Care Quality and Mental Health among Iranian Nurses during the COVID-۱۹ Pandemic: Results of a Canonical Correlation Analysis

Abstract: Objective and background: Due to exposure to numerous critically ill patients, increased working time, and their colleagues’ disease or demise, nurses experience severe psychological stress that may seriously impact their mental health and functioning. Thus, this study aimed to examine clinical nurses' mental health status and elucidate its relationship with the quality of care provided by them.Method: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted in ۲۰۲۰. Among the nurses working at two hospitals affiliated with the Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, ۱۰۴ nurses from all wards were selected via convenience sampling. The data were collected via the Quality Patient Care Scale (QUALPAC) and Goldberg and Williams's General Health Questionnaire to check the nurses’ general health status. Statistical tests, including canonical correlation analysis, were used to analyze the data in SPSS ۲۰.Results: There was a negative correlation between mental health and the quality of care provided by male (_xD۸۳۵_ = -۰.۵۵۶, p < ۰.۰۰۱)and female (_xD۸۳۵_ = -۰.۳۵۱, p = ۰.۰۱۷) nurses . Social dysfunction, anxiety, and insomnia in male nurses, and somatic symptoms and social dysfunction in female nurses had the largest share of their general health, while physical care had the largest share of the quality of nursing care.Conclusion: The results demonstrated that female nurses had better mental health status than male nurses during the COVID-۱۹ pandemic. Moreover, female nurses provided higherquality nursing care than male nurses. The higher quality may be attributed to women's better mental health status. The important findings of the current study highlight the necessity of regular programs for improving nurse's mental health, thereby enhancing the quality of nursing care.

Keywords:

Care Quality , Mental Health , Nurses , COVID-۱۹