Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental Health of Healthcare Professionals in Pakistan

Introduction As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, health care professionals (HDPs) are facing immense strain due to the heavy load of cases. In many cases, they work increasingly long hours, often with limited resources and a dubious infrastructure. Thus, it is important to check on the mental health of caregivers. Methods and materials This cross-sectional study was conducted in May 2020, at various hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan. All HCPs posted in the COVID-19 isolation wards were invited to participate and a total of 112 completed this study. A carefully structured form was created, which included the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Results The overall mean score of anxiety was 19.01 ± 9.2, depression was 18.12 ± 10, and stress was 20.12 ± 12.0. There were 81 (72.3%) participants who suffered from moderate to extremely severe depression, 96 ( 85.7%) participants who suffered from moderate to extremely severe anxiety, and 101 (90.1%) participants who reported moderate to extreme stress levels Conclusions It is evident that there are a high number of healthcare workers affected by various psychological ailments such as anxiety, stress, and depression. It is important that the government take steps to ensure that HCPs' mental health is regularly checked and that efforts are made to reduce their burdens.