1. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of frontline healthcare workers in a highly affected region in Brazil.
- Author
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Cohen, Mírian, Cruz, Luciane Nascimento, Cardoso, Ricardo Bertoglio, Albuquerque, Maria de Fátima Pessoa Militão de, Montarroyos, Ulisses Ramos, de Souza, Wayner Vieira, Ludermir, Ana Bernarda, de Carvalho, Maria Rosimery, da Silva Vicente, Julianne Damiana, Viegas Filho, Marcelo Paulino, Cortes, Fanny Julia Mireille, de Siqueira Silva, Marina Teixeira, Almeida, Carla Menezes Cavalcante, Lima, Luana Nepomuceno Gondim Costa, Veras, Maria Amelia de Sousa Mascena, Kendall, Carl, Kerr, Ligia Regina Franco Sansigolo, Martelli, Celina Maria Turchi, and Camey, Suzi Alves
- Subjects
MEDICAL personnel ,POST-traumatic stress disorder ,MENTAL health personnel ,MENTAL health ,COVID-19 pandemic ,MENTAL illness ,NURSES' associations - Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on the mental health of healthcare workers (HCWs), especially in low and middle-income countries, which had to face additional political, social, and economic challenges. We thus aimed to assess the prevalence of mental health outcomes and the associated factors in HCWs treating COVID-19 patients in one of the most affected regions in Brazil. Methods: We used the Respondent-Driven Sampling method to assess the risks of COVID-19 infection and symptoms of mental disorders in nurses, nursing technicians, and physicians who worked on the frontline in the metropolitan region of Recife. 865 healthcare workers completed a survey regarding sociodemographic data, work-related risks, and symptoms of mental disorders - SRQ-20 for common mental disorders (CMD); AUDIT-C for problematic alcohol use; GAD-7 for anxiety; PHQ-9 for depression; PCL-5 for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Gile's successive sampling estimator was used to produce the weighted estimates by professional category. A Poisson regression model with robust variance was used to analyze factors associated with a positive screening for CMD. We will present the results of a cross-sectional analysis of the mental health outcomes after the first peak of COVID-19 – from August 2020 to February 2021. Results: The prevalence ratios for a positive screening for CMD were 34.9% (95% CI: 27.8–41.9) in nurses, 28.6% (95% CI: 21.3–36.0) in physicians, and 26.6% (95% CI: 16.8–36.5) in nursing technicians. Nurses presented a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms (23%). Positive screening for problematic alcohol use (10.5 to14.0%), anxiety (10.4 to 13.3%), and PTSD (3.3 to 4.4%) were similar between the professional categories. The main factors associated with CMD in nurses and physicians were related to an intrinsic susceptibility to mental illness, such as previous or family history of psychiatric disorder, and female sex. Among nurse technicians, work-related factors, such as accidents with biological material, presented the strongest association with CMD. Conclusion: The mental health of HCWs fighting COVID-19 in Recife was severely affected. It is crucial that healthcare services provide adequate working conditions and psychological support, investing in programs to promote and protect HCWs mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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