Coronavirus Update: Anxiety And Depression Rates In Healthcare Workers Strikingly High

New research claimed a significant number of healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients are exhibiting symptoms of anxiety, depression, and insomnia as well.

The researchers from Zhejuang University School of Medicine conducted a survey of over 1,200 health workers in China.

Their findings revealed the following:

• About 50% of healthcare workers reported mild depression.
• 14% of physicians and about 16% of nurses reported moderate or severe depressive symptoms.
• 34% reported insomnia.
• 45% reported anxiety symptoms.
• Nearly 72% reported psychological distress.
• The highest risk for depression and anxiety symptoms were noted among women professionals and those with intermediate seniority roles, and
• Nurses, and frontline healthcare workers in Wuhan experienced more severe degrees of all measurements of mental health symptoms compared to others.

“Together, our findings present concerns about the psychological well-being of physicians and nurses involved in the acute COVID-19 outbreak," Medscape Medical News quoted the study’s investigators led by Jianbo Lai, MSc. “Protecting healthcare workers is an important component of public health measures for addressing the COVID-19 epidemic. Special interventions to promote mental well-being in health care workers exposed to COVID-19 need to be immediately implemented, with women, nurses, and frontline workers requiring particular attention,” they added.

Their team conducted a cross-sectional survey of 1257 healthcare workers in 34 different hospitals across the country, including the coronavirus outbreak’s epicenter Wuhan. The survey respondents included nurses, physicians, and frontline healthcare workers, who were engaged in the direct diagnosis, treatment as well as care of patients infected with the coronavirus. The survey was conducted between January 29 and February 3 -- a period when the total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in China crossed 10,000.

While it is important to acknowledge that it is normal to feel anxious and worried about this situation, some amount of anxiety can also be helpful in reminding us to take precautions and protective measures. Also, healthcare providers might be experiencing heightened levels of anxiety since they are helpless in this situation, Jacqueline Bullis, Ph.D., a psychologist specializing in anxiety told Medscape Medical News in an interview.

“It is important to practice acceptance of whatever negative emotions they are feeling in the moment and remember that that anxiety will dissipate with time. Be compassionate of their own anxiety and the anxiety of others. Sometimes as healthcare providers we put expectations on ourselves to not feel anxious, but we are all human and all struggling through this," Medscape Medical News Quoted Bullis.