Perceived stress among doctors working in a dedicated COVID-19 hospital in North India

Abstract

Objectives: The present study was aimed to assess the level of perceived stress among doctors working in COVID-19 ward in a tertiary care medical college and hospital of North India and to find the association of stress with time spent in ward, age, and designation of the doctors. Material and Methods: It was a cross-sectional, Google-based survey conducted in October and November 2020. The form was circulated and recorded the sociodemographic data, time spent in the COVID-19 ward, etc. The perceived stress scale (PSS) was used to assess the level of stress. Appropriate statistical analysis was used and all ethical considerations were followed. Results: Mean PSS score of the sample was 22.22 ± 7.13. Twenty-five (10%) doctors reported low stress (mean PSS score 0–13). Moderate (mean PSS score 14-26) and high stress (mean PSS score >26) were found among 156 (62.4%) and 69 (27.6%) doctors, respectively. Perceived stress showed significant negative correlation with age and significant positive correlation with hours spent in COVID ward in a week. Senior residents and junior residents had significantly higher perceived stress than faculty (P - 0.001**). Nearly 50% of doctors (fairly often or very often) felt nervous and stressed, angered because they felt out of control, unable to control important things in their lives, and have been upset because of something that happened unexpectedly. About 40% felt (fairly often or very often) that they could not cope with all the things they had to do. Nearly one-third of doctors felt (fairly or very often) that difficulties were piling up so high that they could not overcome them. Conclusion: Doctors working in COVID-19 wards perceive considerable stress. Stress management should be an integral part of the curriculum of doctors so that they can serve the humanity efficiently and effectively during the pandemic and in future.

Mediating Effect of Challenges on Demographics and Coping Strategies of Indian Healthcare Workers during COVID-19

“…However, young healthcare professionals and those working in clinical departments have higher stress levels, anxiety, and depression than their senior coworkers and those in non-clinical departments [31,35]. Conversely, there was a positive correlation obtained between the designation of HCWs and their coping behavior in the present study.…”

“…Similarly, the uncertainty and last-minute work schedules severely impacted the daily lives of those working in Denmark's hospitals [33]. Another indirect consequence is HCWs' weariness in the form of tiredness and irritability [34,35]. Those working in Iran experienced similar physical tiredness, as well as skin damage and hormonal imbalance [32].…”

Indian Healthcare Workers’ Issues, Challenges, and Coping Strategies during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…At the personal level, up to half of the participants said that they felt emotional tiredness or burnout; this was also reported by hospital managers in Pakistan [ 6 ]. This study suggests that increased challenges for HCWs in their personal life may result from an increased workload at the workplace, the designation of HCWs, their living status, the distance of green spaces from their home, and the frequency with which they visit green spaces for recreational activities [ 9 ]. Incompetence at work, the fear of contracting a COVID-19 infection, ethical dilemmas, sleep-related problems, and a difficulty in communicating their problems to others were commonly reported challenges faced by the participants, similar to previous studies across countries [ 6 , 7 , 31 ].…”

“…Feeling confined, having difficulty breathing, and experiencing frustration were some of the challenges reported by Indian nurses after wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) kits at work [ 8 ]. Doctors posted in a COVID-19-dedicated ward at an Indian tertiary hospital very often felt nervous, upset, and were unable to cope with the COVID-19 situation [ 9 ]. Studies reported severe to moderate levels of anxiety among Indian HCWs in 2020 [ 10 ].…”

International Physician Migration: A Comparative Study of Healthcare in the US, UK, & India

“…In a study, doctors noted that a lot of their stress comes from how they don't have adequate time with their loved ones. 2 They experienced work burnout. With the already existing shortage of doctors and healthcare workers in India, newly licensed physicians may be concerned about burnout.…”