Somatic Symptoms, Covid-19 Phobia and Perceived Stress among Covid-19 Warriors

Abstract

The covid-19 pandemic is a major health crisis that has changed the life of millions globally. On one hand people around the globe are confined to their home on the other hand doctors and police personnel are leading the battle from the front putting their own lives at risk with selfless determination for the sake of saving lives. While these COVID warriors are actively working on containing the outbreak, such a period of health crisis has significant consequences on COVID warriors psychological wellbeing, accompanied by stress, phobia and related somatic symptoms. So, the present study aimed to find the difference in somatic symptoms, COVID-19 phobia and perceived stress among COVID warriors and to find out influencing demographic factors on these. For the purpose 135 COVID warriors (42: Doctors, 44: Nurses 49: Police) were selected. Robert L. Spitzer, Janet B.W. Williams, Kurt Kroenke (2002) somatic symptom scale, Ahorsu (2020) COVID-19 Phobia scale and Sheldon Cohen (1994) Perceived Stress Scale were administered. Analysis revealed that nurses have high somatic symptoms. Police personnel have high COVID-19 phobia and nurses and police personnel have high perceived stress. Demographic factors such as profession, age, marital status, length of service, no. of dependents, domicile and stay with family has high influence on somatic symptoms, COVID-19 phobia and perceived stress of COVID warriors.