Stress perception, coping behaviors and work-privacy conflict of student midwives in times of COVID-19 pandemic: the "Healthy MidStudents" study in Germany
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Stress perception, coping behaviors and work-privacy conflict of student midwives in times of COVID-19 pandemic: the "Healthy MidStudents" study in Germany. / Efimov, Ilona; Agricola, Caroline Johanna; Nienhaus, Albert; Harth, Volker; Zyriax, Birgit-Christiane; Mache, Stefanie.
In: BMC HEALTH SERV RES, Vol. 24, No. 1, 07.05.2024, p. 594.Research output: SCORING: Contribution to journal › SCORING: Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Stress perception, coping behaviors and work-privacy conflict of student midwives in times of COVID-19 pandemic: the "Healthy MidStudents" study in Germany
AU - Efimov, Ilona
AU - Agricola, Caroline Johanna
AU - Nienhaus, Albert
AU - Harth, Volker
AU - Zyriax, Birgit-Christiane
AU - Mache, Stefanie
N1 - © 2024. The Author(s).
PY - 2024/5/7
Y1 - 2024/5/7
N2 - BACKGROUND: Student midwives deliver care for women under challenging job demands, which may affect their mental health- thus creating a high need for health promotion. Given the lack of research addressing this topic, the aim of this study is to examine the links between stress perception, coping behaviors, work-privacy conflict, and perception of COVID-19 pandemic impact on studies of student midwives in northern Germany.METHODS: Data were collected using a cross-sectional online-survey at nine midwifery study sites in northern Germany from October 2022 to January 2023. 342 student midwives (response rate: 61.3%) were surveyed on stress perception, coping behaviors, work-privacy conflict, and perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their studies. Descriptive, linear regression and moderation analyses were run to test explorative assumptions.RESULTS: Results revealed that higher levels of perceived stress were reported by 13.4% of student midwives. Social support (M = 13.76, SD = 2.19) and active stress coping (M = 10.72, SD = 2.01) were identified as most prevalent coping behaviors in the present sample. It was found that work-privacy conflict was positively associated with stress perception (ß = 0.53, p =.001) and maladaptive coping behaviors (alcohol and cigarette consumption: ß = 0.14, p =.015), and negatively associated with adaptive coping behaviors (positive thinking: ß = - 0.25, p =.001, social support: ß = - 0.23, p =.001). Students with children reported significantly lower levels of social support than students without children. 55.6% of student midwives perceived a negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their studies (mostly on lectures, seminars, and contact with fellow students).CONCLUSIONS: Key findings highlighted moderate stress levels among student midwives during theoretical study stage. Based on current research, prevalence of high stress levels among student midwives remains unclear. Given the overall heterogeneous, limited research on student midwives' stress perception, coping behaviors, work-privacy conflict and perceptions of COVID-19 pandemic impact on studies, implications for research are suggested, e.g. longitudinal studies at different time points and settings and interventional studies. Findings provide a starting point for implementation of workplace health promotion in theoretical and practical stages of midwifery science study programs, e.g. training courses on stress prevention and adaptive coping, and for improvement of working conditions.
AB - BACKGROUND: Student midwives deliver care for women under challenging job demands, which may affect their mental health- thus creating a high need for health promotion. Given the lack of research addressing this topic, the aim of this study is to examine the links between stress perception, coping behaviors, work-privacy conflict, and perception of COVID-19 pandemic impact on studies of student midwives in northern Germany.METHODS: Data were collected using a cross-sectional online-survey at nine midwifery study sites in northern Germany from October 2022 to January 2023. 342 student midwives (response rate: 61.3%) were surveyed on stress perception, coping behaviors, work-privacy conflict, and perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their studies. Descriptive, linear regression and moderation analyses were run to test explorative assumptions.RESULTS: Results revealed that higher levels of perceived stress were reported by 13.4% of student midwives. Social support (M = 13.76, SD = 2.19) and active stress coping (M = 10.72, SD = 2.01) were identified as most prevalent coping behaviors in the present sample. It was found that work-privacy conflict was positively associated with stress perception (ß = 0.53, p =.001) and maladaptive coping behaviors (alcohol and cigarette consumption: ß = 0.14, p =.015), and negatively associated with adaptive coping behaviors (positive thinking: ß = - 0.25, p =.001, social support: ß = - 0.23, p =.001). Students with children reported significantly lower levels of social support than students without children. 55.6% of student midwives perceived a negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their studies (mostly on lectures, seminars, and contact with fellow students).CONCLUSIONS: Key findings highlighted moderate stress levels among student midwives during theoretical study stage. Based on current research, prevalence of high stress levels among student midwives remains unclear. Given the overall heterogeneous, limited research on student midwives' stress perception, coping behaviors, work-privacy conflict and perceptions of COVID-19 pandemic impact on studies, implications for research are suggested, e.g. longitudinal studies at different time points and settings and interventional studies. Findings provide a starting point for implementation of workplace health promotion in theoretical and practical stages of midwifery science study programs, e.g. training courses on stress prevention and adaptive coping, and for improvement of working conditions.
KW - Humans
KW - COVID-19/epidemiology
KW - Adaptation, Psychological
KW - Germany/epidemiology
KW - Female
KW - Cross-Sectional Studies
KW - Adult
KW - Midwifery
KW - Students, Nursing/psychology
KW - SARS-CoV-2
KW - Pandemics
KW - Surveys and Questionnaires
KW - Young Adult
KW - Stress, Psychological/epidemiology
KW - Male
KW - Coping Skills
U2 - 10.1186/s12913-024-10823-5
DO - 10.1186/s12913-024-10823-5
M3 - SCORING: Journal article
C2 - 38714981
VL - 24
SP - 594
JO - BMC HEALTH SERV RES
JF - BMC HEALTH SERV RES
SN - 1472-6963
IS - 1
ER -