Anxiety and depression among healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction During a pandemic, healthcare workers (HCWs) are exposed to many stresses that predispose them to psychological disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the anxiety and depression level of HCWs and determine the relationship between them in terms of their demographic characteristics. Material and Methods This study used a cross-sectional design. The participants consisted of clinical, administrative, and cleaning staff who were working in a referral COVID-19 hospital in an urban area of Iran. The census sampling method was used for recruiting the participants from May to August 2020. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaire and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale were employed to collect data. Then, data were analyzed using multivariable linear regression analysis. Results One hundred forty HCWs participated in this study. The mean scores of anxiety and depression were 6.64 (4.86) and 18.21 (10.59), respectively. There was a significant direct association between anxiety and depression (P < 0.001). In addition, female gender (P = 0.01) and having a history of infection with COVID-19 (P = 0.001) were associated with a higher level of anxiety. Moreover, having a history of being quarantined due to COVID-19 was associated with a higher level of depression (P = 0.03). Conclusion According to the findings of the present study, considering the mental health of HCWs during the generalized anxiety outbreak of COVID-19 should be a priority, and appropriate interventions should be planned to improve their psychological condition.

Experiences of intensive care unit nurses working with COVID-19 patients: A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies

“…In this regard, given the key role of nurses in providing high-quality care for COVID-19 patients, attention to their mental health and wellbeing should be a priority for policymakers and health system planners. In addition, appropriate interventions should be performed to improve their psychological condition, particularly in serious pandemic situations (57). Different interventions could be introduced to improve mental health, for example, screening and assessing mental health status, access to mental health care services and early supportive interventions for high-risk nurses, designated rest periods, social support to reduce feelings of isolation, sufficient PPE for nurses to provide protection (58).…”

Factors Associated with Anxiety among Nurses and Midwives during the Covid-19 Pandemic in the Emergency Unit and Polyclinic of the Mangusada Regional Hospital, Badung Regency

“…A systematic review found that several risk factors were associated with anxiety including female, younger age 40 years, having a chronic disease, unemployment, status as a student, and frequency of exposure to social media or news that focuses on discussing the pandemic (Xiong et al, 2020). Meanwhile, a study in an urban area in Iran found that female and having a history of exposure to Covid-19 were significantly associated with anxiety experienced by health workers during the Covid-19 pandemic (Motahedi et al, 2021). Another study in Iran found factors associated with anxiety were age and being male (Kamali et al, 2021).…”

Anxiety and Depression Among Sudanese Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-sectional Study

“…Each question was answered by one of the following answers: at no time (0), some of the time (1), slightly less than half the time (2), slightly more than half the time (3), most of the time (4), or all the time (5). According to the participants' answers, we categorized them into four categories: no depression (<20), mild depression (20-24), moderate depression (25)(26)(27)(28)(29), or severe depression (≥30) [23]Click or tap here to enter text..…”