Impacts of Digital Healthy Diet Literacy and Healthy Eating Behavior on Fear of COVID-19, Changes in Mental Health, and Health-Related Quality of Life among Front-Line Health Care Workers

• Published in: Nutrients 2021-07, Vol.13 (8), p.2656
• Main Authors: Vu, Dinh N, Phan, Dung T, Nguyen, Hoang C, Le, Lan T. H, Nguyen, Huu C, Ha, Tung H, Dao, Hung K, Trinh, Manh V, Do, Thinh V, Nguyen, Hung Q, Nguyen, Thao T. P, Le, Thuy T, Tran, Cuong Q, Tran, Khanh V, Duong, Trang T, Pham, Hai X, Le, Vinh-Tuyen T, Van Duong, Tuyen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Comorbidity; Confidence intervals; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Demography; Diet; digital healthy diet literacy; Eating; Eating behavior; Fear; fear of COVID-19; front-line health care workers; Health care; Health care facilities; Health care reform; Health education; Health literacy; health-related quality of life; healthy eating behavior; Hospitals; Likert scale; Literacy; Medical personnel; Mental health; Nurses; Obstetrics; Pandemics; Pediatrics; Physicians; Quality of life; Questionnaires; Regression analysis; Regression coefficients; Statistical analysis; Surveys; Vietnam; Workers
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu13082656

Background: We aimed to examine the impacts of digital healthy diet literacy (DDL) and healthy eating behaviors (HES) on fear of COVID-19, changes in mental health, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among front-line healthcare workers (HCWs). Methods: An online survey was conducted at 15 hospitals and health centers from 6–19 April 2020. Data of 2299 front-line HCWs were analyzed—including socio-demographics, symptoms like COVID-19, health literacy, eHealth literacy, DDL, HES, fear of COVID-19, changes in mental health, and HRQoL. Regression models were used to examine the associations. Results: HCWs with higher scores of DDL and HES had lower scores of FCoV-19S (regression coefficient, B, −0.04; 95% confidence interval, 95% CI, −0.07, −0.02; p = 0.001; and B, −0.10; 95% CI, −0.15, −0.06; p < 0.001); had a higher likelihood of stable or better mental health status (odds ratio, OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.00, 1.05; p = 0.029; and OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00, 1.07; p = 0.043); and HRQoL (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01, 1.03; p = 0.006; and OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02, 1.06; p = 0.001), respectively. Conclusions: DDL and HES were found as independent predictors of fear of COVID−19, changes in mental health status, and HRQoL in front-line HCWs. Improving DDL and HES should be considered as a strategic approach for hospitals and healthcare systems.