Long-Term Psychological Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Anxiety and Depression among Physicians in a Tertiary Referral Hospital

BACKGROUND: Since the COVID-19 pandemic peaked, few studies have thereafter assessed the continued effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare workers. OBJECTIVES: To determine the rate and predictors of self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety among physicians at a public tertiary care teaching hospital in Saudi Arabia about 2 years after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2021 to April 2022 and targeted all physicians working at King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and General Anxiety Disorder-7 were used to elicit self-reported data regarding depression and anxiety, respectively. In addition, sociodemographic and job-related data were collected. RESULTS: A total of 438 physicians responded, of which 200 (45.7%) reported symptoms of depression and 190 (43.4%) of anxiety. Being aged 25–30 years, female, resident, and reporting reduction in work quality were factors significantly associated with both anxiety and depression. Female gender (AOR = 3.570; 95% CI = 2.283–5.582; P < 0.001), working an average 9–11 hours/day (AOR = 2.130; 95% CI = 1.009–4.495; P < 0.047), and self-perceived reduction in work quality (AOR = 3.139; 95% CI = 2.047–4.813; P < 0.001) were significant independent predictors of anxiety. Female gender (AOR = 2.929; 95% CI = 1.845–4.649; P < 0.001) and self-perceived reduction in work quality (AOR = 3.141; 95% CI = 2.053–4.804; P < 0.001) were significant independent predictors of depression. CONCLUSIONS: About half of the physicians reported symptoms of anxiety and depression. These findings are suggestive of the need for large-scale studies to determine the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia.