ABSTRACT
Background: COVID-19 pandemic has caused an extraordinary situation, especially for the healthcare workers (HCWs), leading to increased psychological stress. The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of different grades of anxiety and depression across different centers in the Philippines and identify demographic factors associated with them. Design and Method: A cross-sectional, web-based, multi-center study was conducted among HCWs of Philippines from April 20- May 20, 2020. The study instruments used were the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Risk perception scores were analyzed using Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis test. Logistic regression was done to identify factors significantly associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression determined. Results: A total of 516 HCWs were included in the study. Most of them have anxiety symptoms (70.74%), but only half of them have symptoms of depression (50.97%). In addition, gender, age, marital status, living status, occupation, work premises, and availability of mental health services were significantly associated with the participants' anxiety symptoms. In contrast, gender, marital status, occupation, and work premises were significantly associated with depression symptoms. Conclusion: This study reiterates the fact and demonstrates that COVID-19 has disrupted the mental well-being of HCWs in the Philippines. Majority of HCW was psychologically affected by COVID-19. Therefore, there is a dire need to address mental illness amongst HCWs and frame guidelines based on proven algorithms to overcome these mental illnesses.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, psychological reactions of the population play a critical role in both the spread of the disease and the occurrence of emotional distress and social disorder. AIM: This study aimed to measure the prevalence and severity of psychological distress to evaluate the current mental health burden on society that leads to the provision of a concrete basis for tailoring and implementing relevant mental health intervention policies to efficiently and effectively respond to the challenges brought by the pandemic. METHODS: An anonymous, internet-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted from March to April 2020. In this regard, a structured online questionnaire was utilized to collect sociodemographic data and the COVID-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index (CPDI). Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the sociodemographic and prevalence of CPDI among respondents. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify significant predictors of distress. RESULTS: Most of the respondents did not feel distressed about COVID-19 (52.1%), whereas 39.5% and 8.4% had mild-to-moderate and severe distress. The regression analysis demonstrated that higher religion and faithfulness levels, lower levels of education, and living in Mindanao (unlike those living in the Visayas) were associated with lower levels of psychological distress among the Filipino respondents during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Policy-makers and practitioners in the in Filipino society need to consider key factors such as religion, education, and the region where they live in to reduce psychological distress among Filipinos.