Prevalence of psychological morbidities and their influential variables among nurses in a designated COVID-19 tertiary care hospital in India: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Nurses are the main part of the health workforce, performing their duties as frontline warriors against the novel coronavirus pandemic. Nurses involved in the care of infected (COVID-19) patients, may feel more discomfort physically and experience greater psychological morbidities. Aims and Objectives: The main aim of the study is to evaluate the prevalence of anxiety and stress among nurses in a designated COVID-19 hospital and variables that influence these psychological problems. Methodology: Nurses working in the designated tertiary care hospital were invited to participate in an online cross-sectional survey (dated, September 5–15, 2020). A self-administered questionnaire regarding sociodemographic characteristics, COVID-19-related experiences, perceived threat regarding COVID-19, and two scales (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and Perceived Stress Scale-10) for the assessment of anxiety and stress was applied to nurses. Chi-square test and multiple regression analysis were used to investigate the predictors (risk and protective) of psychological morbidities in nurses. Results: On analysis of 209 participants, it was revealed that 65 (31.1%) participants have anxiety symptoms and 35.40% have moderate to the high level of stress. Being proud of working in this profession was the only protective factor from such psychological morbidities. The identified risk factors for greater anxiety symptoms and moderate-to-high-level stress were, working experience of >10 years (odds ratio [OR] = 3.36), direct involvement in the care of suspected/diagnosed patients (OR = 3.4), feeling worried about being quarantined/isolated (OR = 1.69,) and high risk of being infected at the job (OR = 2.3 for anxiety and OR = 2.1 for moderate-to-high stress). Conclusions: Deteriorating the psychic health of nurses is one of the major outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic in India which warrants the necessity of providing psychological support to nurses and controlling the risk factors related to these problems. Greater focus should be on the frontline and experienced nurses.

Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Out-of-Hospital Health Professionals: A Living Systematic Review

“…Having a personal history of any pathology that increased susceptibility to COVID-19 infection was related to higher levels of anxiety and depression, which may be due to a greater concern about infection and its consequences as it implies a higher risk in this group of people. In other areas, similar results have been observed for the presence of depressive symptoms [ 92 ] but not for the anxious type [ 93 , 94 ]. Among HPs from other areas, having a personal history of any mental health disorder, especially those related to substance abuse or depression, was strongly associated with the presentation of a current mental disorder.…”

Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health Among Healthcare Workers in India: A Mixed-methods Systematic Review

“…Twenty-two studies (twenty-one quantitative studies and one mixed method study) reported on the prevalence of anxiety among HCWs 13,14,15,16,17,23,24,8,18,29,30,19,25,27,26,31,32,20,21,22,33,34 . Other characteristics of the study findings are presented in Table 2.…”

“…Stress was reported in sixteen studies (Fifteen quantitative studies and one mixed method study 13,14,17,18,29,30,19,34,32,21,35,36,27,25,37,26 . Other characteristics of the study findings are presented in Table 2.…”

Asociación entre el contacto directo con pacientes SARS-CoV-2+ y la presencia de síndrome de Burnout y síntomas de ansiedad generalizada en el personal de salud del Hospital Regional Guillermo Díaz de la Vega-Abancay-Apurímac, Enero – Marzo del 2021

“…En el mencionado estudio se consideró como "involucrado con casos confirmados COVID-19" al personal que brindó diagnóstico, tratamiento o cuidados a casos positivos; describiéndose que el 30.75% de este personal padeció de niveles moderados o severos de ansiedad a comparación de un 22.6% en el grupo de personas sin vínculo con casos COVID-19. Asimismo, Garg et al (30) reportó asociación entre el contacto directo con pacientes SARS-CoV-2 + y el desarrollo del trastorno de ansiedad generalizada entre las enfermeras de un hospital en la India, con una muestra de 260 enfermeras. Además, se encontró una fuerte asociación entre la sensación de que "el trabajo me pone en riesgo de contagiarme" y el desarrollo de ansiedad, el 97% de las personas con ansiedad estuvieron de acuerdo en aseverar como cierta esta afirmación.…”

“…Las variables sociodemográficas fueron la edad (categorizada en 3 grupos etarios basados en estudios similares (30,31), el sexo, la ocupación y el tipo de convivencia; por otro lado, las variables confusoras fueron la jornada laboral, la rotación entre áreas de trabajo, el número de guardias nocturnas por semana, el antecedente personal de COVID-19, la presencia de factores predictores de riesgo para COVID-19, el cambio de EPP por semana, la presencia de factores predictores de riesgo para COVID-19 en familiares o la muerte de familiares por COVID-19.…”