Concerns, attitudes and comparison of the COVID-19 impact epidemic on the mental state of medical and nonmedical employees
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1
Department of Psychiatry Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
2
Institute of Psychology, SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Poznan, Poland
3
Department of Clinical Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland
Submission date: 2020-06-05
Acceptance date: 2020-08-29
Online publication date: 2022-04-30
Publication date: 2022-04-30
Psychiatr Pol 2022;56(2):277-288
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ABSTRACT
Objectives:
SARS-CoV-2 pandemic currently plays a significant role in the functioning of the whole society. In the literature, you can come across the researches that draw attention to the co-existence of an epidemiological threat with mental disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders, sleep disorders and addiction. They emphasize the increased risk of these disorders among the medical staff. The aim of this study is to compare the manifestation of anxiety and depression disorders and attempt to identify factors influencing their occurrence among healthcare system employees and nonmedical staff.
Methods:
A survey was conducted with participation of 921 people using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale Modified (HADS-M) scale and a survey prepared to assess the attitudes of the respondents towards the epidemic.
Results:
The obtained results allow to state that the examined groups do not differ in the level of perceived anxiety or the level of depression, however, they had different attitudes towards the epidemic. A number of factors increasing the risk of these disorders occurrence have been identified. Among medical professions, nurses are the professional group particularly vulnerable to anxiety disorders.
Conclusions:
The epidemic has a significant impact on human mental well-being. Recognizing the factors increasing the risk of mental disorders and their prevalence during an epidemic can help identify these who are particularly at risk of developing them. The knowledge resulting from empirical explorations is the basis for implementing preventive and therapeutic measures among people affected by mental disorders during the pandemic.