Anxiety and depression among nursing students during the COVID-19 lockdown: A cross-sectional correlational study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence and levels of anxiety and depression symptoms among nursing students during the coronavirus lockdown, and to examine factors associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression on this population. BACKGROUND: Nursing students deal with diverse stressors during their university lives. Confinement measures during COVID-19 outbreak may have influenced students' mental health and well-being. Anxiety and depression are common among nursing students due to different factors. Evidence relating to anxiety and depression in nursing student population during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is limited. DESIGN: A cross-sectional descriptive co-relational study during the lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak in Spain was conducted. METHODS: An online questionnaire was developed by using google forms. Sociodemographic characteristics form, and the Spanish version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were used. Spanish nursing students across the country were enrolled. Data collection was performed between 4 April 2020 and 21 April 2020. A multivariate analysis was performed to determine the association between sociodemographic variables, COVID-19 and HADS scores. RESULTS: 1319 participants were enrolled. The sample was formed by 87.1% female students with a mean age of 22 years (SD ± 5.677). We found a mean score of 8.47 ± 4.104 on Scale HADS-Anxiety and 6.80 ± 2.988 on HADS-Depression. 31.6% students presented abnormal scores of anxiety symptoms, and only 11.4% participants revealed abnormal scores on HADS-Depression. CONCLUSIONS: The reported prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms on nursing students during the COVID-19 lockdown is 56.4% and 38.2%, respectively. 43.6% of the sample scored normal anxiety levels, and 61.8% obtained normal depression levels. Higher anxiety and depression levels were statistically associated with being a first-year student, being a smoker, feeling fear, feeling stress and having any close family member infected. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: These data should be valuable for detection and for further treatment decision of this disorders at the initial stage and could be important to prevent further damages to mental health and promote physical, psychological and well-being among this population.

Emotional Burden among Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Cross Sectional Study.

This study aims to investigate the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms among Spanish community pharmacists and pharmacy technicians during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown. A descriptive cross-sectional quantitative study was designed. An online survey was administered to participants from 4 to 21 April 2020 using a questionnaire assessing sociodemographic information and the Spanish version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Informed consent to participate was requested. Participants comprised 1162 pharmacy staff from Spain with an average age of 39.15 ± 9.718, from 20 to 65 years old, of whom 83% were women, and 50.6% were married. More than half of the participants expressed symptoms of depression (62.7%) and anxiety (70.9%). An important prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms has been detected among Spanish pharmacists and pharmacy technicians during the COVID-19 lockdown. Being a woman, smoking, feeling fear, feeling stress and believing that pharmacists/pharmacy technicians are very exposed to COVID-19 seem to be associated with higher HADS scores.

Psychological impact of COVID19 on community pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.

BACKGROUND: The unique situation related to the COVID-19 outbreak and the consequent worldwide lockdown can have a psychological impact on specific populations. Community pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, as essential healthcare workers on the front line who continue to do their jobs during this pandemic, can also experience psychological distress. Few data are available on the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemics on this population. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the psychological impact of COVID-19 on Spanish community pharmacists and pharmacy technicians during lockdown, and to identify factors contributing to psychological distress. METHODS: A cross-sectional, quantitative, correlational study was designed including 1162 pharmacy team members. The Impact of Event Scale revised was used to assess the psychological impact. Data collection was performed by emailing the instrument to individuals or by using social networks. RESULTS: Overall participants, almost 70% revealed severe levels of psychological impact. The outbreak of COVID-19 has significantly affected community pharmacy workers, the degree of which is related to gender, age, and feelings of fear/stress. CONCLUSIONS: In the initial phase of the lockdown associated with the COVID-19 outbreak, the majority of the respondents rated the psychological impact as severe. Our findings allow for the identification of factors associated with a greater psychological impact.