Impact of COVID-19 pandemic outbreak on mental health of the hospital front-line healthcare workers in Chile: a difference-in-differences approach

Abstract

Background Most of the evidence about impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare workers (HCWs) comes from symptom questionnaires. It is important to evaluate main mental health diagnoses in hospital front-line HCW’s during the early acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile. Methods An individual-level cross-sectional study using administrative data was conducted. A Difference-in-Difference (DiD) approach was used to estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sick leave rates of depression, anxiety and acute stress reaction among hospital front-line HCW’s in comparison with other private insured workers. Results DiD estimates showed a significant reduction of depression (17%), anxiety (8%) and acute stress reaction (8%) sick leave rate, in the front-line HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reduction of the three mental disorders sick leave rates was higher in men than women. Except for depression, front-line HCW’s from the Santiago region’s sick leave rates of anxiety and acute stress reaction decreased more than other regions’. Conclusion Opposite to our hypothesis the results suggests a remarkable resilience level and compromise of front-line HCW’s. To address threats to the mental health of HCW’s is key to promotes programs for their psychological well-being and safety.

Impacts for Health and Care Workers of Covid-19 and Other Public Health Emergencies of International Concern: Living Systematic Review, Meta-analysis & Policy Recommendations

“…with PPE, during extended working periods, with changes in the organization of work), and faced with insu cient or inadequate coping strategies or resilience (30)(31)(32)(33)(34), impacted their physical health with reports of PPE related skin injuries and headaches or sleep disturbances. All these factors negatively impacted the performance of HCW, leading, for instance to absenteeism (35), nancial problems (that backlashed on mental health) (36) and inevitably resulted in regret about choosing the profession or even intention to resign or change career (37-39) (REF of other LSR).…”

Emotional exhaustion and unhealthy eating among COVID-19 front-line healthcare workers during recuperation: A cross-sectional study

“…Since the emergence of a coronavirus disease in December 2019, healthcare workers have been bearing more serious work and psychological burdens, which has brought great challenges to the health of medical staff ( 37 , 38 ). Several previous investigations have suggested that mental health issues have shown a rapid increase among frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, including anxiety, depression, emotional exhaustion, PTSD ( 39 , 40 ). This study focused on the emotional and mental threats faced by frontline healthcare workers during the period following their deployment to fight COVID-19 in Wuhan, China.…”

Impactos Causados Pela Pandemia Da Covid-19 Na Saúde Mental: Revisão De Literatura

“…Ainda, Olivares-Tirado e colaboradora evidenciaram que, no registro de licenças médicas da Saúde Privada do Chile, no período pré-pandemia a prevalência de depressão, ansiedade e TEPT em profissionais da saúde foram de 4,6%, 3,8% e 5,9%, respectivamente, enquanto durante a pandemia as taxas aumentaram para 5,2% de depressão, 5,4% de ansiedade e 8,2% de TEPT. Acredita-se que os profissionais de saúde da linha de frente sejam os mais afetados devido à natureza e condições de trabalho estressantes e sustentadas, representando maior risco à saúde mental desses indivíduos 4 .…”

“…Devido a sua imprevisibilidade e grande capacidade de infecção, a COVID-19 tem o potencial de causar profundo impacto psicológico 7 , fato igualmente relatado em outras epidemias ao redor do mundo, como a epidemia da síndrome respiratória aguda grave (SARS), em que indivíduos que experimentaram a quarentena cursaram com aumento dos sintomas de depressão e transtorno de estresse pós-traumático (TEPT) 8 . Relatos sobre impactos na saúde mental de epidemias graves prévias concentram-se em indivíduos mais afetados pela doença, como os sobreviventes, amigos, familiares e profissionais de saúde 4 .…”