Comparative study of coping, anxiety, and resilience in doctors caring and not-caring for COVID 19 patients

BACKGROUND: Doctors are more vulnerable to the negative effects of the COVID 19 pandemic than the general population due to direct contact with patients causing an increase in levels of anxiety and compromising resilience by isolation and risk to family members. This study aims to explore the anxiety, resilience, and coping among health care professionals. AIM: To compare the coping strategies, anxiety, and resilience in doctors caring and not caring for COVID 19 patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in a tertiary care center from September 2020 to September 2021. A written informed consent was obtained for participation in the study from all doctors recruited for the study after explaining the purpose and design of the study. By purposive sampling a total of 100 doctors were recruited in the study after fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS: The mean Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS), Brief COPE, Connor – Davidson Resilience Scale scores in doctors treating COVID 19 patients was significantly more than the respective scores for doctors not treating COVID 19. CONCLUSION: The doctors treating COVID 19 patients had more anxiety as compared to doctors not treating COVID 19 patients, whereas doctors not treating COVID 19 patients had better coping and resilience as compared to doctors treating COVID19 patients.