Intolerance to uncertainty among the medical professionals in Central Kerala – Did COVID-19 make us intolerant?

Abstract

Abstract Background: With the COVID-19 threat that was looming large, uncertainty prevailed in every sphere of life. Medical professionals were feverishly trying to contain the pandemic and were under tremendous mental pressure. Intolerance to uncertainty (IU) is well known to affect the behavior of health-care professionals and is associated with lower levels of confidence and a propensity to behave overcautiously, leading to undue stress and anxiety. We assessed the IU and worry of health-care workers in a teaching institute in Central Kerala, during the COVID pandemic. Methodology: An online cross-sectional survey was done using the IU survey-12 scale and an ultra-brief version of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire, after conducting a pilot study. The form was sent to the doctors’ and nurses’ WhatsApp groups both in English and Malayalam translation attached to each question. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 21. The Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were done. Results: A total of 431 participants took part in the survey. Their mean age was 34.54 ± 8.6 years. The study showed that 27.8% of the participants had high levels of IU. Troublesome worry was a problem in 10.4%. Logistic regression analysis showed that “Worry” and “being a nurse” were the factors that were significantly associated with high levels of IU. Conclusion: Although some IU is expected at the time of a pandemic, 27.8% of health-care professionals being intolerant is a matter of concern. It is high time we break the cycle of events – Worry and IU, that leads to stress but rather make the health workers resilient and tolerant, spreading positive uplifting influences throughout our communities, much faster than the virus.