Mental health crisis during the Corona COVID-19 pandemic among health workers (a comparative study between Iraq and Jordan)

Authors

Najlaa Wadaa, AL-Mustansiriya UniversityFollow
Omar Atallah Al-Adamat, Ministry of EducationFollow

Abstract

Given the importance of the role that mental health plays in every area of life, such as: education, health, economics, politics, and even wars, and due to the fact that the pandemic forced a quarantine on most parts of the world, the current study tries to identify mental health in two countries; Iraq and Jordan. The study also aims at comparing and contrasting a few mental health facts in the two countries; such as the difference in the number of cases of infection in both countries. To achieve this, the mental health scale (McHorney et al., 1992) was used after it has been translated and a psychometric characteristic scale of truthfulness and consistency has been set. After applying the scale to a sample of (382) health workers in both Iraq and Jordan, the study indicated that the prevalence of (anxiety, depression) in both Iraq and Jordan varies from (12.42% to -15.52%) in Iraq, and from (10.66% to -16%) in Jordan. There were statistically significant differences between health workers in both Iraq and Jordan. In regard to (anxiety, depression, positive effect, control behavior), Jordan did better, and there were statistically significant differences between both males and females concerning anxiety, depression, positive effect, and control behavior, where females did better. As for depression, control behavior, and positive effect, people reacted differently to them. Gender played a role as well as their origin. The study recommends that health workers protect themselves from chronic stress and psychological stress during the pandemic. As this could increase their work potential as well as their proficiency, especially in Iraq.

Recommended Citation

Wadaa, Najlaa and Al-Adamat, Omar Atallah (2020) "Mental health crisis during the Corona COVID-19 pandemic among health workers (a comparative study between Iraq and Jordan)," Al-Balqa Journal for Research and Studies البلقاء للبحوث والدراسات: Vol. 23: Iss. 2, Article 9.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.aaru.edu.jo/albalqa/vol23/iss2/9