Evaluation of Stress Score and Correlation of Stress Score with Heart Rate, Blood Pressure and Serum Cortisol Levels among Health Care Workers in DCH and DCHC Hospitals during Covid-19 Duty

Abstract

Introduction: In the basic setting of the Coronavirus pandemic, medical care workers are at the forefront, participating directly in the consideration, determination, and therapy of patients with Coronavirus from the last two years. This exposes them to a higher danger of creating ongoing pressure, mental misery, and some other psychological wellness side effects. Objective: To evaluate stress, serum cortisol level, and blood pressure in a health workers population and, in addition, to measure serum cortisol concentration as a current biomarker of stress. Materials and Methods: Sixty health workers (22 men & 38 women) from Dedicated Covid Hospital and Dedicated Covid health Centre were included in this study. In these participants, after obtaining the data of socio-demography and perceived stress, serum cortisol was measured by automated chemiluminescent method. This is a hospital-based cross-sectional study. The studied population was divided into two groups: Group A (workers in direct contact with Covid patients) and Group B (workers not in direct contact with patients). Stress scores, serum morning cortisol levels, systolic and diastolic BP and heart rate of all the participants were measured and compared with controls using a Student's t-test. Stress scores of HCW in direct contact with patients were correlated with heart rate, systolic and diastolic BP, and serum morning cortisol levels and Pearson correlation coefficient (r) were calculated. Results: Stress scores are significantly increased whereas serum morning cortisol levels, heart rate and systolic and diastolic BP were non-significantly increased in Group A as compared with controls that is, Group B (P < 0.05). Stress scores of HCW in direct contact with patients were found to correlate strongly with serum morning cortisol levels, heart rate and systolic and diastolic BP with r values 0.397 (P < 0.0001), 0.322 (P < 0.001), 0.717 (P < 0.001), and 0.810 (P < 0.0001), respectively. Conclusion: Stress scores were elevated in HCW in direct contact with patients and were strongly correlated with serum cortisol levels, heart rate, and BP. It is the responsibility of the health authorities to implement strategies to manage this psychological stress.