Coping Strategies Among Medical Professionals During COVID 19 Outbreak

Abstract

Background: COVID 19 is an ongoing pandemic that has affected people and health workers world-wide. Health care workers not only face short term effects but also long-term psychological consequences due to these stressful situations. Coping strategies can influence health however coping strategies among medical fraternity have not been studied adequately. Methodology: A cross sectional descriptive study was done through an online self-reporting survey model. The BRIEF COPE tool developed by Carver et al was used to assess the coping style. The coping strategy employed was compared to socio-demographic and other variables like professional experience Results: Increasing age was positively correlated with emotion focused and problem focused coping strategies. Marital status had a positive correlation with emotion and problem focused strategies Conclusion: Coping styles in medical professionals differs from those of the general population seen in previous studies. Within the group of medical professionals, those with higher age, higher designation and being married were more likely to use problem focused and emotion focused coping mechanisms which are in general adaptive strategies.