General practitioners' experiences during the Covid-19 epidemic in the Bouches-du-Rhône department: Anxiety, impact on practice and doctor-patient relationship

OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic has strongly affected France and has put a strain on its health professionals. As documented by literature, health professionals are at higher risk than the general population regarding their mental welfare. The study's objective was to measure the anxiety levels and its determinants of general practitioners of a French department during the first COVID-19 pandemic containment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A survey through a self-completion questionnaire was sent to 250 general practitioners of the Bouches-du-Rhône department. Their anxiety state was measured using the Spielberg validated questionnaire the STAI-Y. Their experience, work organizations, and doctor/patient relationship were measured by ad hoc items developed during a focus group of five general practitioners. RESULTS: Of the 60 general practitioners included in the survey, nearly 40% had high to very high levels of anxiety. The determinants of this anxiety were the female gender, the unsatisfactory working conditions, the constrains required to work reorganization (consultations and waiting room), and the worry of not being able to respond to the fears and questions of patients, thus a lower decision latitude in their work. CONCLUSION: This survey documented the levels of general practitioners’ anxiety, as well as the determinants of this anxiety. Physicians offered a unanimous opinion of their general feeling of "disorganization and loneliness". General practitioners have demonstrated great adaptability and flexibility despite the difficulties, which has caused them major anxiety. This pandemic's resultant experiences can help better understand the vulnerability of caregivers to mental anguish/stress in order to strengthen primary prevention strategies.