Keywords
Anxiety, Pregnant Farmers, COVID-19, HAM-A
Abstract
Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is spreading widely throughout the world, causing global health crisis and one of the greatest challenges we have ever faced. Nigeria is one of the countries that have been severely affected by COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has created some serious concerns including anxiety in pregnant women. However, due to mental and physical changes in pregnancy, pregnant women are likely to be affected by the virus. At present there is no evidence that pregnant women are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 than the general population. Research is currently ongoing to understand the impacts of COVID-19 in pregnant women. This study aimed to assess the safety precautions against infectious diseases and associated factors during COVID-19 pandemic in pregnant farmers in Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria. This study used cross-sectional design using primary data on July to August, 2020 at the sampled (Obstetrician and Gynecologist) outpatient clinics in Aboh Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria. Based on defined criteria, 120 subjects were recruited in this study. Anxiety level assessed using Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A). Demographic data collected using research questionnaire. Our results showed that majority of the pregnant women (71%) had no anxiety. The rest of these pregnant women (29%) showed mild anxiety level (23%) and moderate anxiety (6%). Multivariate data analysis showed that healthcare workers were associated to higher anxiety level, with OR 5.56 (95% CI .33 - 24.09). Informative and educative advices and suggestions of COVID-19 to pregnant women and their family, such as washing hands frequently, maintain social and physical distancing, using mask to cover the mouth and nose when around others, living healthy life and doing all the activities from home, can make pregnant farmers not worried about COVID-19 pandemic, which is supported by this study.
Citation
Osuagwu K, Osuagwu CO (2020) Curbing Anxiety as Measures for Safety Precautions against Covid-19 Pandemic among Pregnant Farm ers in Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria. SM J Gynecol Obstet 6: 7.