Mental health of nursing professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the prevalence of and factors associated with: (1) major depressive episodes; (2) minor psychiatric disorders (MPDs); and (3) suicidal ideation among nursing professionals from a municipality in southern Brazil. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, we recruited 890 nursing professionals linked to 50 Primary Care units, 2 walk-in clinics, 2 hospital services, 1 emergency room service, 1 mobile emergency care service, and 1 teleconsultation service, in addition to the municipal epidemiological surveillance service and the vacancy regulation center between June and July 2020. We used the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Self-Reporting Questionnaire to evaluate the studied outcomes. Associations between the outcomes and variables related to sociodemographic profile, work, health conditions, and daily life were explored using Poisson regression models with robust variance estimators. RESULTS: The observed prevalence of depression, MPDs, and suicidal ideation were 36.6%, 44%, and 7.4%, respectively. MPDs were associated with the assessment of support received by the service as 'regular' (PR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.19-1.85) or 'poor' (PR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.23-1.94), with a reported moderate (PR: 1.63; 95% CI: 1.29-2.07), or heavy (PR: 2.54; 95% CI: 2.05-3.15) workload, and with suspected COVID-19 infection (PR: 1.44; 95% CI: 1.25-1.66). Major depressive episodes were associated with a reported lack of personal protective equipment (PR: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.01-1.42), whereas suicidal ideation was inversely related to per capita income > 3 minimum monthly wages (PR: 0.28; 95% CI: 0.11-0.68), and positively related to the use of psychotropic drugs (PR: 3.14; 95% CI: 1.87-5.26). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that nursing professionals' working conditions are associated with their mental health status. The need to improve working conditions through adequate dimensioning, support and proper biosafety measures is only heightened in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mental health of nursing professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE To identify the prevalence of and factors associated with: (1) major depressive episodes;(2) minor psychiatric disorders (MPDs);and (3) suicidal ideation among nursing professionals from a municipality in southern Brazil. METHODS Using a cross-sectional design, we recruited 890 nursing professionals linked to 50 Primary Care units, 2 walk-in clinics, 2 hospital services, 1 emergency room service, 1 mobile emergency care service, and 1 teleconsultation service, in addition to the municipal epidemiological surveillance service and the vacancy regulation center between June and July 2020. We used the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Self-Reporting Questionnaire to evaluate the studied outcomes. Associations between the outcomes and variables related to sociodemographic profile, work, health conditions, and daily life were explored using Poisson regression models with robust variance estimators. RESULTS The observed prevalence of depression, MPDs, and suicidal ideation were 36.6%, 44%, and 7.4%, respectively. MPDs were associated with the assessment of support received by the service as ‘regular’ (PR: 1.48;95% CI: 1.19–1.85) or ‘poor’ (PR: 1.54;95% CI: 1.23–1.94), with a reported moderate (PR: 1.63;95% CI: 1.29–2.07), or heavy (PR: 2.54;95% CI: 2.05–3.15) workload, and with suspected COVID-19 infection (PR: 1.44;95% CI: 1.25–1.66). Major depressive episodes were associated with a reported lack of personal protective equipment (PR: 1.20;95% CI: 1.01–1.42), whereas suicidal ideation was inversely related to per capita income > 3 minimum monthly wages (PR: 0.28;95% CI: 0.11–0.68), and positively related to the use of psychotropic drugs (PR: 3.14;95% CI: 1.87–5.26). CONCLUSION Our results suggest that nursing professionals’ working conditions are associated with their mental health status. The need to improve working conditions through adequate dimensioning, support and proper biosafety measures is only heightened in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Online mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: Identify users, services, and reasons for seeking online mental health care during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A descriptive, retrospective study, with documentary analysis of medical records of users served between April and July 2020. RESULTS: Of the 258 accesses, 159 were complete, and 99 were offline messages. Although there were 61 (38.36%) consultations in May, in April, there were 49 (30.82%) in 18 days of reception. More than 89% of accesses were women between 40 and 59 years. Among the motivations in the search for care, anxiety, fear, depression, sadness, crying, stress, and suicidal ideation stand out. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: Chat is a quick, early and short-wait intervention opportunity for people in need of mental health care. Therefore, the study emphasizes the importance of investing in the training of nursing professionals to act in mental health.