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. 2021 Oct 18:22:e55.
doi: 10.1017/S1463423621000566.

Sources of psychological distress among primary care physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic's first wave in Spain: a cross-sectional study

Ana Cebrián-Cuenca  1 , José Joaquín Mira  2 , Elena Caride-Miana  3 , Antonio Fernández-Jiménez  4 , Domingo Orozco-Beltrán  5
Affiliations

Sources of psychological distress among primary care physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic's first wave in Spain: a cross-sectional study

Ana Cebrián-Cuenca et al. Prim Health Care Res Dev. .

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting people worldwide. In Spain, the first wave was especially severe.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify sources and levels of distress among Spanish primary care physicians (PCPs) during the first wave of the pandemic (April 2020).

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a survey that included sociodemographic data, a description of working conditions related to distress [such as gaps in training in protective measures, cleaning, and hygiene procedures in work setting, unavailability of personal protective equipments (PPEs) and COVID-19 RT-PCR test, and lack of staff due to be infected] and a validated scale, the 'Self-applied Acute Stress Scale' (EASE). The survey was answered by a non-probability sampling of PCPs working in family healthcare centres from different regions of Spain. Analysis of variance and multivariate linear regression analysis were performed.

Results: In all, out of 518 PCP participants, 123 (23.7%) obtained high psychological distress scores. Only half of them had received information about the appropriate use of PPE. PCP characteristics associated with higher levels of distress include female gender [1.69; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.54, 2.84]; lack of training in protective measures (1.96; 95% CI 0.94, 2.99); unavailable COVID-19 RT-PCR for health care workers after quarantine or COVID-19 treatment (-0.77 (-1.52, -0.02). Reinforcing disinfection of the work environment (P < 0.05), availability of PPEs (P < 0.05), and no healthcare professional was infected (P < 0.05) were related to the lowest distress score.

Conclusions: A better understanding of the sources of distress among PCPs could prevent its effect on future outbreaks.

Keywords: COVID-19; infectious diseases; mental health; occupational stress; occupational/environmental medicine; stress.

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