Background Coronaphobia refers to intensified and persistent fears of contracting COVID-19 virus infection. This study aimed to evaluate the newly termed phenomenon, coronaphobia, and address its associated correlates among Egyptian physicians during the outbreak. A cross-sectional study, including a total of 426 Egyptian physicians working during COVID-19 outbreak, was conducted between March 1st and May 1st, 2020. The Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were utilized for assessment of coronaphobia, and comorbid anxiety and depressive symptoms among physicians, respectively during the outbreak. Results Moderate-to-severe symptoms of anxiety and depression were reported by 28% and 30% of physicians, respectively. Physicians experiencing higher levels of coronaphobia were more likely to be females, nonsmokers, having death wishes and/or self-harming thoughts, receiving insufficient training, dissatisfied with their personal protective equipment (PPE), and had colleagues infected with COVID-19 virus infection. Coronaphobia was positively correlated with anxiety ( r = 0.59, P < 0.001) and depressive symptoms ( r = 0.47, P < 0.001). Conclusions Egyptian physicians experienced higher levels of coronaphobia, anxiety, and depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 outbreak. Yet, frontline physicians did not differ from their second-line counterparts regarding the aforementioned symptoms. Routine mental and physical assessment measures of medical staff should be implemented.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19 outbreak, Physicians, Egypt, Coronaphobia, 【초록키워드】 COVID-19, Personal protective equipment, Anxiety, Depression, cross-sectional, Infection, Symptom, Symptoms, outbreak, death, PPE, COVID-19 virus, scale, virus infection, fear, measure, routine, physician, HADS, Mental, females, physical, depressive symptom, Result, not differ, evaluate, reported, conducted, receiving, infected with COVID-19, positively correlated, 【제목키워드】 Factor, physician,