Immediate Psychological Impact of COVID 19 Pandemic on Mental Health of Pediatric Healthcare Workers

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has been effecting the world since December, 2019. Front line healthcare professionals faced increased stress level while dealing with overload of patients. Hence it triggered feelings of loneliness, despair and physical mental fatigue. Objective: To determine the immediate psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health of pediatric healthcare workers by using Depression Anxiety Stress scoring scale, DASS-21 scale. Methods: This cross-sectional online survey was conducted from 1st July to 30th November 2020 in the department of Pediatric Medicine Unit II, King Edward Medical University/Mayo Hospital, Lahore. A 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress scoring scale was circulated online among Healthcare workers of Teaching hospitals of Lahore. These included Pediatric Specialists, General Physicians, Postgraduate Trainees in Paeds Medicine, House Officers in Paeds Medicine and Pediatric Nurses. 150 Healthcare workers (HCWs) participated. Responses were analyzed with SPSS V.26. Results: Out of 150 healthcare workers, 101(67.3%) were falling in the range of 20-30 years, 76(50.7%) were females, 81(54%) were singles, maximum 59(39.3%) were postgraduate trainees and majority 65(43.4%) had <2 years working experience. Overall, 121(80.7%) HCWs had depression, 116(77.3%) had anxiety and 80(50.3%) had stress in some form. Regarding marital status, married showed significant association more with anxiety 59(85%), (p=0.007) and stress 26(37.7%), (p=0.001). Similarly, postgraduate trainees were significantly affected, with 54(91.5%) showing anxiety (p=0.005), while 23(39%) showed severe to extremely severe forms of stress (p=0.021). Conclusion: HCWs, esp. married or postgraduate trainees, are more prone to be affected by Depression, anxiety and stress during pandemics.