Study of Professional Health of Higher Education Teachers in Ukraine under Quarantine

The problem of changes in educators' various health aspects in the context of transition to distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by changes in professional activities, is not sufficiently studied. This study aimed to identify and analyze physiological, psychological, and professional changes in scientific and pedagogical staff of Ukrainian higher education institutions, associated with the transition to distance learning under quarantine, which affected social, psychological, physical, and mental aspects of their health. A total of 254 educators of Ukrainian higher education institutions were surveyed and their responses analysed. The study revealed certain physiological, psychological, and psychosomatic indicators showing that online work leads to health deterioration. The survey showed that educators consider online learning to be ineffective, opting for a mixed form of education under quarantine. It was found that scientific and pedagogical staff is divided into two clusters according to their state of health as a result of new conditions of professional activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Two-thirds of educators coped with the challenges quite well, while the remaining third felt severe aftereffects on their physiological and psychological health. The distinct features that differentiate these two clusters were identified and discussed. Most of scientific and pedagogical staff of Ukrainian higher education institutions pointed out that the lockdown and quarantine measures and the consequent transition to distance teaching had a significant impact on their social, psychological, physical, and mental health. Though the majority of educators confirmed their adaptation to the new working conditions, there was a cluster of teachers for whom the process of adjustment was quite psychologically traumatic.