Background Non-health workers engaged in essential activities during the pandemic are less researched on the effects of COVID-19 than health workers. Objective to study the differences between those who work away from home and those who do so from home, when the effects of fear of contagion cross with those of confinement, about the psychological distress during the COVID-19 in Spain. Design Observational descriptive cross-sectional study . Data sources The study was carried out receiving 1089 questionnaires from non-health workers that were working away from home and doing so from their homes. The questionnaire included sociodemographic and occupational data, physical symptoms, self-perceived health, use of preventive measures and possible contacts, and the Goldberg GHQ-12. Results 71.6% of non-health female workers and 52.4% of non-health male workers had psychological distress, with differences among those working away from home and those working from home. The level of psychological distress among non-health workers is predicted by 66.5% through the variables: being a woman, 43 years old or younger, having a home with no outdoor spaces, poor perception of health, number of symptoms, and having been in contact with contaminated people or material. Among workers who work away from home, being self-employed is another predictive variable of distress . Conclusion More than the half of the sample showed inadequate management of the psychological distress. There are modifiable factors which provide necessary elements to support a positive attitude of the workers, such as: knowledge of hygiene, transmission of the virus, protective measures, and social distancing measures.

Background The interrelationship between the sense of coherence, work environment, work engagement, and psychological distress have particular interest in non-health workers who carried out essential activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective To assess the effects of the COVID-19 on the physical and mental health of non-health workers. Design Observational descriptive cross-sectional study. Data sources 1089 questionnaires have been analysed. Engagement (UWES-9), sense of coherence (SOC-13), mental health (Goldberg GHQ-12), demographic data, perception of health and stress and work environment were assessed. Results At low levels of engagement, the percentage of distress is higher (77.9%). Low levels of sense of coherence correspond to the highest percentages of distress (86.3%). The 94.1% believe it necessary for professionals and volunteers involved in COVID-19 to receive psychological support. Low comprehensibility is mediated by the perception of stress; if the perception is low, comprehensibility is modulated by the level of significance; if it is low, it generates 95.9% of distress. Conclusion The interrelationship between the sense of coherence, work environment, work engagement, and psychological distress have particular interest in non-health workers who carried out essential activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost all respondents believed that professionals and volunteers involved in COVID-19 should receive psychological support. This may be an indicator of the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on workers’ mental health.

In some areas of Spain, health services and professionals working in the front line against the Sars-Cov-2 virus have been widely overwhelmed at all levels. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the level of work engagement of Spanish nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was carried out. The sample consisted of 510 active nurses from all over Spain, without age exclusion, who voluntarily accepted to participate in the study. Work engagement was assessed with the 9-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) questionnaire, through an online questionnaire and non-probabilistic snowball sampling. The results showed a mean age of 45.9 years (SD = 10.7 years), most of them women (78.1%), and 58.5% were in primary care. The mean score for the UWES-9 questionnaire was 4.6 points (SD = 1.35). The categorical regression analysis performed revealed an R2 value of 0.75 and a significance of p < 0.01 in the sex, type of unit, and training variables. The Spanish nurses in the sample present high levels of work engagement in all dimensions in general, although the lowest mean scores are found in the vigor dimension, among men, and nurses working in hospital and critical units.

Background: The emergence of the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, which causes COVID-19 disease, has been a major public health challenge and an increase in the feeling of uncertainty of the population, who is also experiencing an increase in levels of anxiety and fear regarding the COVID-19 disease. Objective: The objective of the study was the construct and criterion validation of the Escala de evaluación de la Ansiedad y MIedo a COVID-19 (AMICO, for its acronym in Spanish) to measure both constructs in the general Spanish population Methods: Descriptive study of psychometric validation. A field study was carried out to execute univariate and bivariate analyses, in addition to the exploratory and confirmatory factorial analysis of the scale. For the criteria validity study, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory ( STAI) and sensitivity and specificity values were calculated. Results: The study sample was composed of 1036 subjects over 18 years of age, who resided in Spain, where 56.3% were women with a mean age of 48.11 years (SD = 15.13). The study of construct validity reported two factors and 16 items, with a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.92. The scale was concurrently valid with the used gold standard and obtained sensitivity values of 90.48% and specificity values of 76%. Conclusions: The AMICO scale is valid and reliable for assessing the level of anxiety and fear of COVID-19 in the adult Spanish population and is highly sensitive.

The aim of this study was to develop a specific scale to measure anxiety and fear levels in the general Spanish population. For this, a transcultural adaptation to Spanish of the fear of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) scale, in its original version of 10 items, was carried out. Then, the Anxiety and Fear of COVID-19 Assessment Scale (AMICO, for its acronym in Spanish) was designed by translating the tool and Delphi technique into three rounds. Ten experts participated voluntarily, and inter-observer match rates and the reliability study of the designed scale were calculated. A pilot study was carried out with the final version of the scale for the validity and reliability study. The instrument did not raise problems in semantic and cultural terms during the first and second rounds of the translation process, with an overall weighted Kappa value of 0.9. In the third round, eight new items were designed and consensual, obtaining a weighted overall value of 0.89. The pilot study sample was made up of 445 subjects, of which 60.3% were women with a mean age of 46.2 years. The final version consisted of 16 items, 2 factors, and a Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.92. The AMICO scale was developed to assess the level of anxiety and fear of COVID-19 and proved to be valid and reliable for its use in the adult Spanish population.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has affected millions of people worldwide, compromising the responsiveness of governments and states and thus generating anxiety and fear at the population level. Objective: To assess the level of anxiety and fear of coronavirus disease 2019 in a Spanish adult population group. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study, using the anxiety and fear of COVID-19 assessment scale (AMICO, for its acronym in Spanish). The sample was composed of 1038 subjects. Univariate and bivariate statistical analyses were performed, after analysis of normality in the data distribution. Categorical regression analyses were also executed. Findings: The total sample size was 1036 subjects, 56.3% was made up of females, with a mean age of 48.11 years (SD = 15.13). The mean score obtained on the AMICO scale was 5.54 points (SD = 1.83), with a score range between 1.22 and 10. Bivariate analysis only demonstrated statistically significant differences in the mean score of the scale and the variables: sex, marital status, work area and academic level. The executed categorical regression analysis revealed an R2 value of 0.75 and a significance of p = 0.00. Conclusions: The results obtained show that the Spanish population presents moderate anxiety levels to coronavirus disease 2019. Women, married, with primary and/or secondary education level, and working in the public transport, services and/or hospitality sectors are more likely to have high levels of fear and anxiety. Application to Practice: These results could be used for therapeutic and preventive psychological interventions, and also to plan new research under sex perspective and observing the socio-economic environment.

BackgroundCOVID-19 has caused a series of economic, social, personal, and occupational consequences that may affect the mental health of healthcare workers (HCWs), with the consequent risk of developing suicidal ideation and behaviors.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to identify the main risk factors that may predispose HCWs to suicidal ideation and suicide attempts during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA systematic review of studies published between January 2020 and August 2022 was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines in the following electronic databases: Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. Methodological quality was assessed using the critical appraisal tools for non-randomized studies of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). The followed protocol is listed in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) with code CRD42022340732.ResultsA total of 34 studies were included in this review. There are a number of underlying factors such as higher rates of depression, anxiety, pre-pandemic lifetime mental disorders or previous lifetime suicide attempt, living alone, having problems with alcohol and/or other drugs, etc. that favor the emergence of suicidal tendencies and ideation in times of COVID-19. Similarly, the pandemic may have precipitated a series of factors such as economic concerns, assessing one's working conditions as poor, having family members or friends infected, changes in services or functions, and feeling discriminated against or stigmatized by society. Other factors such as age, sex, or type of healthcare worker show differences between studies.ConclusionOrganizations should ensure the adoption of strategies and programmes for early detection of suicides as well as increased attention to the mental health of professions with a high workload.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO, identifier CRD42022340732.

Confinement of the population has been one of the measures implemented by different governments to address the COVID-19 health crisis, and it has led to social isolation together with a disruption of daily activities. The aim of the study is to analyze psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal. During the quarantine, a cross-sectional study was carried out on a sample of 2120 subjects over 18 years of age, resident and born in Portugal. Data were collected using a self-developed questionnaire that considered socio-demographic variables, physical symptoms, health conditions, and history of contact with COVID-19, as well as psychological alterations. The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was also included. Univariate and bivariate statistical analyses were performed. Predictive capacity was studied using logistic regression models. The results showed a higher percentage of individuals presenting psychological distress (57.2.0%), with a higher percentage identified among women (79.0%), and in people with a higher educational level (bachelor’s + master’s and doctorate) (75.8%). The predictor variables with the greatest weight were sex, educational level (graduation, master’s, and doctorate), living with children or under 16 years of age, presence of symptoms, and quarantine in the last 14 days for having symptoms. Good self-assessment of health and working at home appear to be protective against psychological distress. These results highlight the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychological distress and provide an opportunity to consider the need to implement specific multidisciplinary public health and mental health interventions in this pandemic situation.