Evaluation of the effect of COVID‐19 pandemic on anxiety severity of physicians working in the internal medicine department of a tertiary care hospital: a cross‐sectional survey

Uyaroğlu, Oğuz Abdullah; Başaran, Nursel Çalık; Ozisik, Lale; Karahan, Sevilay; Tanriover, Mine Durusu; Guven, Gulay Sain; Oz, Serife Gul

BACKGROUND: Internists who have an important role in the global response to the COVID‐19 pandemic are under both physical and psychological pressures. AIMS: To assess the anxiety among physicians working in the internal medicine department of a tertiary care hospital who are on the frontline of the COVID‐19 pandemic. METHODS: This single‐centre, non‐intervention, cross‐sectional descriptive study was conducted using an online survey questionnaire from 1 April to 14 April 2020. Physicians of the Department of Internal Medicine were invited to participate with a self‐administered questionnaire. The degree of symptoms of anxiety was assessed by the Turkish versions of the 7‐item Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale and Beck Anxiety Inventory, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 113 participants consented for the study and completed the questionnaire. The median age was 29 (IQR = 5) years and 53.1% were male. A total of 72 internists (63.7%) worked as ‘frontline’ healthcare workers directly engaged in diagnosing, treating or caring for patients with or suspected to have COVID‐19. Female gender was significantly associated with high scores and levels in all scales compared to the male gender (P < 0.005). Having family members over 65 years old and with chronic diseases were significantly associated with high anxiety scores and levels (P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: In this survey of internists in a university hospital equipped with clinics, wards and intensive care unit for patients with COVID‐19, female gender and having family members over 65 years old and with chronic diseases were associated with increased anxiety levels.