Examination of healthy lifestyle behavior changes of healthcare professionals after the COVID-19 pandemic

This descriptive correlational study was conducted to examine the change in healthy lifestyle behaviors of healthcare workers after the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample of the study consisted of 297 healthcare professionals working at Prof. Dr. Mazhar Osman Mental Health and Neurological Diseases Training and Research Hospital in Istanbul. The data were collected using the "Socio-demographic Characteristics Form" and "Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale". Dependent and independent t-test, Pearson correlation analysis, Anova analysis were used to analyze the data. Among the participants, 82.2% were female, 72.1% were nurse/midwife, 48.50% were single, 59.60% had postgraduate education, 48.80% had expenses equal to income, 84.80% had no chronic disease, 62% did not smoke, 75,7% did not drink alcohol. The mean total score (123.40±21.95) and the mean item score (2.44±0.42) of the health care workers from the pre-pandemic healthy lifestyle behavior scale were calculated. When the mean scores from the sub-dimensions of the scale were evaluated, it was observed that the lowest mean score (17.00±5.50) and the lowest mean item score (2.12±0.68) were in the "Physical Activity" sub-dimension, while the "Interpersonal Relations" sub-dimension had the highest mean score (24.84±4.29) and the highest mean item score (2.76±0.47). In the pre-pandemic period, age differed significantly in the sub-dimensions of nutrition and spiritual development; stress management in those living alone compared to those living with friends; interpersonal relations sub-dimension in smokers compared to non-smokers; and nutrition and spiritual development sub-dimension in years of employment (p<0.05). The mean total score (127.32±22.16) and the mean item score (2.37±0.42) of the health care workers from the pandemic period healthy lifestyle behavior scale were calculated. When the mean scores from the sub-dimensions of the scale were evaluated, it was observed that the lowest mean score (15.88± 522) and the lowest mean item score (1.98±0.65) were in the "Physical Activity" sub-dimension, while the "Spiritual Development" sub-dimension had the highest mean score (23.70±4.52) and the highest mean item score (2.63±0.50). It was determined that there was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the pandemic period health responsibility sub-dimension and gender, nutrition and spiritual development sub-dimension and age, physical activity sub-dimension and years of employment, nutrition sub-dimension and healthy lifestyle behaviors of the nurse/midwife group and health technicians, spiritual development sub-dimension and other health workers (civil servants, public relations, etc.) and medical secretaries. When the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods were compared, there was a significant differentiation between all sub-dimensions of the SYBDÖII (p<0.05).