Socio-occupational factors associated with anxiety, depression and stress in health professionals of the Peruvian highlands during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

COVID-19 has generated an unprecedented pandemic. This scenario could affect the mental health of healthcare personnel, influencing their work performance with the possibility of leaving long-term sequelae. The objective was to determine the socio-occupational factors associated with suffering from anxiety, depression and stress in health professionals in the Peruvian highlands during the pandemic. Cross-sectional study. Doctors and other professionals at the Ramiro Priale Priale National Hospital in the Peruvian highlands were surveyed virtually. Depression, anxiety and stress were measured with the DASS-21 scale;these were associated with different socio-labour variables. More severe depression was found at older ages and if a family member had been ill at home, but less severe depression was found among those who had children, those who had more years of professional practice and those who had social security. Those who had children had less anxiety;less severe anxiety and those who had a relative away from home who became ill;on the other hand, those who worked more hours per day had more moderate anxiety, severe anxiety if the respondent had become ill and both types if a family member had died had more moderate anxiety. Those who worked more hours per day and those who had a deceased family member had more stress. The most relevant characteristics of health workers with mental health problems were older age, family history of COVID-19, history of death of a family member from COVID-19 and longer working hours.