Psychological Effects on Healthcare Workers in Syria During COVID-19

Abstract

Introduction:Since the declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of infected cases. Thus, the number of hospital admissions has peaked during a short period, which in return has created a huge burden on healthcare workers. The effect of this pandemic on HCWs can be more severe in war-torn countries. This research aims to explore the psychological effects of the current pandemic on healthcare providers in Syria and compare it with the situation of Syrian HCP outside Syria.Materials and methods:660 has participated in this cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire during two phases (two months apart). The first sample included 76 participants which were used for comparison only, and the second sample consisted of 584 participants (118 outside Syria, 466 inside Syria). The study included demographic, social, and workplace-related questions, as well as three scoring systems including The Pittsburgh, Sleep quality index (PSQI), Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD 7).Results: 72.4% of the first sample had poor sleep quality compared to 80% for the second sample, while over 40% of the first sample had scored well on the Kessler scale and 17% scored severe stress disorder, the second sample scored 29.8% and 27.9% on the same index retrospectively. Over 70% of the two samples scored mild on the generalized stress disorder index. Both inside and outside Syria samples had very similar results on the three indices, and no significant difference was noticed between the sample inside Syria and the sample outside Syria for the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (P=0.900), and for the Generalized Anxiety Disorder score (P=0.798), and no significant difference was noticed between the two samples for the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (P=0.231). Conclusion: The current pandemic has imposed new concerns related to the preparedness of health systems worldwide but especially in countries with limited resources. Additionally, addressing mental health issues has become vital to ensure that healthcare systems are more effective.Regions of low income and those suffering from armed conflict may benefit from the conclusions of this study to ameliorate the medical practice conditions in the setting of such pandemics as COVID-19.

The way ahead for improving the health of Syrian women through identification of core competencies

“…Most of these cases could have been prevented [8,29]. The health system in Syria has been greatly damaged, during the past ten years, due to the crisis of con ict and the crisis of Covid19 [5,30,31]. A large number of doctors and health care providers ed the country during the con ict which increased the pressure and workload on the rest [32,31].…”

The impact of violence on healthcare workers' mental health in conflict based settings amidst COVID‐19 pandemic, and potential interventions: A narrative review

“…The study shows 43.3% of healthcare workers claim their facility does not provide the required equipment to protect them against acquiring COVID. 40 As a result of the current condition, 72.4% of workers had poor sleep quality and 17% showed severe stress disorder. 40 The ongoing Syrian conflict has resulted in the displacement of millions of Syrians, while making the lives of those still in the country challenging.…”

“…40 As a result of the current condition, 72.4% of workers had poor sleep quality and 17% showed severe stress disorder. 40 The ongoing Syrian conflict has resulted in the displacement of millions of Syrians, while making the lives of those still in the country challenging. 41 The dire conditions surrounding the healthcare system contribute to the rapid decline of the mental health of HCWs, compelling up to 70% HCWs to leave the country.…”

“…16 Based on results delivered by a study, 15.9% of the practitioners worked 10-12 h daily. 40 Along with violence and staff shortage, the healthcare system also lacked proper equipment and resources. The study shows 43.3% of healthcare workers claim their facility does not provide the required equipment to protect them against acquiring COVID.…”