From Recession to Depression? Prevalence and Correlates of Depression, Anxiety, Traumatic Stress and Burnout in Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece: A Multi-Center, Cross-Sectional Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to adversely affect the mental health of healthcare workers (HCWs). The public healthcare system in Greece was already facing serious challenges at the outset of the outbreak following years of austerity and an escalating refugee crisis. This multi-center, cross-sectional study aims to assess the levels and associated risk factors of anxiety, depression, traumatic stress and burnout of frontline staff in Greece. A total of 464 self-selected HCWs in six reference hospitals completed a questionnaire comprising sociodemographic and work-related information and validated psychometric scales. The proportion of HCWs with symptoms of moderate/severe depression, anxiety and traumatic stress were 30%, 25% and 33%, respectively. Burnout levels were particularly high with 65% of respondents scoring moderate/severe in emotional exhaustion, 92% severe in depersonalization and 51% low/moderate in personal accomplishment. Predictive factors of adverse psychological outcomes included fear, perceived stress, risk of infection, lack of protective equipment and low social support. The psychological burden associated with COVID-19 in healthcare professionals in Greece is considerable, with more than half experiencing at least mild mental health difficulties. Findings signal the need for immediate organizational and individually tailored interventions to enhance resilience and support wellbeing under pandemic conditions.

Initial Real-Life Experience from a Designated COVID-19 Centre in Athens, Greece: a Proposed Therapeutic Algorithm.

We report our initial experience with the management of a mixed group of patients with COVID-19 infection, admitted and treated in a designated COVID-19 centre in the Athens Metropolitan area over a 4-week period. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic presented a huge challenge to the Greek National Healthcare System and healthcare workers. Their response so far has been miraculously effective. Since there are essentially no therapeutic guidelines yet for this disease, we relied mainly on our medical intuition, our empathy for our patients and team work to do the best possible for 49 people with this infection. We present the therapeutic algorithm we gradually developed (on the job) and applied in our patients, based on continuous creative brainstorming and monitoring of the literature.

[Is major depression in middle-aged men correlated with bone density decrease? A study on Greek population].

During the last 10 years there has been an increasing interest in studying the coexistence of osteoporosis and depression in the male population, due to the increased morbidity and mortality in the patients' life. The present retrospective study evaluates the effect of major depression on the bone density of Greek middle-aged men. By using the method of dual-energy X-rays absorptiometry (DEXA) we reviewed the bone mineral density (BMD) studies performed in the lumbar spine (LS) and/or femoral neck, in 97 men of the white race, aged 55 years with mean age±standard deviation (SD)= 65±10.6 years, and body mass index (BMI) 30.2±4. The patients were divided in two groups, based on the coexistence (Group A) or absence of major depression (Group B). In group A men, the incidence of osteoporosis was 34.8% and osteopenia 39.5%, while in group B the corresponding percentages were 9.3% and 42.6%. Statistically significant difference was observed in mean BMD between Group A (0.876±0.170) and Group B (0.961±0.136) at the level of P=0.008, and also in mean T score (-1.72±1.57 versus -1.06±1.17) at the level of P value: 0.02 in both groups, while the diagnosis of osteoporosis between the two groups was statistically significantly different too (P=0.001. Pearson R: 0.3, P=0.004). Furthermore, the model of multiple linear regression and ANOVA table revealed statistically significantly depression of 0.252 and 0.575 units in mean BMD value and mean T score respectively in man with major depression in comparison to a mentally healthy man of the same age and BMI (regression coefficient b, P< 0.02). In conclusion, we observed statistically significant difference in mean BMD and mean T score values between major depression and mentally healthy men. Moreover, almost triple relative risk for the development of osteoporosis was shown in men with depression as compared to mentally healthy men (RR: 3.8, P=0.02). Cortisone intake, hypertension and smoking were statistically independent factors for male depression and BMD. The clarification of the underlying interactive mechanism between major depression, sympathetic system activation, age and bone resorption is important.