| The Interplay Between Problematic Internet Use, Anxiety, Depression and Functional Impairment in Front-Line Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic |
Esat Fahri Aydın1 
, Handan Alay2
, Sinan Yılmaz3
, Fatma Kesmez Can2
|
1Department of Psychiatry, Atatürk University Medical Faculty, Erzurum, Turkey
2Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Atatürk University Medical Faculty, Erzurum, Turkey
3Department of Public Health, Atatürk University Medical Faculty, Erzurum, Turkey |
Correspondence: Esat Fahri Aydın ,Tel: +90-4423447362, Email: esatfahriaydin@gmail.com
|
|
Received: January 29, 2023 Revised: June 26, 2023 Accepted: May 15, 2024 Published online: July 24, 2024 |
|
|
| Abstract |
Objective
We aimed to assess the interplay between functional impairment and anxiety, depression, and problematic Internet use levels in front-line healthcare workers who work in inpatient clinics of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS) were administered to assess the depression, anxiety, problematic Internet use, and functional impairment levels of the participants.
Results
Two hundred thirteen participants were enrolled in the present study. Medical doctors showed significantly higher scores of IAT than the nurses and other medical staff (Kruskal–Wallis=6.519, p=0.038). Levels of SDS total are significantly correlated with scores of IAT (r=0.257, p<0.001), BDI (r=0.383, p<0.001), and BAI (r=0.308, p<0.001). All subdomain scores of SDS (social, family, work) and total scores of SDS were significantly and positively correlated with BAI, BDI, and IAT scores (p<0.05). In the separation mediation analysis, problematic Internet use partially mediated the relationship between anxiety-depression and global functional impairment.
Conclusion
Health politicians should produce policies to develop strategies for coping with consequences of anxiety and depression in healthcare professionals during any health crisis. In addition, we should raise healthcare professionals’ awareness that problematic Internet use is not suitable for dealing with anxiety and depression and may even lead to increase of functional loss. |
| Key words
Internet addiction disorder; Psychosocial functioning; Anxiety; COVID-19; Health personnel. |
|
PDF Links
Full text via DOI
Download Citation
