Valerie Danesh, PhD, RN, , FCCM
Research Scientist
Baylor Scott and White Health
Dallas, Texas
Disclosure information not submitted.
Ann Marie Warren, PhD, ABPP-Rp
Research Center Director, Behavioral Health
Baylor University Medical Center, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Monica Bennett, PhD
Biostatistician
Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Anthony Waddimba, PhD
Research Scientist
Baylor Scott & White Health, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Mario Tovar
Research Assistant
Baylor Scott & White Health, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Robert Gottlieb, MD
Physician
Baylor University Medical Center, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Mark Powers, PhD
Director of Trauma Research
Baylor University Medical Center, United States
Disclosure information not submitted.
Title: Psychological distress among healthcare workers and essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
INTRODUCTION/HYPOTHESIS: Heightened risk of COVID-19-related psychological distress is expected among individuals with occupational exposure for risk of infection. The objective was to determine variations in psychological distress among healthcare workers, non-healthcare essential workers, and the general population.
Methods: This cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in the US (June 22-July 5, 2020). The prevalence of fear of COVID-19 and symptoms of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder among the general population, health care workers and non-healthcare essential workers were assessed via the Fear of COVID-19, Patient Health Questionnaire-8, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and the Posttraumatic Diagnositic Scale. Mixed effects generalized linear regression were used to explore risk factors.
Results: Responses from 5,023 participants representing all 50 US states were analyzed. Models that did not adjust for working status found a significant association between one’s occupation group and Fear of COVID-19, PHQ-8 total score, and PDS-5 score ≥28, with health care workers endorsing lesser symptoms compared to the general public. When work status was incorporated, no further significant differences were observed between occupational groups. Responders who were unemployed due to COVID-19 self-reported more frequent symptoms of psychological distress compared with those who continued to work from their normal location. Nurses and physicians endorsed lesser symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD when working from their normal location vs. being unemployed due to COVID-19.
Conclusions: This observational study of 5,023 individuals during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic found health care workers did not experience higher rates of psychological distress compared to essential workers and the general public. When adjusted for work status, individuals who were unemployed due to COVID-19 had higher rates of anxiety, depression, PTSD and COVID-19 fear compared to those working (normal location or remotely). Work status accounts for significant variance in psychological outcomes across health care workers, essential workers and the general population, with health care workers reporting the least amount of psychological distress.