• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.47-64
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• 2021

The global spread of COVID-19 around the world has not only affected many parts of our daily life but also has a huge impact on many areas, including the economy and society. As the number of confirmed cases and deaths increases, medical staff and the public are said to be experiencing psychological problems such as anxiety, depression, and stress. The collective tragedy that accompanies the epidemic raises fear and anxiety, which is known to cause enormous disruptions to the behavior and psychological well-being of many. Long-term negative emotions can reduce people's immunity and destroy their physical balance, so it is essential to understand the psychological state of COVID-19. This study suggests a method of monitoring medial news reflecting current days which requires striving not only for physical but also for psychological quarantine in the prolonged COVID-19 situation. Moreover, it is presented how an easier method of analyzing social media networks applies to those cases. The aim of this study is to assist health policymakers in fast and complex decision-making processes. News plays a major role in setting the policy agenda. Among various major media, news headlines are considered important in the field of communication science as a summary of the core content that the media wants to convey to the audiences who read it. News data used in this study was easily collected using "Bigkinds" that is created by integrating big data technology. With the collected news data, keywords were classified through text mining, and the relationship between words was visualized through semantic network analysis between keywords. Using the KrKwic program, a Korean semantic network analysis tool, text mining was performed and the frequency of words was calculated to easily identify keywords. The frequency of words appearing in keywords of articles related to COVID-19 emotions was checked and visualized in word cloud 'China', 'anxiety', 'situation', 'mind', 'social', and 'health' appeared high in relation to the emotions of COVID-19. In addition, UCINET, a specialized social network analysis program, was used to analyze connection centrality and cluster analysis, and a method of visualizing a graph using Net Draw was performed. As a result of analyzing the connection centrality between each data, it was found that the most central keywords in the keyword-centric network were 'psychology', 'COVID-19', 'blue', and 'anxiety'. The network of frequency of co-occurrence among the keywords appearing in the headlines of the news was visualized as a graph. The thickness of the line on the graph is proportional to the frequency of co-occurrence, and if the frequency of two words appearing at the same time is high, it is indicated by a thick line. It can be seen that the 'COVID-blue' pair is displayed in the boldest, and the 'COVID-emotion' and 'COVID-anxiety' pairs are displayed with a relatively thick line. 'Blue' related to COVID-19 is a word that means depression, and it was confirmed that COVID-19 and depression are keywords that should be of interest now. The research methodology used in this study has the convenience of being able to quickly measure social phenomena and changes while reducing costs. In this study, by analyzing news headlines, we were able to identify people's feelings and perceptions on issues related to COVID-19 depression, and identify the main agendas to be analyzed by deriving important keywords. By presenting and visualizing the subject and important keywords related to the COVID-19 emotion at a time, medical policy managers will be able to be provided a variety of perspectives when identifying and researching the regarding phenomenon. It is expected that it can help to use it as basic data for support, treatment and service development for psychological quarantine issues related to COVID-19.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.101-109
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to measure COVID-19 stress and the quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) stress quotient and identify the coping styles of face-to-face service industry employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study administered structured questionnaires consisting of sections on general characteristics, COVID-19 stress, and coping style for stress to 21 face-to-face service industry employees between April 1 and April 18, 2021. The physical tension & stress quotient and psychological distraction & stress quotient were measured in the prefrontal lobe with QEEG. Results: Emotional easiness (r=.62, p=.002) and escape-avoidance (r=.55, p=.009) as a passive coping style were associated with COVID-19 stress, and seeking social support as an active coping style was associated with the left physical tension & stress quotient (r=.47, p=.031). Conclusion: These findings provide evidence regarding the objective status of the mental health of face-to-face service industry employees using both a self-reported scale and neuroscientific indicators, including brain quotients.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.263-272
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• 2022

This study investigated small and medium-sized hospital workers' knowledge of COVID-19, the infection-control-related fatigue and stress levels, and the factors that impacted their performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 137 hospital workers from four small and medium-sized hospitals in S and C cities. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a t-test, analysis of variance(ANOVA), Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression analysis. Small and medium-sized hospital workers' knowledge of COVID-19 revealed a correct answer rate of 66%. An average of 3.00 points out of 4 for infection control performance and 3.32 and 3.17 points out of 5 for infection-control-related fatigue and stress, respectively, were found. The level of knowledge regarding COVID-19 significantly differed by age and marriage (p<0.05), while infection control performance significantly differed by age, marriage, and infection control education experience (p<0.05). Infection-control-related fatigue and stress differed depending on the COVID-19 control education experience, economic and social prejudice, and fear of discrimination. There were positive correlations between knowledge and infection control performance, and infection control performance and infection-control-related fatigue and stress (p<0.001). This study showed that the factors that affected small and medium-sized hospital workers' performance included knowledge of "environmental management," "difficulties due to new role requirements," "presence or absence of infection education experience," "job type," and "age." These results suggest that practical and detailed education programs should be systematically developed and implemented for effective infection control.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.232-242
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• 2021

Purpose: This study investigated the occupational status and job stress of visiting nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Participants were 151 visiting nurses working in the public health services in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do. The study was conducted using a structured online questionnaire. Results: The average age of the visiting nurses was 49.5 years. A occupational period was 38.4% of the participants had worked for a period of 6-10 years and 34.5% of them had worked for a period of 11 years or more. In terms of employment type, 74.8% had permanent contracts and 13.9% had fixed terms. 93.4% of nurses were working on COVID-19-related work; and 57.6% of them were working more than 50% of their work. Each visiting nurse provided health services for a total of 436.4 cases on average and the per day count was 14.3 cases. The service was provided through home visits or phone consultations. The results of the job stress were relationship conflict (60.92±20.72), job demand (59.05±14.10), job autonomy (57.83±14.63), job instability (45.25±27.37), organizational system (44.97±17.21), workplace culture (42.71±18.00), and inadequate compensation (35.29±18.14). There was a significant difference in job stress according to the proportion of COVID-19 work was 'workplace culture' (p=.023), Job autonomy (p=.053) and Inappropriate compensation(p=.054). Conclusion: In order to provide a stable working environment for visiting nurses and effective public visiting health services during unexpected circumstances, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary to promote progressive policies and systemic improvements.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.39-49
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• 2022

Early childhood teachers are teachers who take care of and raise infants or children and play a role in providing various care. The purpose of this study is to investigate the correlation between how the positive psychological capital of early childhood teachers affects the behavioral attitude of early childhood teachers through job stress in the COVID-19 situation. This study was conducted through an online survey from October 1st to October 14th, 2021, targeting 220 kindergarten teachers and daycare center teachers. Except for 20 questionnaires such as omission of records, a total of 200 questionnaires were used for the final analysis. As a result of hypothesis verification, first, it was found that self-efficacy and hope among positive psychological capital had an effect on lowering work stress. Second, among positive psychological capital, hope and optimism were found to have an effect on lowering parents' stress. Third, it was found that work stress had a positive effect on turnover intention but a negative effect on loyalty. On the other hand, it was found that parent stress had a positive effect on both turnover intention and loyalty. Based on the results of this study, it is expected that it can be used as basic policy data to help lower the turnover intention of early childhood teachers in the situation of COVID-19.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.609-625
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• 2021

It has now been more than a year since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea, which has claimed thousands of lives and changed every aspect of life. The corona pandemic not only caused physical damages but also psychological one which is a collective social stress phenomenon often termed as 'corona blue'. The purpose of this study is to examine how empathy affects anxiety and depression through risk perception and indirect trauma, which are psychological variables related to the corona pandemic as a disaster. The survey data from 214 people were analyzed with a structural equation modelling. The results shows that 53.3 % of the participants experienced anxiety and 35.7% suffered from depression, which were about 6 times higher than ones from the 2019 government data. Affective empathy had a significant effect on risk perception, and cognitive empathy had a significant effect on indirect trauma. Risk perception and indirect trauma both had a significant effect on anxiety, and anxiety had a significant impact on depression. Only cognitive empathy had a significant indirect effect on anxiety and depression. This study provides an important insight into understanding a social phenomenon of 'corona blue' from a empathic perspective.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.101-114
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• 2022

Purpose : This study aimed to identify post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and burnout experienced by healthcare providers who cared for patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and their influencing factors. Methods : Data were collected from 135 healthcare providers who cared for patients with COVID-19 in a tertiary general hospital from June 8 to September 2, 2021, using a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, t-test, ANOVA and Scheffe's test, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple regression were used for analysis using SPSS/WIN 27.0. Results : Participants' average PTSD score was 9.31 ± 11.80, and 8.9% were in the high-risk group. Participants' average burnout score was 51.77±21.28, and 62.2% were at high risk. PTSD scores differed significantly according to participants' age, education, job, position, and current workplace. Burnout scores differed significantly according to their age, gender, marital status, parental status, and education. There was positive correlation between participants' PTSD and burnout. The factors influencing participants' PTSD were term of self-isolation and age (R²=.09). There were no significant influencing factors on participants' burnout. Conclusion : This study reconfirmed that healthcare providers who cared for patients with COVID-19 experienced both PTSD and burnout, suggesting that interventions are needed such as regular pre-training or simulation training and establishing a support system.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.279-289
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• 2022

Purpose: This is a descriptive correlation study to confirm the effect of stress and anxiety caused by COVID-19 on the quality of life of small business owners in an area under environment of COVID-19. Methods: The participants were 150 small business owners in an area. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, an independent t-test, a one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple regression with the SPSS 25.0 Program. Results: The stress of small business owners averaged 3.67±0.65 out of 4 points, anxiety of COVID-19 was 2.65±0.52, and quality of life was 75.61±20.26 out of 130 points. The quality of life showed a significant negative correlation with 'fear of infection' (r=-.42, p<.001), 'difficulties caused by social distancing' (r=-.49, p<.001) in the stress subdomain, and anxiety (r=-.61, p<.001). On the other hand, stress, 'fear of infection' (r=.50, p<.001), 'difficulties caused by social distancing' (r=.60 p<.001), 'anger against others' (r=.35, p<.001) and anxiety showed positive correlation. Factors affecting the quality of life of the subjects were 'fear of infection' in the stress subdomain (β=-.23, p=.003), anxiety (β=-.45, p<.001), and residential area (J zone) (β=-.16, p=.030). These factors explained 47.0% of the variance. Conclusion: In order to enhance the quality of life of small business owners in an area, it is required to reduce stress and anxiety. In addition, it is necessary to prepare an intervention program that can reduce stress and anxiety of small business owners.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.170-178
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the factors influencing post-traumatic stress disorder in intensive care unit nurses in dedicated hospitals for coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) during the peak of the outbreak. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional correlational design. A total of 100 participants completed questionnaires comprising the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), coping strategy indicator, social support, and post-traumatic growth. Post-traumatic stress disorder was classified as normal, mild risk, and high risk. Data were analyzed using 𝛘² test, Fisher's exact test, Kruskal-Wallis test with multiple comparison analysis, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multinominal logistic regression analysis. Results: Fifty seven nurses (57.0%) had a high risk of post-traumatic stress. Higher levels of post traumatic stress were associated with higher levels of social support seeking, and higher levels of avoidance, and lower levels of social support from supervisors. Higher post traumatic growth was correlated with higher social support for seeking coping, and problem solving coping strategies, and social support from supervisors and colleagues. Post-traumatic stress risk was associated with social support seeking and supervisors' social support. In addition, a higher risk of post-traumatic stress was related to COVID-19 work duration and supervisors' social support. Conclusion: Supportive programs, including increasing social support and building coping skills, may be suggested to safeguard the mental health of critical care nurses during the pandemic.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.315-320
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• 2022

This study discussed its implications for the meaning in life, which began to emerge through existential psychotherapy in the era of coronavirus infection 19 (COVID-19). In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are making efforts to live a meaningful life, and individuals and communities are making efforts to find meaning in how to live a meaningful life. Humanity has a premise for a peaceful life, and since the past, interest in the meaning in life has continued. The deadly virus called COVID-19, which hit the world in December 2019, created stress such as anxiety, alienation, and depression in people, endangering the lives of individuals and communities. Research on the meaning in life was active even before COVID-19, but I think it is necessary to look at the changes in people's meaning in life and how COVID-19 is affecting each individual amid the global pandemic of the virus. In other words, clarifying the meaning of our lives in the era of COVID-19 is a coping to reduce stress and a catalyst to improve the quality of life. This study aims to provide basic research to prepare ways to improve the quality of life in the era of COVID-19 by examining various perspectives and results on the meaning in life.