The relationship between personality traits, coping styles and psychological distress among health care workers involved in the treatment and care of covid-19 patients in Kelantan Malaysia

Subramanian, Barath Chidambar (2022) The relationship between personality traits, coping styles and psychological distress among health care workers involved in the treatment and care of covid-19 patients in Kelantan Malaysia. Masters thesis, Universiti Sains Malaysia.

[img] PDF
Download (300kB)

Abstract

Introduction: Health care workers (HCWs) face a risk of developing psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study examined socio-demographic characteristics, trait neuroticism, and coping styles and their association with psychological distress among HCWs in Kelantan facing the pandemic. Methodology: We conducted an online cross-sectional survey between 1st July 2020 till 28 February 2021 among HCWs in three designated COVID hospitals in Kelantan, Malaysia, namely Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II, Kota Bharu, Hospital Sultan Ismail Petra, Kuala Krai, and Hospital Tumpat. A non-probabilistic purposive sampling method was used. Online questionnaires consisting of sociodemographic data, Big Five Inventory (N) to assess trait neuroticism, Brief COPE scale to assess coping styles and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) to assess psychological distress were distributed to all HCWs. Results: A total of 336 HCWs were included in the analysis. 22.9% HCWs experienced psychological distress. In multiple logistic regression analysis, only higher trait neuroticism remained significantly positively associated with psychological distress (Adjusted OR = 1.348, 95% CI = 1.243-1.461), while use of religious coping remained significantly negatively associated with psychological distress (Adjusted OR = 0.581, 95% CI = 0.386-0.876). Conclusion: In conclusion, trait neuroticism and use of religious coping are important predictors of psychological distress among HCWs facing the COVID-19 pandemic

Item Type: Thesis (Masters)
Uncontrolled Keywords: COVID-19; health care workers
Subjects: R Medicine
R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA643-645 Disease (Communicable and noninfectious) and public health
Divisions: Kampus Kesihatan (Health Campus) > Pusat Pengajian Sains Perubatan (School of Medical Sciences) > Thesis
Depositing User: MUHAMMAD AKIF AIMAN AB SHUKOR
Date Deposited: 17 Mar 2026 02:40
Last Modified: 10 May 2026 01:44
URI: http://eprints.usm.my/id/eprint/63788

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item
USM Repository is powered by EPrints 3 which is developed by the School of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton. More information and software credits.
Share