Gender dynamics and post-traumatic stress disorder in healthcare professionals: Insights from the COVID-19 vaccination

IF 2 Q3 PSYCHIATRY

European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation Pub Date : 2025-05-02 DOI:10.1016/j.ejtd.2025.100539

Nour El Houda Benkaddour , Asmae Lekfif , Sara Ramdani , Naima Abda , Bouchra Oneib , Yassamine Bentata

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Objective

The COVID-19 pandemic intensified vaccine hesitancy, driven by misinformation and conspiracy theories, even among healthcare professionals. Psychological impacts, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), observed with higher prevalence in females, contributed to this hesitancy. This study examines the interrelations between PTSD, anxiety, perceived stress, and gender dynamics among healthcare professionals managing the challenges of the pandemic.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted from February to November 2022 in Morocco’s Oriental region. Using snowball sampling, 221 healthcare professionals participated in face-to-face surveys. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire assessing vaccine perceptions, perceived stress, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. Statistical analyses included correlation tests, linear regressions, and moderated mediation to explore gender, stress, and anxiety interactions.

Results

Females constituted 68.3 % of the sample, with PTSD prevalence higher among females (11.9 %) than males (5.7 %). Correlation analysis showed strong relationships between PTSD, anxiety (

r = 0.588

), and perceived stress (

r = 0.625

) among females. Moderated mediation analysis revealed that the effect of gender on PTSD was indirect, mediated through anxiety. Perceived stress moderated the effect of gender on anxiety: higher perceived stress strengthened the relationship between gender and anxiety. Anxiety then mediated the effect of gender on PTSD, indicating that in high-stress contexts, gender indirectly influenced PTSD severity via anxiety, particularly among females.

Conclusion

This study highlights the indirect effect of gender on PTSD through anxiety, with perceived stress amplifying this pathway. Specific interventions addressing gender and stress are critical to supporting healthcare professionals during health crises and improving resilience and vaccine confidence.

查看原文本刊更多论文

医疗保健专业人员的性别动态和创伤后应激障碍：来自COVID-19疫苗接种的见解

在错误信息和阴谋论的驱动下，COVID-19大流行加剧了疫苗犹豫，甚至在医疗保健专业人员中也是如此。心理上的影响，如创伤后应激障碍（PTSD），在女性中发病率较高，导致了这种犹豫。本研究探讨了在管理流行病挑战的医疗保健专业人员中，创伤后应激障碍、焦虑、感知压力和性别动态之间的相互关系。方法于2022年2月至11月在摩洛哥东部地区进行横断面研究。采用滚雪球抽样法，221名医疗保健专业人员参加了面对面的调查。数据通过评估疫苗认知、感知压力、焦虑和创伤后应激障碍症状的结构化问卷收集。统计分析包括相关检验、线性回归和有调节的中介来探索性别、压力和焦虑的相互作用。结果女性占68.3%，女性PTSD患病率（11.9%）高于男性（5.7%）。相关分析显示，女性PTSD、焦虑（r=0.588）和感知压力（r=0.625）之间存在较强的相关性。有调节的中介分析显示，性别对PTSD的影响是间接的，通过焦虑介导。感知压力调节了性别对焦虑的影响：高感知压力强化了性别与焦虑的关系。焦虑介导了性别对PTSD的影响，表明在高压力环境下，性别通过焦虑间接影响PTSD的严重程度，尤其是在女性中。结论本研究强调了性别通过焦虑对PTSD的间接影响，而感知压力放大了这一途径。针对性别和压力的具体干预措施对于在健康危机期间支持保健专业人员以及提高复原力和对疫苗的信心至关重要。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation Multiple-

CiteScore

2.40

自引率

4.80%

发文量