High Work-related Stress and Anxiety Response to COVID-19 among Healthcare Workers: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey Study in South Korea.

Ahn, Myung Hee; Shin, Yong-Wook; Suh, Sooyeon; Kim, Jeong Hye; Kim, Hwa Jung; Lee, Kyoung-Uk; Chung, Seockhoon

BACKGROUND Healthcare workers experienced severe psychological impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak. It is important to establish a process of psychological assessment and interventions for healthcare workers affected by epidemics. OBJECTIVE We investigated the risk factors associated with the psychological impact of each healthcare worker group, to help optimize psychological interventions for healthcare workers in countries affected by COVID-19. METHODS Participants (N = 1,787) from two hospitals in Korea, completed an online survey from April 14 to 30, 2020, by obtaining information on demographics, psychiatric history and the Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-9 (SAVE-9), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scales. Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess contributing factors as predictor variables and healthcare workers' depression as outcome variables. RESULTS Among the 1,783 healthcare workers, compared with other healthcare workers, nursing professionals had significantly higher levels of depression (PHQ-9 score; 5.5 ± 4.6 vs. 3.8 ± 4.2; P < .01), general anxiety (GAD-7 score; 4.0 ± 4.1 vs. 2.7 ± 3.6; P < .01), and virus-related anxiety symptoms (SAVE-9 score; 21.6 ± 5.9 vs. 18.6 ± 6.3; P < .01). In the nursing professionals group, single workers reported more severe depressive symptoms than married workers (PHQ-9 score ≥ 10; 20.3% vs. 14.1%; P < .01), and junior (<40 years) workers reported more anxiety about the viral epidemic (SAVE-9 anxiety score; 15.6 ± 4.1 vs. 14.7 ± 4.4; P < .01). Logistic regression analysis revealed that the hospital factor (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.45, 95% confidence interval, CI [1.06-1.99]), nursing professionals (aOR = 1.37, 95% CI [1.02-1.98]), single workers (aOR = 1.51, 95% CI [1.05-2.16]), higher stress and anxiety to the viral infection (high SAVE-9 score, aOR = 1.20, 95% CI [1.17-1.24]), and past psychiatric history (aOR = 3.26, 95% CI [2.15-4.96]) were positively associated with depression. CONCLUSIONS Psychological support and interventions should be considered for healthcare workers, especially nursing professionals, those who are single, and those with high SAVE-9 level. CLINICALTRIAL