ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Year : 2023 | Volume
: 11 | Issue : 1 | Page : 36--43
Long-term psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic: Anxiety and depression among physicians in a tertiary referral hospital
Jumanah Abdulrahman Jarad1, Fatima Mohammed Aldohilan1, Raghad Zohier Ghulam1, Rania Zaki Fallatah1, Amal Khamess Alzahrani1, Dalia Yahia M El Kheir2, Noor Reyadh Alibrahim3
1 King Fahd Hospital of the University, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
2 Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
3 Department of Psychiatry, King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia
Correspondence Address:
Fatima Mohammed Aldohilan
College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Eastern Province
Saudi Arabia
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.
How to cite this article:
Jarad JA, Aldohilan FM, Ghulam RZ, Fallatah RZ, Alzahrani AK, El Kheir DY, Alibrahim NR. Long-term psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic: Anxiety and depression among physicians in a tertiary referral hospital.Saudi J Med Med Sci 2023;11:36-43
|
How to cite this URL:
Jarad JA, Aldohilan FM, Ghulam RZ, Fallatah RZ, Alzahrani AK, El Kheir DY, Alibrahim NR. Long-term psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic: Anxiety and depression among physicians in a tertiary referral hospital. Saudi J Med Med Sci [serial online] 2023 [cited 2023 Mar 26 ];11:36-43
Available from: https://www.sjmms.net/article.asp?issn=1658-631X;year=2023;volume=11;issue=1;spage=36;epage=43;aulast=Jarad;type=0 |
|
