LEVEL OF SATISFACTION ON COMMUNICATION AND LEVEL OF ANXIETY AMONG SUSPECT COVID PATIENTS

Background: The COVID pandemic has created a huge impact on the emotional level of individuals around the globe. When one is suspected to develop or have the infection, the amount of stress individuals go through is enormous. Communication specially by the health care workers when they are hospitalized will bring a positive impact on their coping. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to assess the suspect COVID patients level of satisfaction on communication, to assess the suspect COVID patients level of anxiety, to find the relationship between the suspect COVID patients level of satisfaction on communication and their level of anxiety, to find the association between the suspect COVID patients level of satisfaction on communication and their demographic variables and to find the association between level of anxiety of suspect COVID patients and their demographic variables. Methods: A correlational study to assess the suspect COVID patients level of satisfaction on communication and their level of anxiety was carried out in the suspect COVID areas of Christian Medical College. Patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were recruited using consecutive sampling technique. Patients were given information on the study and informed consent was obtained. Data was collected by interviewing the patients using a Likert scale on the level of satisfaction on communication and the level of anxiety using Hamilton Anxiety Scale. Results: Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (SPSS Version 21). Majority of the subjects were found to be between the age group 41 to 60 years. Also, most of them (64%) were male. And around 60% of them had only schooleducation. It was found that 47% of the subjects were found to have mild anxiety and only 41% were highly satisfied with the level of communication. Also, it was proved that as the level of satisfaction on communication increases, the level of anxiety decreases (r=-0.5 at p=0.01). There was also significant association found with education and level of satisfaction on communication (p=0.028) and education and level of anxiety (p=0.017) Conclusion: The findings of this study reveal that we need to develop right communication models in times of pandemics and strategize coping measures that will help individuals going through such crisis.