The deterioration of mental health among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 outbreak: A population-based cohort study of workers in Japan.
Scand J Work Environ Health
; 46(6): 639-644, 2020 11 01.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-750489
ABSTRACT
Objectives This study compared the longitudinal change in the mental health of healthcare and non-healthcare workers during two months of the COVID-19 outbreak in Japan. Methods Data were derived from a prospective online cohort study of 1448 full-time employees in Japan. Participants were surveyed at baseline from 19-22 March 2020 (T1) and at follow-up from 22-26 May 2020 (T2). A self-administered online questionnaire was used to assess participants' fear and worry of COVID-19, psychological distress, and physical symptoms at T1 and T2. A series of generalized linear models were created to assess changes in outcomes between healthcare and non-healthcare workers. Demographic variables (ie, sex, age, marital status, child[ren], education, and residential area) were included in the models as covariates. Results A total of 1032 participants completed the follow-up questionnaire at T2 (follow-up rate, 72.6%). After excluding unemployed respondents (N=17), the final sample comprised 1015 full-time employees (111 healthcare and 904 non-healthcare workers). After adjusting for the covariates, psychological distress (and subscales of fatigue, anxiety, and depression) as well as fear and worry of COVID-19 increased statistically significantly more among healthcare than non-healthcare workers from T1 to T2. Conclusions Psychological distress, together with fear and worry of COVID-19, increased more among healthcare compared to non-healthcare workers during the COVID-19 outbreak. The study confirmed that healthcare workers are an important target for mental healthcare during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Pneumonia, Viral
/
Stress, Psychological
/
Disease Outbreaks
/
Health Personnel
/
Coronavirus Infections
/
Clinical Deterioration
Type of study:
Cohort study
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Observational study
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Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
English
Journal:
Scand J Work Environ Health
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Sjweh.3922
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