Mental health, attitudes, and behavior of healthcare workers amid Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the mental Health and Psychosocial status, thoughts about the measures taken by the government, attitudes, and behaviors of HCWs facing the Covid-19 pandemic.Methods: A 56-question multiple-choice survey was performed by a one-to-one interview with the HCWs in 3 registered hospitals fighting the Covid-19 pandemic from 20 May to 10 June 2020. Mental health variables were assessed via the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) and the Turkish Beck Depression Scale to specify psychological manifestations. A scoring system was applied using a four-point Likert scale, from no points (“strongly disagree”) to three points (“strongly agree”) to determine the levels of anxiety and depression.Results: A total of 300 HCWs (45 physicians, 255 non-physician health care workers) enrolled in the survey. Only 0.8% of HCWs took psychological support from a therapist or psychiatrist. The most common concern about Covid-19 pandemic was that “the elderly and other risky population was being infected” (37.9%). 89.2% HCWs who felt the concern was that they had changed their thoughts with the information they got from television (P= 0.005, χ2= 20.271). Compared with non-physician HCWs, the physicians about the spreading of the Covid- 19 felt more the concern (%80 vs %47.1, p= 0.006 χ2=12.591) and physicians higher rate agreed that the number of tests being performed was sufficient enough. (53.3% vs. 41.2%, p=0.030, OR:0.29-0.35, χ2: 7.047), For all HCWs, the "feeling of being infected with Covid-19” item had the highest mean total score (2.60 ± 0.97). The mean score of “feeling nervous/anxious/on edge” item was 2.53±0.52 for physicians, and 2.26±0.86 for non-physician HCWs. Non-physicians HCWs had a higher mean score for “Feeling of increased body pain and agony” item than physicians (0.27±0.80 vs 0.76±1.23; mean dif= -0.50, 95% confidence interval=-1.002 to 0.006, p<0.05).Conclusions:The results of this survey study showed that the highest anxiety score for all healthcare professionals was the “feeling of being infected with covid-19”. Both physicians and non-physicians HCWs were feeling nervous/anxious/on edge largely according to anxiety scores.