Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and affects in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and affects in health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Three hundred and seventy-four health professionals, among which 235 were front-line and 139 non-front-line workers, answered an online questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic data, identification of past mental disorders, personal experience facing the pandemic, the Impact of Event Scale, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. The sample consisted mainly of physicians and nursing staff aged between 30 and 49 years. Results: The results demonstrate high scores of symptoms related to post-traumatic stress disorder, with greater expressiveness among front-line professionals, especially in the nursing staff, and a strong correlation of these results with negative affects. Conclusion: Psychological assistance and interventions directed to health professionals are urgent to mitigate the impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.