Psychological distress and its associated factors in health workers during COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal: An online survey

Introduction: Psychological distress among healthcare workers amidst COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as a serious health problem. Understanding its magnitude is crucial to guide policies and interventions to improve their psychological wellbeing. This study assessed the psychological distress and its associated factors among health care workers in Nepal during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was carried out among 427 health workers currently working in Nepal from April 25 to June 10, 2020. Psychological distress was measured using “The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale” (K10). Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were computed at a 5% level of significance. Ethical approval was taken from Nepal Health Research Council. Results: A total of 427 healthcare workers participated in the study. Out of the total participants, 50.4% were males. Nearly half of the participants were medical doctors (48%) followed by nurses (22.2%), health assistants (12.2%) and 61% were non-government employees. The healthcare workers who experienced symptoms of psychological distress were 28.9%. Out of 123 respondents who had symptoms of psychological distress, 19% had mild, 7.3% had moderate and 2.6% had severe psychological distress. Female healthcare workers were more likely to have psychological distress than males [AOR: 1.75, CI: 1.05-2.92]. Conclusions: Psychological distress in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic is a matter of serious health concern. This issue demands urgent comprehensive intervention embracing the provision of a supportive environment and protective equipment, screening psychological outcomes and psychological counseling especially targeting female healthcare workers.

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Cyberchondria, Uncertainty, and Psychological Distress among Omanis during COVID-19: An Online Cross-Sectional Survey

10.21203/rs.3.rs-84556/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Khloud Al Dameery ◽

Mohammed Quteshat ◽

Ibtisam Al Harthy ◽

Atika Khalaf

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Online Survey ◽

Population Policy ◽

Short Form ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Psychological Distress Scale ◽

Socio Demographic Factors ◽

Distress Scale ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Background: Frequent surfing on the internet for self-diagnosis and treatment in association with quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic leaves people with uncertainty and psychological distress. The aim was to explore the relationship between cyberchondria, psychological distress, and uncertainty in Oman. Methods: A descriptive correlational study was designed. Data was collected through an online survey from 393 Omani participants using the short-form version of the Cyberchondria Severity Scale, the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, and the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale. Descriptive and correlational analyses were conducted.Results: The majority of the participants were aged between 18-26 and 45-54 years (32.8% and 30.8% respectively). Almost three-quarters of the participants were female (n= 291, 74%) and half were single (n= 218, 55.5%). No significant associations were found between cyberchondria and the socio-demographic factors or the COVID-19 status. However, significant positive fair correlation was found between cyberchondriac experiences and psychological distress (rs =0.373), and cyberchondria and uncertainty (rs = 0.442).Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first of its kind investigating the relationship between cyberchondria, physiological distress, and uncertainty in the Omani population. Policy makers and stakeholders are encouraged to facilitate the reporting and observation of accurate and up-to-date information distributed to the population to avoid misleading information, and thus reduce the distress and uncertainty related to cyberchondriac behaviors.

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Psychological distress among mountainous farmers in Vietnam: a cross-sectional study of prevalence and associated factors

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038490 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. e038490

Author(s):

Men Thi Hoang ◽

Khanh Nam Do ◽

Hai Quang Pham ◽

Cuong Tat Nguyen ◽

Giang Hai Ha ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Health Information ◽

Associated Factors ◽

Health Workers ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Major Health Problem ◽

Distress Scale

BackgroundPsychological distress has been known as a major health problem among farmers across the world. In Vietnam, approximately 50% of farmers have lived in rural and mountainous areas. Yet, little has been known about how psychological distress impacts mountainous farmers’ health.ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine the prevalence and risk factors related to psychological distress among mountainous farmers in Vietnam.Design and settingA cross-sectional study was performed from August to September 2018 in Moc Chau district, Vietnam. A structured questionnaire and face-to-face interviews were used for data collection.ParticipantsA random sample of 197 farmers aged at least 18 years, spoke Vietnamese, was not suffering from severe diseases and residing in Moc Chau at the time of the survey were recruited.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6) was employed to measure psychological distress. The tobit and logistic regressions were applied to indicate associated factors.ResultsThe prevalence of psychological distress was 38.2% (95% CI 31.3% to 45.5%). Having a greater comorbidities (OR=6.17; 95% CI 1.44 to 26.43), drinking alcohol (OR=3.86; 95% CI 1.02 to 14.59) and obtaining health information from health workers (OR=3.77; 95% CI 1.22 to 11.66) were positively associated with the prevalence of psychological distress. By contrast, being overweight (OR=0.29; 95% CI 0.09 to 0.93), adopting books as the primary source of health information (OR=0.11; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.8), and receiving a higher number of home visits by community health workers (CHWs) (OR=0.38; 95% CI 0.14 to 0.99) were negatively associated with the prevalence of psychological distress.ConclusionThis study highlighted a high prevalence of psychological distress among mountainous farmers. Providing routine psychological and physical health screening, developing CHWs to provide clinical support and raising health awareness are critical implications for reducing psychological distress in this population.

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Effect of Anxiety About COVID-19 Infection in the Workplace on the Association Between Job Demands and Psychological Distress

Frontiers in Public Health ◽

10.3389/fpubh.2021.722071 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Hisashi Eguchi ◽

Ayako Hino ◽

Akiomi Inoue ◽

Mayumi Tsuji ◽

Seiichiro Tateishi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Online Survey ◽

Job Demands ◽

Limited Information ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Individual Level ◽

Psychological Distress Scale ◽

Job Content ◽

Stratified Analysis ◽

Distress Scale

Purpose: There is limited information about the association between workplace psychosocial factors and general worker mental health status during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the present study, we examined how anxiety about being infected by COVID-19 in the workplace affected the association between job demands and psychological distress (PD).Method: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in December 2020. The final analyzed sample was 27,036. The dependent variable of PD was assessed using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). Job demands were assessed using the Job Content Questionnaire. Feelings of anxiety were assessed by participants' responses to the following question: “Do you feel anxiety about being infected by COVID-19 in the workplace?” We used a two-level regression adjusting for prefectural level: each individual-level variable at level 1 was nested into each prefecture at level 2, stratified by presence of anxiety.Results: A total of 50.5% of participants felt anxious about being infected by COVID-19 in the workplace. The interaction between anxiety and job demands was significant. Job demands were positively associated with PD. In the stratified analysis, the associations were stronger among employees who experienced anxiety about COVID-19 infection in the workplace than among those who did not.Conclusion: The association between job demands and PD may be strengthened by anxiety about COVID-19 infection in the workplace.

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Risk Perception and Psychological Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Among Healthcare Workers in Primary and Secondary Healthcare Settings in Qatar: A National Study

Journal of Primary Care & Community Health ◽

10.1177/21501327211039714 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

pp. 215013272110397

Author(s):

Nisha Kader ◽

Bushra Elhusein ◽

Samya Al Abdulla ◽

Abdul Hakeem Hamza ◽

Muna Al Maslamani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Risk Perception ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Well Being ◽

National Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Psychological Distress Scale ◽

Distress Scale ◽

Mental Well Being

Introduction: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, primary and secondary healthcare workers (HCWs) have faced unprecedented stress, jeopardizing their mental well-being. Aims: To compare risk perception and psychological distress between primary and secondary HCWs. Method: A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted with HCWs in Qatar from April 5 to July 5, 2020. Psychological distress and risk perception were assessed using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, a perceived COVID-19 risk questionnaire, and a sociodemographic questionnaire. Results: Of the 4417 participating HCWs, 3421 (90.3%) felt that their job increased their risk of COVID-19 exposure, 3759 (90.9%) accepted this as part of their job, and 3440 worried that this also increased the risk of exposure to their families. Moreover, 2911 (84.8%) believed that their employer would look after their needs if they contracted COVID-19. Moderate to severe psychological distress was present in 1346 (30.5%) HCWs. Primary HCWs were less likely to experience moderate to severe psychological distress than secondary HCWs (adjusted OR, 0.48; 95% CI 0.29-0.77, P = .003). Secondary HCWs who worked in COVID-19 designated areas had greater psychological distress. Conclusions: HCWs’ exposure to outbreaks has various psychological effects, which may have long-term consequences and affect their decision-making capacity. Strategies to enhance the mental well-being of HCWs exposed to COVID-19 should be introduced immediately.

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Suicidal Ideation and Predictors of Psychological Distress during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Eswatini: A Population-Based Household Telephone Survey

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18136700 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (13) ◽

pp. 6700

Author(s):

Mduduzi Colani Shongwe ◽

Song-Lih Huang

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Distress ◽

Suicidal Ideation ◽

Telephone Survey ◽

Population Based ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Psychological Distress Scale ◽

The Government ◽

Distress Scale

The unpredictability of the COVID-19 pandemic can induce psychological distress in individuals. We investigated perceived stressors, prevalence of psychological distress and suicidal ideation, and predictors of psychological distress among adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Eswatini. This study was a cross-sectional, population-based household telephone survey of 993 conveniently sampled adults (18+ years) from all the four administrative regions of Eswatini. Data were collected between 9 June and 18 July 2020 during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the country was under a partial lockdown. COVID-19-related psychological distress was assessed using the Kessler 6-item Psychological Distress Scale (K6). We performed weighted modified Poisson regression analyses to identify significant predictors of moderate/severe psychological distress (K6 scores: ≥5). The weighted prevalences of moderate (K6 scores: 5–12) and severe psychological distress (K6 scores: ≥13) were 41.7% and 5.4%, respectively. Participants reported several perceived COVID-19-related stressors, including worries and fears of the contagion-specific death, serious need for food and money, and concerns about loss of income or business. The weighted prevalence of suicidal ideation was 1.5%. Statistically significant predictors of increased risk for moderate/severe psychological distress included living in the Hhohho and Manzini regions; feeling not well informed about COVID-19; feeling lonely; having received COVID-19 food or financial relief from the government; feeling burdened by the lockdown; being married; and being youth (18–24 years). The results call for the government to urgently augment the provision of mental health services during the pandemic. Mental health practitioners and programs may use several stressors and risk factors identified in this study to inform interventions and government policies aimed at reducing psychological distress induced by the pandemic.

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Perception of mucormycosis infection among Bangladeshi healthcare workers: an exploratory cross-sectional study in the year following the COVID-19 pandemic

Bulletin of the National Research Centre ◽

10.1186/s42269-022-00696-1 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 46 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Humayun Kabir ◽

Md. Kamrul Hasan ◽

Mamunur Rahman ◽

Shimpi Akter ◽

Golam Ishraque Chowdhury ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Fungal Infection ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Associated Factors ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Health Concern ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Monthly Income ◽

Public Health Concern ◽

Cross Sectional

Abstract Background Mucormycosis, a severe fungal infection, is an emerging public health concern during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to investigate the perception of mucormycosis among Bangladeshi healthcare workers. Results An exploratory cross-sectional study was carried out among the Bangladeshi healthcare workers from May 25, 2021, to June 5, 2021. The study found 422 responses from the healthcare workers of Bangladesh. Among the respondents, nearly half of them (45.26%) were doctors (n = 191). This study explored that the healthcare workers’ mucormycosis perception scores were significantly associated with their age, gender, profession, monthly income, marital status, job type, and death of friends and family members due to COVID-19. Conclusions This study emphasized the healthcare workers’ mucormycosis perception along with other associated factors. The findings could help policymakers to mitigate mucormycosis and related infectious diseases emergencies in the post-COVID-19 situation.

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Intention of Healthcare Workers to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine: A Cross-Sectional Survey in 10 Countries in Eastern Mediterranean Region

10.1101/2021.03.20.21253892 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yasir Ahmed Mohammed Elhadi ◽

Azza Mehanna ◽

Yusuff Adebayo Adebisi ◽

Mohammad Yasir Essar ◽

Haider M El Saeh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Region ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Online Survey ◽

Health Workers ◽

Eastern Mediterranean ◽

Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

To Receive

Background: Healthcare workers intention to be vaccinated is an important factor to be consider for successful COVID-19 vaccination programme. Our study aimed to understand the intention of health workers to receive COVID-19 vaccine and associated concerns across 10 countries in Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMRO). Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in January 2021 among healthcare workers using an online survey. A total of 2806 health workers (physicians, nurses and pharmacists) completed and returned the informed consent along with the questionnaire electronically. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS software package version 20.0. Results: More than half of the respondents (58.0%) intend to receive COVID-19 vaccine, even if the vaccination is not mandatory for them. On the other hand, 25.7% of respondents were not intending to undertake COVID-19 vaccination while 16.3 % answered undecided. The top three reasons for not intending to be vaccinated were unreliability of COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials (62.0%), fear of the side effects of the vaccine (45.3%), and that COVID-19 vaccine will not give immunity for a long period of time (23.1%). Conclusion: Overall, our study revealed suboptimal acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine among healthcare workers in the 10 countries in EMRO.

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Stress gradation of medical practitioners during the pandemic (covid-19) along with ways to de-stress; a cross sectional study at tertiary care hospitals using Kessler’s 10 psychological distress scale.

The Professional Medical Journal ◽

10.29309/tpmj/2021.28.09.6238 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 28 (09) ◽

pp. 1239-1244

Author(s):

Umair Toqueer ◽

Muhammad Usama Zardad ◽

Mahwish Toqueer ◽

Anila Riyaz ◽

Sana Khan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Junior Doctors ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Psychological Distress Scale ◽

Tertiary Care Hospitals ◽

Distress Scale ◽

The Impact

Objectives: To determine stress grades of doctors working in tertiary care hospitals by using a standard measuring tool i.e. Kessler 10 psychological distress scale along with finding out different coping methods adopted by doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Study Design: Cross Sectional study. Setting: Tertiary Care Hospitals of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan. Period: 15 March 2020 to 20 June 2020. Material & Methods: A structured questionnaire was sent online to the junior and senior doctors working during the pandemic. The data was automatically collected with the help of Google docs and then analysed using SPSS 26. Results: Of the 219 doctors who completed the questionnaire 142 were males (64.8%) and 77 were females (35.2%). Interestingly, analysis of the score revealed that 38.8% of the doctors were found likely to be well, 16.4% of the doctors were likely to have mild disease and 20.5% were likely to have a moderate disorder while 24.2% were likely to have a severe disorder. Further analysis showed that the mean of Kessler’s score was greater for junior doctors as compared to Consultants which was found to be statistically significant (p=0.044). Conclusion: The impact of Corona virus disease (COVID-19) on the stress levels of health workers warrants considerable attention as it was declared a pandemic. Assessing the psychological impact and ways to tackle them will not only help the health care workers during this pandemic but will be beneficial in future pandemics as well.

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COVID-19: Factors associated with psychological distress, fear, and coping strategies among community members across 17 countries

Globalization and Health ◽

10.1186/s12992-021-00768-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Muhammad Aziz Rahman ◽

Sheikh Mohammed Shariful Islam ◽

Patraporn Tungpunkom ◽

Farhana Sultana ◽

Sheikh M. Alif ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Well Being ◽

Risk Groups ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Frontline Workers ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Psychological Distress Scale ◽

And Coping ◽

Distress Scale

Abstract Background The current pandemic of COVID-19 impacted the psychological wellbeing of populations globally. Objectives We aimed to examine the extent and identify factors associated with psychological distress, fear of COVID-19 and coping. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study across 17 countries during Jun-2020 to Jan-2021. Levels of psychological distress (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale), fear of COVID-19 (Fear of COVID-19 Scale), and coping (Brief Resilient Coping Scale) were assessed. Results A total of 8,559 people participated; mean age (±SD) was 33(±13) years, 64% were females and 40% self-identified as frontline workers. More than two-thirds (69%) experienced moderate-to-very high levels of psychological distress, which was 46% in Thailand and 91% in Egypt. A quarter (24%) had high levels of fear of COVID-19, which was as low as 9% in Libya and as high as 38% in Bangladesh. More than half (57%) exhibited medium to high resilient coping; the lowest prevalence (3%) was reported in Australia and the highest (72%) in Syria. Being female (AOR 1.31 [95% CIs 1.09-1.57]), perceived distress due to change of employment status (1.56 [1.29-1.90]), comorbidity with mental health conditions (3.02 [1.20-7.60]) were associated with higher levels of psychological distress and fear. Doctors had higher psychological distress (1.43 [1.04-1.97]), but low levels of fear of COVID-19 (0.55 [0.41-0.76]); nurses had medium to high resilient coping (1.30 [1.03-1.65]). Conclusions The extent of psychological distress, fear of COVID-19 and coping varied by country; however, we identified few higher risk groups who were more vulnerable than others. There is an urgent need to prioritise health and well-being of those people through well-designed intervention that may need to be tailored to meet country specific requirements.

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Perceived Stigma Towards Psychological Illness in Relation to Psychological Distress Among Medical Students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Academic Psychiatry ◽

10.1007/s40596-020-01247-4 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 44 (5) ◽

pp. 538-544 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Dalal Ibrahim Alfayez ◽

Norah Ali AlShehri

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Medical Students ◽

Family Income ◽

Significant Risk ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Perceived Stigma ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Psychological Distress Scale ◽

Strongly Agree ◽

Distress Scale

Abstract Objective Due to the high prevalence of psychological distress among medical students and its related functional and cognitive implications, this study aimed to investigate the association between perceived stigma and psychological distress, estimate the prevalence of each level of distress among medical students, and determine the independent significant risk factors of outcome variables for each level of psychological distress. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed that surveyed medical students at King Saud University in 2018. Using the modified and validated stigma scale for receiving psychological help along with Kessler psychological distress scale, the survey measured perceived stigma towards mental illness in relation to the level of psychological distress. Results Among the 524 participants, 395 surveys were completed. Participants had a mean age of 21.56 years old, and 53% were female. The overall prevalence of severe psychological distress was 30.7% (N = 161). Furthermore, 25.6% of participants reported experiencing moderate distress (N = 134). Additionally, a significant association was found between females and severe psychological distress. Moreover, family income was significantly associated with severe psychological distress in the extreme lower and upper groups (5000–10,000 SR and above 20,000 SR). Participants with high levels of psychological distress were more likely than those with low levels to agree or strongly agree with 3 out of 10 items related to perceived stigma. Conclusions Medical students with moderate/severe psychological distress disclosed more concerns regarding stigma, particularly about perceived consequences of their mental health issues being revealed to others. Such opinions could cause physical health problems and decrease quality of life.

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