Healthcare workers' distress and perceived discrimination related to COVID-19 in Colombia.

ABSTRACT

This study examined the association of perceived discrimination related to COVID-19 with psychological distress in healthcare workers in the Colombian Caribbean region. The authors designed and conducted a cross-sectional study, recruiting a non-probabilistic sample by email or instant messaging. Participants filled out a questionnaire including scales for perceived discrimination, anxiety, depression, perceived stress related to COVID-19, and suicide risk. Healthcare workers (n = 150) aged 18 to 68 years participated; of these, 72% were women, and the breakdown by occupation was 39.3% nursing assistants, 18.0% nurses, and 42.7% physicians. Perceived discrimination scores showed positive correlations with depressive symptoms among nursing assistants and physicians (rs  = 0.34), and suicide risk in nursing assistants (rs  = 0.35) and physicians (rs  = 0.31). Among nurses, all measurements were independent of perceived discrimination. Nursing assistants scored highest in perceived discrimination. Physicians scored higher for COVID-19 perceived stress than nursing assistants, and nurses showed similar scores to physicians. In conclusion, perceived discrimination is related to depressive symptoms and suicide risk among nursing assistants and physicians. Nursing assistants report more perceived discrimination than nurses and physicians.