Psychological Effects of COVID-19 Among Health Care Workers, and How They Are Coping: A Web-Based, Cross-Sectional Study During the First Wave of COVID-19 in Pakistan. (10th January 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Salman, Muhammad; Mustafa, Zia Ul; Raza, Muhammad Husnnain; Khan, Tahir Mehmood; Asif, Noman; Tahir, Humera; Shehzadi, Naureen; Mallhi, Tauqeer Hussain; Khan, Yusra Habib; Sultana, Kishwar; Saleem, Fahad; Hussain, Khalid
• Is Part Of: Disaster medicine and public health preparedness. Volume 17(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-01-10
• Subjects: anxiety -- coping -- COVID-19 -- depression -- health care workers -- Pakistan; Disaster medicine -- Periodicals; Emergency management -- Planning -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; 363.34
• DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2022.4
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1935-7893

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: The aim of this study is to ascertain the psychological impacts of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) among the Pakistani health care workers (HCWs) and their coping strategies. Methods: This web-based, cross-sectional study was conducted among HCWs (N = 398) from Punjab Province of Pakistan. The generalized anxiety scale (GAD-7), patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9), and Brief-COPE were used to assess anxiety, depression, and coping strategies, respectively. Results: The average age of respondents was 28.67 years (SD = 4.15), with the majority being medical doctors (52%). Prevalences of anxiety and depression were 21.4% and 21.9%, respectively. There was no significant difference in anxiety and depression scores among doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. Females had significantly higher anxiety ( P = 0.003) and depression ( P = 0.001) scores than males. Moreover, frontline HCWs had significantly higher depression scores ( P = 0.010) than others. The depression, not anxiety, score was significantly higher among those who did not receive the infection prevention training ( P = 0.004). The most frequently adopted coping strategies were religious coping (M = 5.98, SD = 1.73), acceptance (M = 5.59, SD = 1.55), and coping planning (M = 4.91, SD = 1.85). Conclusion: A considerable proportion of HCWs are having generalized anxiety and depression during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings call for interventions to mitigate mental health risks in HCWs.