scholarly journals Anxiety and depression in frontline health care workers during the outbreak of Covid-19

2020 ◽  
pp. 002076402096811
Author(s):  
Li-qun Xing ◽  
Min-ling Xu ◽  
Jia Sun ◽  
Qin-Xia Wang ◽  
Dan-dan Ge ◽  
...  

Background: The pandemic of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) seriously impacts the health and well-being of all of us. Aims: We aim to assess the psychological impact of Covid-19 on frontline health care workers (HCWs), including anxiety, depression and stress of threat of the disease. Method: The study was a cross-sectional survey among the frontline HCWs in a hospital at Jinan, China. Data were collected through an anonymous, self-rated questionnaire, including basic demographic data, a 10-item Covid-19 stress questionnaire, the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). The risk and rate of anxiety, depression and stress of Covid-19 were estimated. Results: Among the 309 participants, there were 88 (28.5%) with anxiety and 172 (56.0%) with depression. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that age ⩽ 30 years, age > 30 to 45 years, working in confirmed case isolation wards, and worrying about disinfection measures being not sufficient were independently associated with anxiety with an odds ratio (95% confidence interval, CI) of 4.4 (1.6–12.2), 3.1 (1.1–8.8), 2.3 (1.4–4.0) and 2.5 (1.5–4.3), respectively; age ⩽ 30 years, age > 30 to 45 years, nurse and worrying about disinfection measure being not sufficient were independently associated with depression with an odds ratio (95% CI) of 3.8 (1.8–7.8), 2.7 (1.3–5.7), 2.5 (1.1–5.6) and 2.1 (1.3–3.5), respectively. Conclusions: A high prevalence of anxiety and depression was found among frontline HCWs during the COVID-19 outbreak. More psychological care should be given to young staffs and nurses. Measures to prevent professional exposure is important for HCWs’ physical and mental health.

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 655-660
Author(s):  
Apsara Pandey ◽  
Chandrakala Sharma ◽  
Ram Hari Chapagain ◽  
Narmada Devkota ◽  
Kamal Ranabhat ◽  
...  

Background: Frontline Health Care Workers are at risk of developing mental and psychological distress during Corona virus disease 2019 pandemic. This study aimed to assess level of stress, anxiety, depression and their associated factors among health care workers during Corona virus disease 2019 pandemic in Nepal.Methods: This is a web based cross-sectional survey conducted among 404 Health Care Workers during early phase of Corona virus disease 2019 pandemic. The participants were selected using convenience sampling technique and were invited to participate via various online networks. Depression, anxiety and stress were assessed using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and their associated factors were measured using structured questionnaires. Multivariable logistic regression was carried out to determine the associated factors.Results: The symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression among health care workers were found to be 28.9%, 35.6% and 17.0% respectively. Females were found to be 2 fold more likely to have anxiety and depression than male. Nurses were found to be two times more likely to have anxiety than doctors. Laboratory personnel were almost three folds more likely to have anxiety than doctors. Health care workers with insufficient/ no PPE were almost three fold more likely to have depression. health care workers working in high-risk areas had almost 2 fold higher odds of having depression.Conclusions: Health care workers experienced symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression in varied level of severity. This experience was higher among the nurses and laboratory workers than doctors. Pandemic preparedness assuring PPE and appropriate psychological interventions may be beneficial to promote mental health and well-being of health care workers.Keywords: Anxiety; associated factors; depression; health workers; stress


Author(s):  
Sonja Weilenmann ◽  
Jutta Ernst ◽  
Heidi Petry ◽  
Monique C. Pfaltz ◽  
Onur Sazpinar ◽  
...  

AbstractBackgroundThe current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic poses various challenges for health care workers (HCWs), which may impair their mental health. First evidence from China suggests that HCWs are at risk for anxiety and depression. However, generalizability to western countries is limited. The current study aimed at exploring HCWs’ mental health during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Switzerland. In addition, we conducted a network analysis to investigate the independent effect of risk and protective factors on HCWs’ mental health and their interplay.MethodsIn an exploratory, cross-sectional, nation-wide online survey, we assessed demographics, work characteristics, COVID-19 exposure, and anxiety, depression, and burnout in 857 physicians and 553 nurses during the pandemic in Switzerland. At the time of data collection, Switzerland had among the highest per capita rate of COVID-19 cases in the world.ResultsOverall symptom levels of anxiety, depression, and burnout were elevated. Women, nurses, frontline staff and HCWs exposed to COVID-19 patients reported more symptoms than their peers. However, these effects were all small and, in the network analysis, most of them did not remain significant after controlling for the other factors. Whereas COVID-19 exposure was only partially associated with mental health, perceived support by the employer independently predicted anxiety and burnout.ConclusionsOur finding that HCWs had elevated levels of anxiety, depression, and burnout underscores the importance to systematically monitor HCWs’ mental health during this ongoing pandemic. Because perceived support and mental health impairments were negatively related, we encourage the implementation of supportive measures for HCWs’ well-being during this crisis.


2021 ◽  
Vol In Press (In Press) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joy Osagiator Ariyo ◽  
Ebenezer Olutope Akinnawo ◽  
Bede Chinonye Akpunne ◽  
Daniel Oluwasanmi Kumuyi ◽  
Deborah Foluke Onisile

Background: Health care workers (HCWs) are the frontline of coping COVID-19 pandemic, which indicates the importance of improving their mental wellness to better cope with the situation. Objectives: The current study aimed to firstly assess the severity of anxiety and depression and perceived vulnerability to diseases, and secondly to investigate their association with the fear of COVID-19 among Nigerian HCWs. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, a purposefully selected sample of 413 HCWs from two tertiary healthcare institutions in Benin City, Edo State, South-South Nigeria, responded to the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Perceived Vulnerability to Disease Scale. Data was collected between October 2020 and February 2021. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize socio-demographic variables, while inferential statistics (t-test for independent samples, one-way ANOVA, and linear regression) were used to test hypotheses. Results: A high prevalence of anxiety, depression, and perceived vulnerability to diseases (PVD) was observed. Perceived infectability (β = 0.244, P = 0.000), germ aversion (β = 0.166, P = 0.000), and composite PVD (β = 0.96, P = 0.000) were identified as independent and significant predictors of fear of COVID-19, accounting for 7.5; 3.3, and 9.9% variance in the severities of Fear of COVID-19, respectively. Anxiety and depression showed a significant joint prediction of Fear of COVID-19 severity, accounting for a 4.0% variance in the severity. Fear of COVID-19 was not found to be influenced by sex or job type differences among the HCWs. Conclusions: This study demonstrated a high incidence of anxiety, depression, and perceived vulnerability to COVID-19 among Nigerian HCWs. These reported symptoms of psychopathology are also strong independent and joint predictors of fear of COVID-19.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja Weilenmann ◽  
Jutta Ernst ◽  
Heidi Petry ◽  
Monique C. Pfaltz ◽  
Onur Sazpinar ◽  
...  

Objective: The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic poses various challenges for health care workers (HCWs). This may affect their mental health, which is crucial to maintain high quality medical care during a pandemic. Existing evidence suggests that HCWs, especially women, nurses, frontline staff, and those exposed to COVID-19 patients, are at risk for anxiety and depression. However, a comprehensive overview of risk and protective factors considering their mutual influence is lacking. Therefore, this study aimed at exploring HCWs' mental health during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Switzerland, investigating the independent effect of various demographic, work- and COVID-related factors on HCWs' mental health.Methods: In an exploratory, cross-sectional, nation-wide online survey, we assessed demographics, work characteristics, COVID-19 exposure, and anxiety, depression, and burnout in 1,406 HCWs during the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Switzerland. Network analysis was used to investigate the associations among the included variables.Results: Women (compared to men), nurses (compared to physicians), frontline staff (compared to non-frontline workers), and HCWs exposed to COVID-19 patients (compared to non-exposed) reported more symptoms than their peers. However, these effects were all small. Perceived support by the employer independently predicted anxiety and burnout after adjustment for other risk factors.Conclusion: Our finding that some HCWs had elevated levels of anxiety, depression, and burnout underscores the importance to systematically monitor HCWs' mental health during this ongoing pandemic. Because perceived support and mental health impairments were negatively related, we encourage the implementation of supportive measures for HCWs' well-being during this crisis.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonja Weilenmann ◽  
Jutta Ernst ◽  
Heidi Petry ◽  
Monique Pfaltz ◽  
Onur Sazpinar ◽  
...  

Background: The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic poses various challenges for health care workers (HCWs), which may impair their mental health. First evidence from China suggests that HCWs are at risk for anxiety and depression. However, generalizability to western countries is limited. The current study aimed at exploring HCWs’ mental health during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Switzerland. In addition, we conducted a network analysis to investigate the independent effect of risk and protective factors on HCWs’ mental health and their interplay.Methods: In an exploratory, cross-sectional, nation-wide online survey, we assessed demographics, work characteristics, COVID-19 exposure, and anxiety, depression, and burnout in 857 physicians and 553 nurses during the pandemic in Switzerland. At the time of data collection, Switzerland had among the highest per capita rate of COVID-19 cases in the world.Results: Overall symptom levels of anxiety, depression, and burnout were elevated. Women, nurses, frontline staff and HCWs exposed to COVID-19 patients reported more symptoms than their peers. However, these effects were all small and, in the network analysis, most of them did not remain significant after controlling for the other factors. Whereas COVID-19 exposure was only partially associated with mental health, perceived support by the employer independently predicted anxiety and burnout. Conclusions: Our finding that HCWs had elevated levels of anxiety, depression, and burnout underscores the importance to systematically monitor HCWs’ mental health during this ongoing pandemic. Because perceived support and mental health impairments were negatively related, we encourage the implementation of supportive measures for HCWs’ well-being during this crisis.


Author(s):  
Kris Vanhaecht ◽  
Deborah Seys ◽  
Luk Bruyneel ◽  
Bianca Cox ◽  
Gorik Kaesemans ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may aggravate workplace conditions that impact health-care workers’ mental health. However, it can also place other stresses on workers outside of their work. This study determines the effect of COVID-19 on symptoms of negative and positive mental health and the workforce’s experience with various sources of support. Effect modification by demographic variables was also studied. Methods A cross-sectional survey study, conducted between 2 April and 4 May 2020 (two waves), led to a convenience sample of 4509 health-care workers in Flanders (Belgium), including paramedics (40.6%), nurses (33.4%), doctors (13.4%) and management staff (12.2%). About three in four were employed in university and acute hospitals (29.6%), primary care practices (25.7%), residential care centers (21.3%) or care sites for disabled and mental health care. In each of the two waves, participants were asked how frequently (on a scale of 0–10) they experienced positive and negative mental health symptoms during normal circumstances and during last week, referred to as before and during COVID-19, respectively. These symptoms were stress, hypervigilance, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, unable to relax, fear, irregular lifestyle, flashback, difficulty concentrating, feeling unhappy and dejected, failing to recognize their own emotional response, doubting knowledge and skills and feeling uncomfortable within the team. Associations between COVID-19 and mental health symptoms were estimated by cumulative logit models and reported as odds ratios. The needed support was our secondary outcome and was reported as the degree to which health-care workers relied on sources of support and how they experienced them. Results All symptoms were significantly more pronounced during versus before COVID-19. For hypervigilance, there was a 12-fold odds (odds ratio 12.24, 95% confidence interval 11.11–13.49) during versus before COVID-19. Positive professional symptoms such as the feeling that one can make a difference were less frequently experienced. The association between COVID-19 and mental health was generally strongest for the age group 30–49 years, females, nurses and residential care centers. Health-care workers reported to rely on support from relatives and peers. A considerable proportion, respectively, 18 and 27%, reported the need for professional guidance from psychologists and more support from their leadership. Conclusions The toll of the crisis has been heavy on health-care workers. Those who carry leadership positions at an organizational or system level should take this opportunity to develop targeted strategies to mitigate key stressors of health-care workers’ mental well-being.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiancheng Ye

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic is a global public health crisis that has not only endangered the lives of patients but also resulted in increased psychological issues among medical professionals, especially frontline health care workers. As the crisis caused by the pandemic shifts from acute to protracted, attention should be paid to the devastating impacts on health care workers’ mental health and social well-being. Digital technologies are being harnessed to support the responses to the pandemic, which provide opportunities to advance mental health and psychological support for health care workers. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to develop a framework to describe and organize the psychological and mental health issues that health care workers are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the framework, this study also proposes interventions from digital health perspectives that health care workers can leverage during and after the pandemic. METHODS The psychological problems and mental health issues that health care workers have encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic were reviewed and analyzed based on the proposed MEET (Mental Health, Environment, Event, and Technology) framework, which also demonstrated the interactions among mental health, digital interventions, and social support. RESULTS Health care workers are facing increased risk of experiencing mental health issues due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including burnout, fear, worry, distress, pressure, anxiety, and depression. These negative emotional stressors may cause psychological problems for health care workers and affect their physical and mental health. Digital technologies and platforms are playing pivotal roles in mitigating psychological issues and providing effective support. The proposed framework enabled a better understanding of how to mitigate the psychological effects during the pandemic, recover from associated experiences, and provide comprehensive institutional and societal infrastructures for the well-being of health care workers. CONCLUSIONS The COVID-19 pandemic presents unprecedented challenges due to its prolonged uncertainty, immediate threat to patient safety, and evolving professional demands. It is urgent to protect the mental health and strengthen the psychological resilience of health care workers. Given that the pandemic is expected to exist for a long time, caring for mental health has become a “new normal” that needs a strengthened multisector collaboration to facilitate support and reduce health disparities. The proposed MEET framework could provide structured guidelines for further studies on how technology interacts with mental and psychological health for different populations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 03-06
Author(s):  
Wajeeha Qayyum ◽  
Asad Khalil ◽  
Mohammad Jawad ◽  
Seema Ashraf

Introduction: Infectious pandemics are a significant health risk to the general population, but much more so for the frontline health care workers tending patients at different locations. The increased workload, stress, fear, and anxiety are the burdens to be coped with by health professionals through resort to resiliency and other mechanisms.Objective: To determine the magnitude of depression / anxiety and factors associated with it in health care workers of a tertiary care hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.Materials & Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted at Rehman Medical Institute, Peshawar after approval from Rehman Medical Institute Research Ethics Committee. A structured questionnaire consisting of two sections was distributed by convenience sampling to health care workers in the hospital, the first part containing demographic information, and the second part consisting of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) comprised of 14 scales to assess anxiety and depression. Scoring for Normal, Borderline Abnormal, and Definitive Disorder was done as per standard criteria. Data were analyzed for descriptive statistics by SPSS 22. Results: Total 327 participants were included in the study, having mean age of 30.19 ± 7.82 years, of which 230(70.3%) were males. The majority of health care workers 226(69.1%) were suffering from disturbed mental status either in the form of Anxiety (19.9%), Depression (8%) or Mixed Disorder (41.3%). Factors associated with high disease frequency were female gender, age group 21-30 years, nursing staff, workers of ICU and Hostel residence (p value <0.05). Conclusion: COVID-19 related psychological disturbances significantly affected healthcare staff of a tertiary care hospital of Peshawar, being more evident in females, younger age groups, nurses, and ICU staff on duty.


2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (9) ◽  
pp. 91-98
Author(s):  
Vu Ngoc Ha ◽  
Mac Dang Tuan ◽  
Nguyen Thanh Trung ◽  
Nguyen Ngoc Huan ◽  
Luu Thi Lien ◽  
...  

A cross-sectional study using DASS21 was performed in June 2019 on staff working at the commune health stations (CHSs), regional general clinics and district general clinics in Soc Son district, Hanoi to assess the mental disorders of the health care workers are working here. Among the 355 health care workers (HCWs) who participated, women accounted for 75.5%. People aged under 30 accounting for 33.5% of HCWs. Physicians, nurses take up 54.4%, and HCWs in the Soc Son district have worked in the health sector for more than ten years, accounting for 45.1%. The study shows that the rates of stress, anxiety, and depression were 13.8%, 25.4% and 16.6%, respectively. 31% of HCWs have at least one mental disorder, 8.2% of study subjects have all three manifestations of mental disorders, 8.4% of study subjects have two symptoms and 14.4% of the study subjects had only one manifestation. The rates of stress, anxiety, and depression were initially screened from the research results. The development of research directions for defnitive diagnosis and support for improving health care workers’ mental health should be integrated.


Healthcare ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 535
Author(s):  
Mariangela Valentina Puci ◽  
Guido Nosari ◽  
Federica Loi ◽  
Giulia Virginia Puci ◽  
Cristina Montomoli ◽  
...  

The ongoing pandemic scenario, due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has had a considerable impact on public health all over the world. Italy was one of the most affected countries, as the first European full-blown outbreak occurred there. The exposure of the Italian health care workers to COVID-19 may be an important risk factor for psychological distress. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to describe worries and risk perception of being infected among Italian Health Care Workers (HCWs) during the first wave of the pandemic. In total, 2078 HCWs participated in a web survey (78.8% were females). The highest percentage of respondents were physicians (40.75%) and nurses (32.15%), followed by medical (18.00%), health care support (4.50%) and administrative (4.60%) staff. In a score range between 0 (not worried) and 4 (very worried), our results showed that participants declared that they were worried about the Coronavirus infection with a median score of 3 (IQR 2-3) and for 59.19% the risk perception of being infected was very high. In addition, HCWs reported they suffered from sleep disturbances (63.43%). From the analysis of the psychological aspect, a possible divergence emerged between the perceived need for psychological support (83.85%) and the relative lack of this service among health care providers emerged (9.38%). Our findings highlight the importance of psychological and psychiatric support services not only during the COVID-19 pandemic, but also in other emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) scenarios. These services may be useful for health authorities and policymakers to ensure the psychological well-being of health care professionals and to promote precautionary behaviors among them.


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