Attitude and Response of Health Professionals Towards Escalating COVID-19 Mortality Rates in Peshawar City

Background: In coronavirus pandemic, misconception, distrust, uncertainty, and fear have emerged within the general public. Amidst this environment, health professionals were the primary bearers of accurate information regarding the causes of death, the severity of infections, and the intensity of d...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pakistan journal of medical research 2024-03, Vol.63 (1), p.2-6
Main Authors: Khan, Aftab, Ahmad, Israr, Sultana, Ulfat, Anjum, Asif, Gul, Saddiqa
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
attitude
Casualties
comorbidities
Comorbidity
Coronaviruses
COVID-19
Epidemics
Health attitudes
health facilities
health professionals
Medical personnel
Mortality
Nurses
old age
Pakistan
Psychological aspects
response
stigma
Surveys
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Summary:Background: In coronavirus pandemic, misconception, distrust, uncertainty, and fear have emerged within the general public. Amidst this environment, health professionals were the primary bearers of accurate information regarding the causes of death, the severity of infections, and the intensity of disease transmission. Objective: To assess the attitude and responses of health professionals working in tertiary care hospitals of city Peshawar during pandemic regarding corona infection and related deaths. Study type, settings and duration: This descriptive cross sectional study was conducted at tertiary care hospitals of Peshawar, from March to May 2020. Methodology: The sample size of 126 health professionals were taken at the peak of pandemic in Pakistan. A predesigned online questionnaire was shared with individual health professional after taking telephonic consent. Each health professional filled the online questionnaire and resubmitted. The data was collected, analyzed using SPSS version 21. Results: A total 126 health professionals participated in the study, 61 (48.4%) were doctors, 58 (46%) nurses and 7 (5.6%) were allied health professionals. Total 46 (54.1%) health professionals agreed, that old age with comorbidities, stigma and late approach to health facilities, comorbidities and spread asymptomatic cases were associated with increased mortality of COVID patients in city Peshawar. About 54 (42.9%) health professionals agreed with the existence of false perception of public that corona do not exist, and 13 (10.3%) disclosed about lack of proper facilities and ignorance in provision of care in Hospitals. Conclusion: Health professionals were in agreement that comorbidities, older age, late approaching to Hospital, stigma, false perception and lack of health facilities were the factors behind the increased corona infected deaths in Peshawar.
ISSN:0030-9842