Evaluation of COVID-19 Fear, Anxiety and Their Effects in Physiotherapy Technician Students

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) fear, anxiety, avoidance attitudes and their effects on vocational training in physiotherapy technician students. Material and Methods: Eighty physiotherapy technician students were included in this cross-sectional study. Data of the participants regarding the age, gender, number of grades, people living together, precautions taking against COVID-19; the presence of a history of COVID-19 in person/relatives, fears of COVID-19 transmitting and/or infecting during their vocational training, fears of not reaching professional goals and professional competence because of the pandemic and/or its consequences were collected. Coronavirus Anxiety Scale, The Fear of COVID-19 Scale and Avoidance Attitudes from COVID-19 Scales were applied. Results: There were the history of COVID-19 in person/relatives in 45%, the fears of transmission COVID-19 from a patient and infecting a patient with COVID-19 during their vocational training in 65% and 52.5%, the fears of not reaching professional goals and professional competence due to the pandemic in 70% and 65% of the participants. Female (p=0.002) and 2nd grade students (p=0.02) in those who fear not reaching professional goals, 2nd grade students (p=0.004) in those who fear of not reaching professional competence were significantly more compared to those who did not. The Fear of COVID-19 Scale score was significantly higher in those with fear of not reaching professional goals (p<0.001) and professional competence (p<0.001) compared to those who did not. Conclusion: The fears of not reaching professional goals and competence due to the pandemic and/or its consequences is common among physiotherapy technician students.