strongly related to the willingness to work (Eliza LY Wong., Samuel YS Wong et al, 2011). The amount of time spent with infectious patients may underlie the difference in the effectiveness of job (Kunitaka Matsuishi, Ayako Kawazoe et al, 2012). Female nurses exhibit much higher rates of affective symptoms compared to male medical staffs (Timoleon
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