The initial psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare professionals in a children's hospital

Abstract

Aims: The pandemic has had devastating effects across the world particularly on healthcare professionals. We assessed anxiety and depression with somatization to discover the psychological effects of the pandemic. Methods: 250 healthcare workers in a tertiary pediatric teaching hospital were asked to respond to the questionnaire between 1 and 30 June 2020 and the responses were assessed via three scales including the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9), the General Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) and the Somatosensory Amplification Scale (SSAS). Results: A total of 242 participants responded (response rate 97%); 29% of the participants reported moderate or severe anxiety while 49% reported moderate or more severe depression. There was no significant difference between the degrees of depression and moderate to severe anxiety through different professions (p= 0.480, p=0.384, respectively). Somatization was significantly lower in doctors and higher in female participants (p=0.001). Participants with chronic diseases and ones that had a dependent relative were at higher risk for anxiety and depression. Conclusion: Most of the healthcare workers had depression and anxiety in the beginning of the pandemic, and it was independent of gender, profession, or workplace. Healthcare professionals with chronic diseases and dependent relatives are at risk for severe depression.