Jakarta, TheIndonesiaPost – The survey results showed as many as 45.92 percent of journalists experienced symptoms of depression in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak that struck Indonesia. In addition, 57.14 percent of other journalists experience general burnout.
This is known from the results of a self-perception survey conducted by the Center for Economic Development Study (CEDS) of the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) Padjajaran University.
The survey was conducted online in the period April 2-10 of 98 journalists from various regions of Indonesia, with the largest domicile in Java.
“There is 45.92 percent of journalists who have symptoms of depression, far higher than health workers (28 percent),” quoted Cable News Network Indonesia on Saturday (5/16).
Journalists who are still out of the house to cover news in the middle of a pandemic experience more symptoms of depression, or by 26.53 percent. They also had 1.65 times the chance to experience symptoms of depression compared to reporters who did not go out to cover the news.
If divided into genders, male reporters experienced more depressive symptoms with 47.3 percent compared to female journalists 43.90 percent.
Based on age level, reporters aged 21-30 years have more symptoms of depression (52.8 percent) than reporters in the age category 31-40 years (44.19 percent) and 41-50 years (25 percent).
Then, if categorized from the workplace media, online media reporters, television, and radio experience more symptoms of depression than daily and weekly print media reporters.
As many as 58.70 percent of online media reporters, 60 percent of radio reporters, and 45 percent of TV reporters have symptoms of depression. Meanwhile, in the daily print media, only 21.74 percent of journalists who have symptoms of depression, even weekly print media reporters do not have depression at all.
While journalists covering government / general issues tend to have more symptoms of depression, with 51.52 percent.
Symptoms experienced include disruption of normal things, difficulty concentrating, feeling depressed, more work, fear, restless sleep, feeling alone.
The survey results also showed that as many as 57.14 journalists experienced general boredom. Journalists who did not leave the house to cover the news had more burnout (33.67 percent) and had a 2.58 times chance of experiencing burnout than those who went out to cover the news.
As a solution, the survey research team recommends a number of things. Among these; active mental health counseling services; psychotherapy; Government support in the form of incentives, rewards, insurance.
Then, support is also needed from the workplace institution by limiting working hours, communication, continuous and systematic monitoring of impacts, and providing risk insurance. (ras/bbs)
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