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Meta-Analysis
. 2021 Jan 10:104:110062.
doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110062. Epub 2020 Aug 6.

Psychological effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in health professionals: A systematic review with meta-analysis

Raimundo Monteiro da Silva Neto  1 , Cicero Jonas Rodrigues Benjamim  2 , Poliana Moreira de Medeiros Carvalho  3 , Modesto Leite Rolim Neto  4
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Psychological effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in health professionals: A systematic review with meta-analysis

Raimundo Monteiro da Silva Neto et al. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. .

Abstract

Background: Psychological suffering by health professionals may be associated with the uncertainty of a safe workplace. Front-line professionals exposed and involved in the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 patients are more susceptible.

Method: This review was conducted based on papers that were published at MEDLINE, BMJ, PsycINFO, and LILACS, the according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes (PRISMA).

Results: Health professionals had a higher level of anxiety (13.0 vs. 8.5%, p < 0.01, OR = 1.6152; 95%CI 1.3283 to 1.9641; p < 0.0001) and depression 12.2 vs. 9.5%; p = 0.04; OR = 1.3246; 95%CI 1.0930 to 1.6053; p = 0.0042), besides somatizations and insomnia compared to professionals from other areas.

Conclusion: Health professionals, regardless of their age, showed significant levels of mental disorders. We observed a prevalence of anxiety and depression. Insomnia was a risk factor for both.

Keywords: COVID-19; Mental health; Psychological suffering.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Funnel plot of studies that assessed anxiety and depression in health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic (risk of bias).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Odds Ratio of two studies that assessed anxiety and depression in professionals working during the COVID-19pandemic.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Flowchart describing the search strategy and selection of studies using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Meta-analysis of anxiety in health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Meta-analysis of depression in health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Meta-analysis of anxiety in health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Meta-analysis of non-depression in health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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