Pandemic-related mental health risk among front line personnel

Huynh

2021

Preprint

ObjectiveWe investigated whether patterns of work during COVID-19 pandemic altered by effort to contain the outbreak affected anxiety and depression.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional online survey of 911 residents of Philadelphia, inquiring about their working lives during early months of the epidemic, symptoms of anxiety and depression, plus demographics, perceived sources of support, and general health.ResultsOccupational contact with suspected COVID-19 cases was associated with anxiety. Concerns about return to work, childcare, lack of sick leave, and loss/reduction in work correlated with anxiety and depression, even when there was no evidence of occupational contact with infected persons; patterns differed by gender.ConclusionsHeightened anxiety and depression during COVID-19 pandemic can be due to widespread disruption of working lives, especially in “non-essential” low-income industries, on par with experience in healthcare.The significance to clinical practice of the information being presented: Anxiety and depression symptoms that emerged during COVID-19 pandemic may be related to disruption of working lives even among people who are not the “essential” workers with one-one-one contact with infected persons. Clinicians may find this evidence of occupational correlates and articulated specific worries useful in treating such patients.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Symptoms of anxiety and depression in relation to work patterns during the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic in Philadelphia PA: a cross-sectional survey

Huynh

2021

Preprint

“…It must be noted that almost a third of the participants were suspected of having COVID-19 (a far higher rate than expected from a random sample at the time), further limiting works’ generalizability; pre-existing anxiety, depression and perception of mental health support were not evaluated. First responders, including 98 hospital staff, from Rocky Mountain region of the US during spring of 2020, 16 exhibited evidence of excess of anxiety and depression due to contact with COVID-19 patients and their own reported immunocompromised status. Czeisler et al 17 provide evidence of increase in anxiety and depression in the US in general during April-June 2020 compared to the same period a year before, with a notable excess of having considered suicide among essential workers (who presumably include HCWs); the survey highlighted importance of adjusting for history of anxiety and depression, including whether it was recently treated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A cross-sectional survey of the workplace factors contributing to symptoms of anxiety and depression among nurses and physicians during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in two US healthcare systems

Holt

2021

Preprint

BackgroundAnxiety and depression among physicians and nurses during COVID-19 pandemic in the USA is not well described and its modifiable causes poorly understood.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey of symptoms of anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) among physicians and nurses in two US healthcare systems June-Sept 2020. We ascertained features of work as well as its perceptions and associated concerns in relation to risk of anxiety and depression, while controlling for health history via regression and path analyses.ResultsAbout a third of 684 nurses and 185 physicians surveyed showed symptoms of anxiety or depression, the excess was particularly prominent in nurses. Belief in having been infected was a dominant cause of anxiety and depression, more related to history of symptoms of pneumonia, then the contact with infected patients. Having confidence in competent use and access to personal protective equipment, maintaining usual working hours and being surrounded by colleagues who were both sufficient in numbers and not stressed, was protective. Having support of immediate family and religious communities lessened anxiety and depression after accounting for other factors. Involvement in aerosol-generating procedures with infected patients was linked with lower depression in nurses but higher among physicians. Likewise, the setting of recent patient encounters affected risk differently for physicians and nurses.ConclusionsOur findings may help develop mitigation measures and underscore the need to help nurses and physicians bear the psychological burden of COVID-19 pandemic and similar events in the future.

“… 2 Almost a third of the participants were suspected of having COVID-19, limiting works’ generalizability due to far lower prevalence of the disease even among healthcare workers at that time. First responders from Rocky Mountain region of the United States during spring of 2020, 3 exhibited evidence of excess of anxiety and depression associated with reported contact with COVID-19 patients. A Canadian survey of mostly unionized professions outside of healthcare conducted during the first wave of pandemic, reported elevated rates of anxiety and depression, especially among those who could not work remotely (telecommute) or lost work; among those who had to have one-on-one contact with people at work, anxiety and depression was more common when their expectations of infection control were not met.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression in Relation to Work Patterns During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Epidemic in Philadelphia PA

Journal of Occupational &Amp; Environmental Medicine

Huynh

2021

Objective: We investigated whether patterns of work during COVID-19 pandemic altered by effort to contain the outbreak affected anxiety and depression. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of 911 residents of Philadelphia, inquiring about their working lives during early months of the epidemic, symptoms of anxiety and depression, plus demographics, perceived sources of support, and general health. Results: Occupational contact with suspected COVID-19 cases was associated with anxiety. Concerns about return to work, childcare, lack of sick leave, and loss/reduction in work correlated with anxiety and depression, even when there was no evidence of occupational contact with infected persons; patterns differed by sex. Conclusions: Heightened anxiety and depression during COVID-19 pandemic can be due to widespread disruption of working lives, especially in “non-essential” low-income industries, on par with experience in healthcare.