Table 2.
Comparisons of the characteristics and use of social networks by health care workers (N=641). Percentages are expressed in relation to the number of respondents to each question.
| Characteristic | Health care workers not using social networks | Health care workers using social networks | P value | |
| n (%) | 88 (13.7) | 553 (86.3) | N/Aa | |
| Age (years), median (IQR) | 46.0 (35.0-54.3) | 32.0 (28.0-38.0) | <.001 | |
| Sex ratio (male/female) | 0.87 | 0.96 | .68 | |
| COVID-19 low-density area, n (%) | 73 (83.0) | 398 (72.0) | .04 | |
| Profession, n (%) | .41 | |||
|
|
Physician or resident | 62 (70.5) | 361 (65.3) |
|
|
|
Nurse (registered or auxiliary) or nurse anesthetist | 26 (29.5) | 192 (34.7) |
|
| Department, n (%) | .02 | |||
|
|
Anesthesiology | 42 (47.7) | 181 (32.7) |
|
|
|
Intensive care unit | 23 (26.1) | 223 (40.3) |
|
|
|
Emergency | 6 (6.8) | 55 (9.9) |
|
|
|
Mobile emergency | 9 (10.2) | 34 (6.1) |
|
|
|
Mixed | 8 (9.1) | 60 (10.8) |
|
| Hospital, n (%) | .54 | |||
|
|
University | 52 (59.1) | 325 (58.8) |
|
|
|
Public | 30 (34.1) | 180 (32.5) |
|
|
|
Private | 6 (6.8) | 35 (6.3) |
|
| Working in a hospital providing care to patients with COVID-19, n (%) | 65 (73.9) | 474 (85.7) | <.01 | |
| Direct interaction with patients with COVID-19, n (%) | 33 (37.5) | 240 (43.4) | .36 | |
| Use of WhatsApp, n (%) | 81 (92.0) | 517 (93.5) | .78 | |
| Use of WhatsApp to discuss COVID-19 with critical care professionals, n (%) | 61 (73.5) | 379 (71) | .73 | |
| Use of a WhatsApp group specifically dedicated to COVID-19, n (%) | 41 (50.0) | 213 (40.0) | .11 | |
| Anxiety level concerning the COVID-19 pandemic (from 0 to 10), median (IQR) | 5 (3-7) | 6 (5-8) | .02 | |
| Information level concerning the COVID-19 pandemic (from 0 to 10), median (IQR) | 8 (7-9) | 7 (6-8) | <.01 | |
aN/A: not applicable.