Journal Article

Psychological distress reported by healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

BinMuammar, Abdulrahman, DeVol, Edward, Almeharish, Amani, Naseem, Mohammad Talal, Alfattani, Areej, Altwaijri, Yasmin, Bilal, Lisa, Hyder, Sanaa, AlShehri, Abdussalam Ali, Almatrafi, Rami

2022

Overview

Few studies have considered the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of healthcare workers (HCWs) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). We estimated the prevalence and severity of psychological distress and characterized predisposing risk factors among HCWs in KSA during the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of 1,985 HCWs from 6 hospitals across the country designated with caring for COVID-19 patients between April 16 and June 21, 2020. Our data analysis was performed using logistic regressions. Ordered logistic regressions were also performed using forward stepwise model selection to explore the effects of risk factors on psychological distress. The prevalence of psychological distress reported by HCWs in KSA was high, ranging from mild-moderate to severe in severity. Younger HCWs, women, those in contact with COVID-19 patients, and those who either had loved ones affected or who were themselves affected by COVID-19 were the most at-risk of psychological distress. Risk factors such as insomnia, loneliness, fear of transmission, and separation from loved ones most significantly predicted elevated levels of distress among HCWs. Increasing psychological distress was commonly reported by HCWs during the early months of COVID-19 pandemic in KSA. Public health policy makers and mental health professionals must give special attention to risk factors that predispose HCWs in KSA to psychological distress.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Anxiety / Biology and Life Sciences / Confidence intervals / Coronaviruses / COVID-19 / COVID-19 - epidemiology / Cross-Sectional Studies / Data analysis / Demographics / Epidemics / Female / Forecasts and trends / Health aspects / Health care / Health Personnel / Health policy / Health risks / Hospitals / Humans / Insomnia / Medical personnel / Medical research / Medicine and Health Sciences / Mental disorders / Mental health / Mental illness / Nurses / Pandemics / Patients / People and Places / Psychological aspects / Psychological Distress / Psychological stress / Public health / Quarantine / Questionnaires / Risk analysis / Risk factors / Sample size / SARS-CoV-2 / Saudi Arabia - epidemiology / Sleep disorders / Social aspects / Social Sciences