AUTHOR=Grazioli Véronique S. , Tzartzas Konstantinos , Blaser Jérémie , Graells Madison , Schmutz Elodie , Petitgenet Isabelle , Favrat Bernard , Zozaya Javier Sanchis , Kokkinakis Ioannis , Marion-Veyron Regis , Bodenmann Patrick 

TITLE=Risk Perception Related to COVID-19 and Future Affective Responses Among Healthcare Workers in Switzerland: A Mixed-Methods Longitudinal Study

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=67

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2022.1604517

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2022.1604517

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objectives:</bold> Whereas early findings suggest that risk perceptions related to COVID-19 affect psychological well-being in healthcare workers (HCWs), the temporal associations between these variables need to be clarified and HCWs lived experience further explored. This study proposes a mixed evaluation of COVID-19-related risk perception and affective responses among HCWs.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> A longitudinal mixed-method study was conducted. HCWs (<italic>N</italic> = 138) completed measures of COVID-19 risk perceptions, depression, anxiety, burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS) at baseline and 6 months later. A subsample (<italic>n</italic> = 20) participated in semi-structured interviews exploring both risk perceptions and affective responses.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Main quantitative findings showed positive associations between worry to contaminate others and depression (<italic>IRR</italic> = 1.04, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05), anxiety (<italic>IRR</italic> = 1.03, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01), STS (<italic>b</italic> = 0.3, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05), and perceptions of lacking protection (<italic>IRR</italic> = 1.04, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05) with anxiety scores. Four themes emerged from the thematic content analysis: 1) life was turned upside down; 2) skills were put in quarantine; 3) dealing with patient discomfort; 4) balance to be found between protection and restrictions.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> These findings emphasize the importance to develop tailored interventions, such as group discussion sessions, to optimize risk perception and help manage uncertainty.</p>