Keywords
Abstract
Abstract
Objectives: This nation-wide project aimed to investigate the common perceptions and concerns regarding COVID-19 outbreak in Iran.
Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in Iran from February to March 2020 via an online open-ended questionnaire. The participants were also selected using convenience and snowball sampling methods. As well, the data collection process continued until data saturation was achieved. Thematic content analysis was utilized to analysis the transcribed texts.
Results: The statements retrieved also represented the most challenging psychological stress experienced by the participants. Four themes were accordingly recognized based on the content analysis including stressful conditions, health concerns, social and political concerns, and economic concerns. Throughout the study, a major proportion of the participants commented that psychological disorders such as fear, anxiety, stress, and ennui were their main challenges regarding this pandemic. Furthermore, lack of social responsibility, worries about high-risk and susceptible groups, decreased economic power of the public, financial hardships for low-income groups, shortage of healthcare facilities, and adverse effects of disinfectants were expressed as the main concerns.
Conclusions: As a whole, it is evident that people have confronted with several challenges and need help together with effective policies and strategies during and after this pandemic to reduce their current concerns. The study findings provided a favorable ground to develop and adopt the required policies in Iran and other countries. It was concluded that creating local, national, and global solidarity in such epidemics is an inevitable necessity.
References
2. MacIntyre CR. Global spread of COVID-19 and pandemic potential. Global Biosecurity 2020, 1(3).
3. Moradzadeh R. The challenges and considerations of community-based preparedness at the onset of COVID-19 outbreak in Iran, 2020. South Afr J Epidemiol Infect 2020:1-6. DOI: 10.1017/S0950268820000783
4. Ensor T, Duran-Moreno A. Corruption as a challenge to effective regulation in the health sector. Regulating entrepreneurial behaviour in European health care systems 2002, 57(7):106-124.
5. Ahorsu DK, Lin C-Y, Imani V, Saffari M, Griffiths MD, Pakpour AH. The Fear of COVID-19 Scale: Development and Initial Validation. Int J Ment Health Addict 2020:1. DOI: 10.1007/s11469-020-00270-8
6. Sohrabi C, Alsafi Z, O’Neill N, Khan M, Kerwan A, Al-Jabir A, et al. World Health Organization declares global emergency: A review of the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Int J Surg 2020. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2020.03.036
7. Record 6.6 Million Americans Sought Unemployment Benefits Last Week. Dow Jones & Company. 2020. [cited 2020 April 27]. Available from: https://www.wsj.com/articles/another-3-1-million-americans-likely-sought-unemployment-benefits-last-week-11585819800.
8. Jalali M, Shahabi S, Bagheri Lankarani K, Kamali M, Mojgani P. COVID-19 and disabled people: perspectives from Iran. Disabil Soc 2020 May 27;35(5):844-7.
9. Duan L, Zhu G. Psychological interventions for people affected by the COVID-19 epidemic. Lancet Psychiatry 2020, 7(4):300-302. DOI: 10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30073-0
10. Suryawanshi R, More V. A Study of Effect of Corona Virus Covid-19 and Lock Down on Human Psychology of Pune City Region. Studies in Indian Place Names 2020, 40(70):984-994.
11. Braun V, Clarke V: Thematic analysis. 2012. DOI: 10.3402/qhw.v9.26152
12. Kyngäs H, Kääriäinen M, Elo S. The Trustworthiness of Content Analysis. In: The Application of Content Analysis in Nursing Science Research. Berlin: Springer; 2020: 41-48.
13. Schwandt TA, Lincoln YS, Guba EG. Judging interpretations: But is it rigorous? Trustworthiness and authenticity in naturalistic evaluation. New Dir Eval 2007, 2007(114):11-25.
14. O’Brien BC, Harris IB, Beckman TJ, Reed DA, Cook DA. Standards for reporting qualitative research: a synthesis of recommendations. Acad Med 2014, 89(9):1245-1251. DOI: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000000388
15. Tong A, Sainsbury P, Craig J: Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ): a 32-item checklist for interviews and focus groups. Int J Qual Health Care 2007, 19(6):349-357. DOI: 10.1093/intqhc/mzm042
16. Wang G, Zhang Y, Zhao J, Zhang J, Jiang F. Mitigate the effects of home confinement on children during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Lancet 2020, 395(10228):945-947. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30547-X
17. Abel T, McQueen D. The COVID-19 pandemic calls for spatial distancing and social closeness: not for social distancing! Int J Publ Health 2020:1. DOI: 10.1007/s00038-020-01366-7
18. Analytica O. Quarantine will exacerbate domestic violence in Mexico. Emerald Expert Briefings (oxan-es).
19. Calls to U.K. domestic abuse hotline up 25% since start of coronavirus lockdown. CBS News. 2020. [cited 2020 April 27]. Available from: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-news-domestic-abuse-calls-to-uk-national-hotline-up-since-start-of-lockdown/.
20. Armitage R, Nellums LB. COVID-19 and the consequences of isolating the elderly. Lancet Public Health 2020. DOI: 10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30061-X
21. CNN Media Company. 2020. [cited 2020 April 27]. Available from: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/04/02/europe/domestic-violence-coronavirus-lockdown-intl/index.html.
22. Hughes D, Burnell A. Trauma, attachment and family permanence: Fear can stop you loving: Jessica Kingsley Publishers; 2003.
23. Oosterhoff B. Psychological correlates of news monitoring, social distancing, disinfecting, and hoarding behaviors among US adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. 2020.
24. Vian T, McCoy K, Richards SC, Connelly P, Feeley F. Corporate social responsibility in global health: the Pfizer Global Health Fellows international volunteering program. Human Resource Planning 2007, 30(1):30.
25. Qiao J. What are the risks of COVID-19 infection in pregnant women? The Lancet 2020. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30365-2
26. Ng J, Sham A, Tang PL, Fung S. SARS: pregnant women's fears and perceptions. Br J Midwifery 2004, 12(11):698-702.
27. Amini Rarani M, Mousavi MT, Rafiey H. Correlation of social capital with social health in Iran. Social Welfare Quarterly 2011, 11(42):203-228.
28. Rönnerstrand B. Social capital and immunisation against the 2009 A (H1N1) pandemic in Sweden. Scand J Public Health 2013, 41(8):853-859. DOI: 10.1177/1403494813494975
29. McKibbin W, Fernando R. The economic impact of COVID-19. Economics in the Time of COVID-19 2020:45.
30. World Health Organization. Avian influenza: assessing the pandemic threat. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2005.
31. Keogh-Brown MR, Smith RD. The economic impact of SARS: how does the reality match the predictions? Health policy 2008, 88(1):110-120.
32. Page S, Song H, Wu DC. Assessing the impacts of the global economic crisis and swine flu on inbound tourism demand in the United Kingdom. J Travel Res 2012, 51(2):142-153.
33. Lau JT, Griffiths S, Choi KC, Tsui HY. Avoidance behaviors and negative psychological responses in the general population in the initial stage of the H1N1 pandemic in Hong Kong. BMC Infect Dis 2010, 10(1):139. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2334-10-139
34. Hall LM, Angus J, Peter E, O'Brien‐Pallas L, Wynn F, Donner G. Media portrayal of nurses' perspectives and concerns in the SARS crisis in Toronto. J Nurs Sch 2003, 35(3):211-216. DOI: 10.1111/j.1547-5069.2003.00211.x
35. Sastre J, Madero MF, Fernández‐Nieto M, Sastre B, del Pozo V, Potro MGd, et al. Airway response to chlorine inhalation (bleach) among cleaning workers with and without bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Am J Ind Med 2011, 54(4):293-299. DOI: 10.1002/ajim.20912