Supplementary Material for: Does Pandemic Anxiety Affect Urology Health Care Workers?

<b><i>Purpose:</i></b> To assess anxiety, stress level, and perception of safety during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in health care workers (HCWs) of one of Germany’s largest urology university clinics. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> A cross-sectional study among urological HCWs was performed. HCWs were surveyed for anxiety about the pandemic, stress level and current workload, fear of coronavirus infection, current perception of safety at work, and attitude towards protective equipment and tests for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). <b><i>Results:</i></b> Sixty-three HCWs filled in the questionnaire. Overall anxiety of infection with CO­VID-19 is at a median of 4.7 with no statistically significant difference between nurses and physicians (<i>p</i> = 0.0749). Safety at work reaches a median of 6 out of 10. In fact, the highest fear in 56.7% (31/63) of the personnel is to get infected by a colleague tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 despite wearing surgical face masks. A proportion of 55.7 and 74.6% highly favor swabs for SARS-CoV-2 on a regular basis in HCWs and patients, respectively (<i>p</i> = 0.0001). Workload in the urology department is clearly reduced during the pandemic (physicians 39.3% vs. nurses 32.2%, <i>p</i> = 0.0001) and 57.4% do not feel distress at all; only 27.9% express mental distress. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> During the pandemic, urology HCWs perceive lower burden by workload and deem themselves at low risk of infection. However, the greatest anxiety is related to infection by a SARS-CoV-2-positive colleague, despite reciprocal protection by surgical face masks. This highlights a relevant mental stress and uncertainty towards management of infected HCWs, calling for increased education and psychological support.

<b><i>研究目的：</i></b> 本研究旨在评估2019冠状病毒病（coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19）大流行期间，德国最大的泌尿外科大学附属医院之一的医护人员（health care workers, HCWs）的焦虑情绪、应激水平与安全感知情况。<b><i>研究方法：</i></b> 针对泌尿外科医护人员开展横断面研究。调研问卷涵盖医护人员对本次大流行的焦虑程度、应激水平与当前工作量、对新冠病毒感染的恐惧心理、当前工作场所的安全感知，以及对严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2（severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2）相关防护装备与检测的态度。<b><i>研究结果：</i></b> 共计63名医护人员完成了本次问卷调研。医护人员对感染COVID-19的总体焦虑程度中位数为4.7，护士与医师之间的差异无统计学意义（<i>p</i> = 0.0749）。工作场所安全满意度中位数为6分（满分10分）。值得注意的是，56.7%（31/63）的受访者最大的恐惧来源为：即便佩戴外科医用口罩，仍可能被新冠病毒检测呈阳性的同事感染。分别有55.7%与74.6%的受访者高度支持定期对医护人员及患者开展SARS-CoV-2核酸拭子检测，组间差异具有统计学意义（<i>p</i> = 0.0001）。泌尿外科科室的工作量在大流行期间显著降低，其中医师占比39.3%，护士占比32.2%，组间差异具有统计学意义（<i>p</i> = 0.0001）；57.4%的受访者完全未感受到心理困扰，仅27.9%的人群存在心理应激反应。<b><i>研究结论：</i></b> 本次大流行期间，泌尿外科医护人员认为自身面临的工作负担较轻，且感知到的感染风险较低。然而，即便通过外科口罩实现双向防护，医护人员最大的焦虑仍源自与SARS-CoV-2阳性同事的接触感染。这一结果凸显了在管理感染医护人员过程中存在显著的心理应激与不确定性，亟需加强相关教育培训与心理支持。