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. 2024 Oct 8:12:1475107.
doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1475107. eCollection 2024.

Evaluation of the mental health status of intensive care unit healthcare workers at the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic

Ceren Meriç Özgündüz  1 , Murat Bıçakçıoğlu  2 , Ayse Sahin Tutak  3 , Arman Özgündüz  4
Affiliations

Evaluation of the mental health status of intensive care unit healthcare workers at the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic

Ceren Meriç Özgündüz et al. Front Public Health. .

Abstract

Objective: During pandemic periods, mental health issues are highly prevalent, particularly among healthcare workers who are at a higher risk of developing psychiatric disorders. The aim of this study is to evaluate the mental health status of the intensive care unit (ICU) healthcare workers, who play a vital role in managing the COVID-19 pandemic, in terms of the quality of sleep, levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms, stress and to determine the factors that affect their mental health.

Methods: The research was conducted in April 2020 and incorporated a total of 79 participants working in an university hospital ICUs in Turkey. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 42 (DASS-42), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were applied.

Results: Among the participants, 58 individuals comprising 73.4% of the cohort were working in the ICUs, managing patients infected with COVID-19. Those working in ICUs with COVID-19 patients had significantly higher DASS-S, BAI, and BDI scores. Doctors' BDI scores were significantly lower compared to both nurses and other healthcare workers. Participants exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms manifested significantly higher BAI scores in compared to those without such symptoms.

Conclusion: Healthcare workers involved in ICUs with COVID-19 patients were more significantly affected psychologically, doctors had lower depressive symptoms as compared to other healthcare workers. In addition, individuals with COVID-19 symptoms demonstrated significantly higher levels of anxiety. The findings of our study emphasize the significance of providing psychological support to healthcare workers throughout pandemics.

Keywords: COVID-19; anxiety; depression; healthcare workers; intensive care unit; mental health; sleep quality; stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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