Elevated depressive symptoms among newer and younger healthcare workers in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Neuropsychopharmacol Rep
; 41(4): 544-547, 2021 12.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1499302
ABSTRACT
AIM:
Depression is a frequent outcome of long-term stress, but no studies have examined depression rates among Japanese healthcare workers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, we conducted a web-based interview of hospital employees to assess depression prevalence and factors.METHODS:
This observational cohort study was conducted from July to August, 2020, as part of a mandatory health checkup of Juntendo University Hospital employees (Tokyo, Japan). A total of 4239 participants completed a web-based questionnaire on medical history and current health status. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) was used for self-assessment, with a score of ≥16 considered to indicate depression.RESULTS:
Among all employees, the proportion of depression was 31.3% in 2020, the highest measured in the last 10 years and substantially greater than the pre-pandemic value in 2019 (27.5%). The proportion of depression for 2020 was significantly higher in new recruits than in employees with more than 2 years of experience (47.0% vs 29.9%, respectively, P < .0001) and in new recruits in 2019 (26.4%, P < .0001). When subdivided by occupation, nurses demonstrated the highest depression rate (43.2%), followed by paramedics (35.1%) and clerks (31.6%), whereas residents (22.9%), doctors (20.4%), teaching staff (18.0%), and part-time staff (15.3%) reported lower depression rates. The positive CES-D score significantly correlated with age (P < .0001).CONCLUSIONS:
Younger and newer employees demonstrated the highest rates of depression independent of occupation. Therefore, mental healthcare programs focusing on these vulnerable groups need to be established.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Personnel, Hospital
/
Depression
/
Pandemics
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Qualitative research
/
Randomized controlled trials
Topics:
Long Covid
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
English
Journal:
Neuropsychopharmacol Rep
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Npr2.12217
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