Psychological Assessment of Doctors Working in a Pandemic Condition in Dhaka Medical College Hospital

Abstract

Introduction: The outbreak of COVID-19 is taking an unprecedented mental toll on health workers worldwide. So it comes as no surprise that the mental well-being of health care workers of Bangladesh too is in serious jeopardy. This survey was aimed to assess the immediate psychological impact on doctors working in largest Covid-19 dedicated facility in Bangladesh, Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
 Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in a single-centre with response received from participating doctors between 31st May to 3rd June, 2020. Mental health variables were assessed via the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) and Hospital Anxiety Depression Score (HADS).
 Results: We received 192 completed questionnaires (response rate, 64.43%) among whom around 50% of the participating doctors reportedly have depression and anxiety symptoms respectively. Among them 104 doctors (54.17%) responded to have insomnia. Around 56% of the responding subjects perceived the highly contagious nature of the SARS-CoV-2 as the most striking threat of COVID-19.
 Conclusion: Agonizing disease process, high death toll, highly contagious nature of the responsible virus is taking a serious mental toll on physicians in the background of their heightened concern about personal health and family health, scarcity in PPE and adequate hospital facility. Psychological protective measures implemented by the hospital could be helpful.
 J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2020; 38(0): 50-55

Mental Health Concerns, Insomnia, and Loneliness Among Intern Doctors Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from a Large Tertiary Care Hospital in Bangladesh

“…In Bangladesh, a survey assessing the psychological states on doctors working in a large COVID-19-dedicated facility in Bangladesh found that around 50 % of the participating doctors experienced symptoms of depression and anxiety (Mahmud et al, 2020). Another study found that anxiety and depression were common among healthcare workers in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 69.5 % screening positive for anxiety and 39.5 % for depression (Tasnim et al, 2021).…”

“…Several studies conducted among Bangladeshi doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers during this pandemic reported frequent anxiety (20.7-69.5 %), depression (26.5-52.1 %), insomnia (18.6-54.2 %), and psychological distress (41.7-67.7 %) (Ali et al, 2021;Barua et al, 2020;Hasan et al, 2020;Khatun et al, 2021;Mahmud et al, 2020;Tasnim et al, 2021). A recent rapid review shows that presence on frontlines, being younger, and being more junior is associated with an increased risk of psychological distress in healthcare workers during viral outbreaks (Kisely et al, 2020).…”

COVID-19 Related Psychological Distress, Fear and Coping: Identification of High-Risk Groups in Bangladesh

“…Furthermore, healthcare workers were humiliated for providing care to COVID-19 and were asked to isolate and stay away from the community and families to curb the further spread of infection. This imposed enormous psychological distress and fear amongst the health workforce (7).…”

“…Generalized anxiety was observed more in females, those older than 30 years, who were married, had higher education and were non-governmental employees (13). Another study was conducted among healthcare workers working in a central public hospital that reported depression and anxiety and insomnia amongst 50 and 55% of the doctors, respectively (7).…”

Perception and Experiences of the Front Line Health Workers (FLWs) Attending Suspected or Confirmed Covid-19 Patients in Bangladesh: a Cross-sectional Study

“…A cross-sectional study from Dhaka Medical college hospital, among the physicians dealing with pandemic incidents of insomnia and symptoms of depression and anxiety, was observed [22].…”