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Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Professionals in Tunisia: Risk and Protective Factors

Background: Our study aimed to evaluate the magnitude of different psychological outcomes among Tunisian healthcare professionals (HCPs) during the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and to identify the associated factors. Methods: Healthcare professionals completed a cr...

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Autores principales: Hammami, Ahmed Sami, Jellazi, Mohamed, Mahjoub, Lobna, Fedhila, Maya, Ouali, Sonia
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8712446/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34970189
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.754047
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author Hammami, Ahmed Sami
Jellazi, Mohamed
Mahjoub, Lobna
Fedhila, Maya
Ouali, Sonia
author_facet Hammami, Ahmed Sami
Jellazi, Mohamed
Mahjoub, Lobna
Fedhila, Maya
Ouali, Sonia
author_sort Hammami, Ahmed Sami
collection PubMed
description Background: Our study aimed to evaluate the magnitude of different psychological outcomes among Tunisian healthcare professionals (HCPs) during the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and to identify the associated factors. Methods: Healthcare professionals completed a cross-sectional questionnaire during a 3-week period in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Tunisia. The survey collected demographic information, factors that may interfere with the psychological outcomes, behavioral changes, and mental health measures. Mental health was assessed using three scales: the Seven-Item Insomnia Severity Index, the Two-Item Patient Health Questionnaire, and the Two-Item Generalized Anxiety Disorder instrument. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to identify factors associated with psychological outcomes. Results: A total of 503 HCPs successfully completed the survey, and 493 agreed to enroll in the study: 411 (83.4%) physicians, 323 (64.2%) women, and 271 (55%) with a second-line work position. A significant proportion of HCPs had anxiety (35.7%), depression (35.1%), and insomnia (23.7%). Women, those with a psychiatric history, and those using public transportation had higher proportions for overall symptoms compared with other groups, for example, depression in 44.9% of female participants vs. 18.2% of male participants (p = 0.00). Those with a previous medical history and nurses had more anxiety and insomnia compared with other groups, for example, anxiety in 45.1% of nurses, 36.1% of interns/residents, and 27.5% of attending physicians (p = 0.04). Multivariable logistic regression showed that female gender was a risk factor for all psychological outcomes, whereas psychiatric history was a risk factor for both anxiety and insomnia [odds ratio (OR) = 2.86, 95% CI 1.78–4.60, p = 0.00 for insomnia]. Using protective equipment was associated with a lower risk for depression (OR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.27–0.62, p = 0.00) and anxiety. Physical activity was also protective against depression and anxiety (OR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.25–0.67, p = 0.00). Conclusion: Psychological symptoms are usually overlooked or dismissed by HCPs, although the COVID-19 pandemic played a major role in exacerbating this burden. Prompt psychological support should be endorsed and simple measures, such as physical activity and ensuring the availability of personal protective equipment, are paramount to improve mental health outcomes and the quality of care provided to patients.
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spelling pubmed-87124462021-12-29 Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Professionals in Tunisia: Risk and Protective Factors Hammami, Ahmed Sami Jellazi, Mohamed Mahjoub, Lobna Fedhila, Maya Ouali, Sonia Front Psychol Psychology Background: Our study aimed to evaluate the magnitude of different psychological outcomes among Tunisian healthcare professionals (HCPs) during the first wave of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and to identify the associated factors. Methods: Healthcare professionals completed a cross-sectional questionnaire during a 3-week period in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Tunisia. The survey collected demographic information, factors that may interfere with the psychological outcomes, behavioral changes, and mental health measures. Mental health was assessed using three scales: the Seven-Item Insomnia Severity Index, the Two-Item Patient Health Questionnaire, and the Two-Item Generalized Anxiety Disorder instrument. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to identify factors associated with psychological outcomes. Results: A total of 503 HCPs successfully completed the survey, and 493 agreed to enroll in the study: 411 (83.4%) physicians, 323 (64.2%) women, and 271 (55%) with a second-line work position. A significant proportion of HCPs had anxiety (35.7%), depression (35.1%), and insomnia (23.7%). Women, those with a psychiatric history, and those using public transportation had higher proportions for overall symptoms compared with other groups, for example, depression in 44.9% of female participants vs. 18.2% of male participants (p = 0.00). Those with a previous medical history and nurses had more anxiety and insomnia compared with other groups, for example, anxiety in 45.1% of nurses, 36.1% of interns/residents, and 27.5% of attending physicians (p = 0.04). Multivariable logistic regression showed that female gender was a risk factor for all psychological outcomes, whereas psychiatric history was a risk factor for both anxiety and insomnia [odds ratio (OR) = 2.86, 95% CI 1.78–4.60, p = 0.00 for insomnia]. Using protective equipment was associated with a lower risk for depression (OR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.27–0.62, p = 0.00) and anxiety. Physical activity was also protective against depression and anxiety (OR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.25–0.67, p = 0.00). Conclusion: Psychological symptoms are usually overlooked or dismissed by HCPs, although the COVID-19 pandemic played a major role in exacerbating this burden. Prompt psychological support should be endorsed and simple measures, such as physical activity and ensuring the availability of personal protective equipment, are paramount to improve mental health outcomes and the quality of care provided to patients. Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-12-14 /pmc/articles/PMC8712446/ /pubmed/34970189 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.754047 Text en Copyright © 2021 Hammami, Jellazi, Mahjoub, Fedhila and Ouali. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
spellingShingle Psychology
Hammami, Ahmed Sami
Jellazi, Mohamed
Mahjoub, Lobna
Fedhila, Maya
Ouali, Sonia
Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Professionals in Tunisia: Risk and Protective Factors
title Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Professionals in Tunisia: Risk and Protective Factors
title_full Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Professionals in Tunisia: Risk and Protective Factors
title_fullStr Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Professionals in Tunisia: Risk and Protective Factors
title_full_unstemmed Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Professionals in Tunisia: Risk and Protective Factors
title_short Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Professionals in Tunisia: Risk and Protective Factors
title_sort psychological impact of the covid-19 pandemic on healthcare professionals in tunisia: risk and protective factors
topic Psychology
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8712446/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34970189
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.754047
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