The Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Japanese Companion Animal Clinics

Overview

Journal J Vet Med Sci

Specialty Veterinary Medicine

Date 2022 Jun 22

PMID 35732430

Authors

Fuka Fukumoto

Yuya Kimura

Atsuro Tsutsumi

Ai Hori

Aki Tanaka

Makoto Ukita

Kohei Makita

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a tremendous impact on people's lives throughout the world. A cross-sectional study was conducted to clarify the influence of COVID-19 on Japanese companion animal clinics. A self-administered electronic questionnaire regarding the incidence of COVID-19, hygiene management, the influence on clinical service and employment, and mental stress of staff was conducted for workers in animal clinics between 1 May and 10 June 2021. Questions concerning the hygiene management before the occurrence of COVID-19, under the first state of emergency, and at the time of the survey were asked using the Likert scale. Kessler 6 (K6) was used as an indicator of mental distress. In total, 430 individuals responded. Of these, 4.9% experienced COVID-19 infection in staff. Hygiene management was strengthened, but no particular practice was statistically associated with the occurrence of COVID-19 cases in staff. In Nakaya's variation of Scheffe's paired comparison, the highest prioritized goal in the clinics was the prevention of nosocomial infection with COVID-19. The prevalence of serious mental illness (K6 >=13) was 11.1% (95% confidence interval: 6.3-18.6%). Multivariable negative binomial regression found four risk factors for psychological distress: veterinary nurse (P=0.016 with veterinarians and P<0.01 with other staff), female (P=0.004), fear of infection at work (P<0.001), and stress by refraining from going out (P<0.001). Directors of clinics are recommended to take care of female veterinary nurses for distress.

Citing Articles

Veterinary medicine under COVID-19: a mixed-methods analysis of student and practitioner experiences in Austria.

Humer E, Winter S, Probst T, Pieh C, Dale R, Bruhl D Front Vet Sci. 2024; 11:1460269.

PMID: 39568480 PMC: 11576337. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1460269.

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