A study to assess the knowledge, attitude and anxiety levels about COVID-19 among healthcare workers at Ankara City Hospital

A Study to Assess the Knowledge, Attitude and Anxiety Levels About COVID-19 Among Healthcare Workers at Ankara City Hospital Aim: This study aims to assess the present knowledge, attitude and anxiety levels about COVID-19 among healthcare workers at Ankara City Hospital. Materials and Methods: The study was implemented in the form of an online survey, based on voluntary participation and designed to take no longer than five minutes, conducted on healthcare workers at the Ministry of Health Ankara City Hospital between 30 May-2 July 2020. The results that were obtained were then analyzed using the SPSS statistics program. Results: 75% of the participants were women, 61.3% were nurses/midwives, and the mean age was 34.5±10.1 years. A significant portion of the participants (84.6%) had a moderate or adequate level of knowledge. 61% demonstrated a positive attitude. 13,2% were gauged to have severe anxiety and 12% were gauged to have moderate anxiety. The level of knowledge increased as professional experience and training increased. Among sources of knowledge about COVID-19, Ministry of Health resources were referred to the most often, at 71.3%. The presence of a case algorithm at the hospital was determined to be a factor which increased the level of knowledge. 69.3% of the participants had received in-service training on COVID-19. The subjects on which they needed training the most were, in descending order, treatment approaches (39.3%); outbreak management (38.5%); and the characteristics of the virus (32.3%). Among questions aimed at assessing attitude, the lowest attitude score (10%) was for the status of having received seasonal flu vaccination in the last 9 months. The willingness of the workers to participate in the management of another outbreak was 53.5%. Not having been afflicted with COVID-19 was a factor that affected positive attitude by 9.2 fold. Among women, younger participants, nurses/midwives, those with ≤5 years of experience, those employed in units where active cases were being monitored, and those who worked long hours, the level of anxiety was high. There was no significant correlation between the level of knowledge and attitude; whereas a negative, weak correlation was identified between the level of knowledge and anxiety, and between attitude and anxiety. Conclusion: While the level of knowledge of the participants was found to be adequate, it is recommended that in-service trainings be organized on subjects about which the participants expressed a need for training; that official notifications from the Ministry of Health be increased through various channels; and that various activities be undertaken to increase the practice of seasonal flu vaccination among healthcare workers. When the pandemic begins to come to an end, healthcare workers must be actively monitored, supported, and treated as necessary with regard to mental well-being.