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Comparison of the timing and reported causes of divorce before and after COVID-19 pandemic among nurses working in the selected hospitals of Tehran, Iran
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Faezeh Sahbaei *    , Jamileh Mohtashami , Ashraf Fasahat |
| Department of Nursing, TeMS.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran , fsahbaei@sbmu.ac.ir |
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Abstract: (10 Views) |
Background and Aim: Divorce is a multifactorial phenomenon shaped by the interaction of economic, psychological, interpersonal, and family-related factors. Nurses may be particularly vulnerable to work–family conflict because of irregular shifts, long working hours, and continuous exposure to occupational stress. The COVID-19 pandemic further intensified the occupational, psychological, and economic pressures experienced by this group. This study aims to compare the timing and reported causes of divorce among nurses before and after the onset of COVID-19 pandemic.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive, comparative study was conducted among 128 divorced nurses working in 13 selected hospitals of Tehran, Iran. The hospitals were selected using stratified random sampling. Demographic and occupational characteristics as well as reported causes of divorce were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire. Data was analyzed by SPSS software version 26. The two study groups were compared with respect to selected factors associated with divorce.
Results: Among the 128 divorced nurses, 43.0% had experienced divorce before the pandemic, whereas 57.0% had experienced divorce after its onset. Before the pandemic, spousal neglect of family life was the most frequently reported primary cause of divorce (41.8%), whereas financial problems ranked first after the onset of pandemic (53.4%). Dissatisfaction with sexual relationships increased from 58.6% before the pandemic to 82.0% after its onset (p = .002). The nurses reporting economic factors also increased from 82.0% to 94.5% (p = .003). Verbal violence perpetrated by spouses was reported by 37.5% of the nurses before the pandemic compared to 37.0% after its onset (p = .008).
Conclusion: Among the nurses included in this study, the pattern of reported causes of divorce differed between the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods. Economic factors and dissatisfaction with sexual relationships became more prominent after the onset of pandemic, whereas spousal neglect of family life was the leading reported primary cause of divorce before the pandemic. The findings highlight the need for family-centered support strategies for nurses during major health emergencies, including economic support, mental health services, appropriate workload management, and measures to promote work–family balance.
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| Keywords: Nurses, divorce, COVID-19, marital relationships, work–family conflict, mental health. |
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Full-Text [PDF 368 kb]
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2026/10/18 | Accepted: 2024/06/21 | Published: 2024/06/21
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| References |
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Sahbaei F, Mohtashami J, Fasahat A. Comparison of the timing and reported causes of divorce before and after COVID-19 pandemic among nurses working in the selected hospitals of Tehran, Iran. Knowledge of Nursing 2024; 2 (2) :207-223 URL: http://knjournal.ir/article-1-151-en.html
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