Evaluation of depression and anxiety levels and related factors among operating theatre workers during the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

Koksal, Ersin; Dost, Burhan; Terzi, Özlem; Ustun, Yasemin Burcu; Özdin, Selçuk; Bilgin, Sezgin

Abstract Purpose Tremendous physical and psychological pressure has been placed on healthcare workers due to the outbreak of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to examine the anxiety and depression levels and related factors among healthcare professionals working in operating theatres (anesthetic technicians and nurses) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design The universe of this descriptive study consisted of healthcare professionals working in operating theatres in various healthcare institutions in Turkey. Methods The data were collected online between 9 April 2020 and 12 April 2020 using a SurveyMonkey questionnaire (SurveyMonkey, San Mateo, California, United States) and healthcare workers who volunteered to participate in the study were contacted via the social media platforms Twitter, LinkedIn and WhatsApp and asked to answer the questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS version 22.0 software. Findings In total, 702 healthcare professionals working in operating theatres participated in the study. The mean depression and anxiety scores of the participants were found to be 9.4±4.6 (min: 0–max: 21) and 10.0±4.5 (min: 0–max: 21), respectively. Depression scores were statistically significantly higher among females, single individuals, those who had children, those living with a person aged 60 years or older (p<0.05). Meanwhile, anxiety scores were statistically significantly higher among females, single individuals (including widowed and divorced), university graduates, those with at least one chronic disease and those whose workload increased (p<0.05). Conclusions The present study showed that anxiety and depression symptoms were high among healthcare professionals working in operating theatres. In order to reduce these symptoms, psychological conditions of healthcare professionals can be followed continuously and regularly via standard procedures, and necessary interventions can be provided in the early period.