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. 2021 Jan;56(1):47-55.
doi: 10.1007/s00127-020-01954-1. Epub 2020 Sep 10.

Risk factors for depression and anxiety in healthcare workers deployed during the COVID-19 outbreak in China

Jie Chen #  1 , Xinghuang Liu #  1 , Dongke Wang #  1 , Yan Jin  2 , Miao He  2 , Yanling Ma  3 , Xiaolong Zhao  4 , Shuangning Song  1 , Lei Zhang  1 , Xuelian Xiang  1 , Ling Yang  1 , Jun Song  5 , Tao Bai  6 , Xiaohua Hou  7
Affiliations

Risk factors for depression and anxiety in healthcare workers deployed during the COVID-19 outbreak in China

Jie Chen et al. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2021 Jan.

Abstract

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the status of depression and anxiety of healthcare workers and to explore the risk factors during the outbreak of COVID-19 in China.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed using convenience sampling to obtain a sample of healthcare workers. A structured questionnaire was designed to collect the information of the basic characteristics, workload, and the health condition. Burnout, coping style, anxiety, and depression were measured by specific scales. Multiple logistic regression model was performed to explore the risk factors of anxiety or depression.

Results: There were 902 questionnaires received between February 9, 2020 and February 11, 2020. The proportion of healthcare workers with symptoms of moderate/severe anxiety and moderate/severe depression were 16.63% and 18.29%, respectively. There were 24.50% healthcare workers experiencing moderate/severe anxiety and depression at the same time. The increased workload, respiratory symptoms, digestive symptoms, having done specific test(s) related to COVID-19, having family member needs to be taken care of, negative coping style, and job burnout were the independent risk factors of anxiety. Furthermore, the increased workload, respiratory symptoms, digestive symptoms, having done specific test(s) related to COVID-19, negative coping style, and job burnout were the independent risk factors of depression.

Conclusion: More attention should be paid to the mental health of frontline healthcare workers at the outbreak of COVID-19 in China. Taking steps to reduce the intensity of the work and burnout will be effective to stabilize the mental state of them.

Keywords: Anxiety; COVID-19; Depression; Healthcare workers.

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Conflict of interest statement

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Distribution of anxiety and depression. Most healthcare workers had none/mild anxiety or depression. About a quarter of healthcare workers had moderate/severe anxiety and depression. Anxiety and depression can be independent or combined in participants. Number of participants with both of anxiety and depression was more than those with the single
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Different characteristics between the front line and the second line. 2–1 More healthcare workers in front line had increased workload than the second line. 2–2 The proportion of respiratory symptoms among participants working in front line is higher than that of second line. 2–3 The proportion of digestive symptoms among participants working in front line is higher than that of second line. 2–4 A higher proportion of healthcare workers on the front line did specific test(s) related to COVID-19. 2–5 There was no significant difference in coping styles between the front line and the second line. 2–6 There was no significant difference in job burnout between the front line and the second line
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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