Depression, anxiety and insomnia among frontline healthcare workers amid the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) in Jordan: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the prevalence and factors associated with depression, anxiety and insomnia among frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) in Jordan. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was conducted among 122 frontline HCWs who have dealt with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19. The study survey included standardised questionnaires of the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) Scale, 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Data were collected online during the active surge period of cases from 11 May 2020 to 13 June 2020. The statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, analysis of variance, bivariate correlation and multivariate linear regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 122 HCWs participated in the study (response rate=64.2%). Among the participants, 44.3% were physicians, 32.8% were nurses and 17.2% were paramedics. The mean age of participants was 32.1 (±5.8) years, and the majority were males (80.3%). The mean scores for GAD-7, PHQ-9 and ISI were 8.5 (±5.2), 9.5 (±5.7) and 11.2 (±6.4), respectively. Results showed that the participants reported severe symptoms of anxiety (29.5%), depression (34.5%) and insomnia (31.9%), with no observed differences based on gender, job title, marital status or educational level. Moreover, in the multivariate linear regression, none of the independent factors were associated with GAD-7, PHQ-9 or ISI scores, and the only exception was increased severity of insomnia among paramedics. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic has exerted strenuous emotional, psychological and physical pressures on the health of frontline HCWs.