Browsing by Author "Amarasekara, T.D."

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Open Access
Coping amid Crisis: A Study of Field Midwives’ Resilience Strategies during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Sri Lanka
(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2023-11-01) Pathirana, J. M. P; Edirisinghe, N. P.; Amarasekara, T.D.
The COVID-19 outbreak has significantly impacted people’s physical and mental health. The use of coping strategies plays a major role in combating psychological stressors. The aim of the study was to describe the use of coping strategies among field midwives (FMs). A descriptive crosssectional study was conducted among FMs in selected Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas in the Matara district. Participants included FMs with at least six months of experience in the field, and those on maternity leave were excluded. Data were collected using a validated Brief COPE questionnaire and a pre-tested sociodemographic questionnaire. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics. A total of 145 study participants had a mean age of 41.4±12.0. The majority of participants (64.8%) employed an avoidant coping style, while 44.8% utilized a problem-focused coping style, and 51% employed an emotion-focused coping style to maintain positivity in the face of challenges. The highest scores were reported on active coping, positive reframing, acceptance, and informational support, while the lowest scores were on substance use and humor. In conclusion, the majority of FMs used problem-focused approaches as a coping strategy during the COVID-19 outbreak. Health policymakers might use this data to have a basic understanding of FMs’ coping mechanisms.
Open Access
Prevalence of Stress and Associated Factors among Field Midwives in Sri Lanka during the COVID-19 Pandemic
(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2023-11-01) Pathirana, J. M. P; Edirisinghe, N. P; Amarasekara, T.D.
The COVID-19 outbreak has had a significant impact on people’s physical and mental health. Globally, the stress faced by healthcare workers during COVID-19 has been investigated. The aim of the study was to describe the level of perceived stress, and associated factors, among field midwives (FMs). A descriptive crosssectional study of FMs in selected Medical Officer of Health (MOH) regions in the Matara district was carried out. FMs were among the subjects, while those on maternity leave and without at least six months of professional experience were not included. Data were collected using validated Perceived Stress Scale-10, and a pretested socio-demographic questionnaire. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics, and a Chi-square test. The study participants had a mean age of 41.43±12.01. Results indicated that 27.6% of the FMs experienced low stress, 51% experienced moderate stress, and 21.4% reported high perceived stress levels. The presence of any chronic diseases (95% CI, 0.077-0.966, OR=0.274, p=0.034) and economic status (95% CI, 1.079- 1.261, OR=6.374, p=0.011) showed statistically significant associations with perceived stress. In conclusion, the majority of FMs were moderately 74 (51%) stressed during the COVID-19 pandemic.