Predicting the Possibility of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Based on Demographic Variables, Levels of Exposure to Covid-19, Covid-19 Anxiety and Sleep Quality Dimensions in Health Care Workers

Evaluation of health care workers' mental status is critical in the trend of covid-19 pandemic; because it helps to investigate their real needs and expectations and helps them to present useful services. This study aimed to the prediction of possibility of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) based on demographic variables, levels of exposure to Covid-19, the anxiety of Covid-19, and dimensions of sleep quality in health care workers. A descriptive correlational study was conducted on a sample of 180 health care workers (129 females and 51 males). The researcher-made demographic questionnaire, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Checklist and Covid-19 Anxiety Scale were recorded. A convenience sampling method was applied, and data was collected through the Google form platform. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 24 software by using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Scheffe Post Hoc test, independent samples t-test, Pearson correlation, and binary logistic regression. The results indicated that 51.7% of health care workers showed severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress (pcl-5> 33). The severity of PTSD symptoms varied in different work shifts and levels of education. The morning shifts and master's degrees had the lowest mean scores of PTSD symptoms. There was a significant positive correlation between PTSD symptoms and Covid-19 anxiety and between PTSD symptoms and all dimensions of sleep quality (p <0.05). The Enter logistic regression analysis results showed that sleep medication use (OR = 3.21) and covid-19 anxiety (OR = 1.13) were risk factors that predicted the severity of PTSD symptoms (percentage correct = 85.5%). It is suggested extensive attempts have been made to PTSD symptoms screening. Also, informing the health care workers about methods to reduce anxiety is helpful, and it is proposed to administer online workshops to train and increase sleep hygiene.