Mental Health Outcomes of Healthcare Providers During COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objective: In this descriptive cross-sectional study we aimed, to assess the level of depression, anxiety, insomnia and distress symptoms experienced by healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia.Methods: All healthcare providers currently working in different hospitals were invited to participate in this study. Data gathering started in March 2020 to May 2020. The participants answered a five-part questionnaire which includes demographic data, a 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire, a 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder, a 7-item Insomnia Severity Index, and a 22-item Impact of Event Scale-Revised, which assess the level of depression, anxiety, insomnia, and distress.Results: Out of 200 healthcare providers, 40% were males. 52% were aged 31–40 years old, 61% were married. The majority of the participants were Saudi nationals (84%), 74% were nurses, 11% were physicians and 15% were other healthcare providers. More than half of the participants worked as front-liners (57%). Overall, 73, 69, 62, and 83% of all healthcare providers reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia, and distress, respectively. The analysis showed severe symptoms level of depression for physicians and nurses was 35% and 20% (p < 0.05), respectively. Only three of the independent variables made a unique contribution to the model (gender, profession, and working position) (p < 0.05).Conclusion: COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on the mental health of healthcare providers in Saudi Arabia. Female nurses and healthcare providers working in the frontline who were directly treating patients with COVID-19 are at increased risk of severe depression, anxiety and distress.

Occupational Stress and Mental Health Among Healthcare Workers Serving Socially Vulnerable Populations During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Other studies ( 11 , 17 ) have reported similar findings of daily stress accumulation and consequential manifestation of psychological problems such as depressive symptoms, anxiety and other forms of mental discomfort, including suicidal ideation. Recent publications have documented that responding to the health needs of others during the pandemic has been consistently identified as a source of significant stress and a mental health challenge among HCWPs ( 1 , 12 ). Many HCWPs find it difficult to work under extreme pressures such as deciding how to allocate limited resources to equally needy patients, how to find a balance between their own mental health care needs and those of their clients, and how to align their duty to patients with their own personal responsibilities to family and friends ( 12 , 26 ).…”

“…Recent publications have documented that responding to the health needs of others during the pandemic has been consistently identified as a source of significant stress and a mental health challenge among HCWPs ( 1 , 12 ). Many HCWPs find it difficult to work under extreme pressures such as deciding how to allocate limited resources to equally needy patients, how to find a balance between their own mental health care needs and those of their clients, and how to align their duty to patients with their own personal responsibilities to family and friends ( 12 , 26 ). Listening to concerns and having compassion toward those more severely affected by the pandemic seems to lead to additional stress resulting in fear, anger, frustration, hopelessness, guilt, depression, and even suicidal ideation ( 36 ).…”

“…Since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in March 2020, healthcare workers and providers (HCWPs) worldwide have operated under unprecedented pressure to contend with the influx of both types of patients in healthcare facilities: those infected with SARS-Cov-2 and others presenting a diversity of health ailments not directly related to the new virus. International studies conducted during the pandemic in hospital and clinical settings have found that the increased workload, shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE)—especially at the beginning of the health emergency—and heightened risk of exposure have caused many HCWPs to experience significant levels of stress, sleep disturbances, and burnout ( 7 – 12 ). International systematic literature reviews and other original research reports have consistently found that COVID-19 represents a risk factor for stress, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among healthcare personnel ( 13 – 17 ).…”

“…International systematic literature reviews and other original research reports have consistently found that COVID-19 represents a risk factor for stress, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among healthcare personnel ( 13 – 17 ). Other recent studies reported that HCWPs are more vulnerable to psychological distress manifested in high levels of uncertainty, insecurity, depression, stress, anxiety, anger, fear, insomnia, and PTSD ( 11 , 12 ). Furthermore, poor sleep quality occurs nearly twice as frequently among HCWPs as it does in the general population, most likely due to sleep disturbances, which have also been linked to depression and distress ( 9 ).…”

Understanding the Impact of Digital Health Strategies During the COVID-19 Outbreak in Saudi Arabia

“…6 This might indicate that Saudi Arabia has been effective in adopting mitigation strategies to prevent virus transmission, but not very effective in addressing the impact of COVID-19 on citizens' health and health care operations. For instance, less preference for physicians adopting telemedicine, 46 lack of proper management of work burden and stress on health care practitioners, 47 , 48 were few such issues that highlight the ineffectiveness of the strategies adopted. In this context, the impact of COVID-19 can be observed in areas related to access and administration, operations, and personalization in Europe, the Middle East, and African regions.…”