Risk and Protective Factors for the Mental Health of Brazilian Healthcare Workers in the Frontline of COVID-19 Pandemic

Author(s)

Osorio, Flavia L. ^{[1, 2]} ; Machado Silveira, Isabella Lara ^[1] ; Pereira-Lima, Karina ^[3] ; de Souza Crippa, Jose Alexandre ^{[1, 2]} ; Cecilio Hallak, Jaime Eduardo ^{[1, 2]} ; Zuardi, Antonio Waldo ^{[1, 2]} ; Loureiro, Sonia Regina ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Med Sch Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Natl Council Sci & Technol Dev, Natl Inst Sci & Techonol Translat Med, Brasilia, DF - Brazil

^[3] Fed Univ Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Psychiat & Med Psychol, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY; v. 12, JUL 28 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

The objective was to compare the mental health indicators of health workers providing care to individuals with COVID-19 in Brazil, considering sociodemographic and occupational variables and the risk perception of contamination by the Sars-CoV-2 of workers from different professions, identifying risk and protective factors. A sample of 916 health workers was assessed: physicians, nursing workers, and workers from other professions (psychologists, physical therapists, nutritionists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, dentists, pharmacists, and social workers). REDCAP software was used to collect data online, using standardized instruments to assess anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress, and insomnia, and one questionnaire addressed risk and protective variables. Statistical techniques for comparing groups were used along with logistic regression analysis. The results revealed that all the groups presented indicators of significant mental health problems (>36%), especially the nursing group. A larger percentage of participants, regardless of the profession, presented a high rate of insomnia disorders, while posttraumatic stress was the least expressive. Occupational variables stand out as risk factors for mental health, with specificities among the different groups. A protective factor for all the groups was having positive professional prospects. The protective factors for the physicians group included support provided by co-workers, being older and a man, while being satisfied with physical protective measures implemented by the employing institution was a protective factor for the groups composed of nursing workers and other professionals. These findings are relevant for devising mental health care strategies. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/50891-1 - INCT 2014: Translational Medicine
• Grantee: Jaime Eduardo Cecilio Hallak
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants