Mental health among healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand

Revisiting the prevalence of psychological symptoms among health care workers in Saudi Arabia during COVID-19

OBJECTIVES

To analyze the existing literature on the prevalence of psychological symptoms in healthcare workers (HCWs) in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The review will evaluate the assessment methods used for measuring the prevalence of psychological symptoms and critically review the literature's findings concerning psychological support for HCWs.

METHODS

All articles were selected from the PubMed database and reviewed for potential inclusion in March 2023. The articles were screened following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses protocol. Assessment of the quality and risk of bias in the included studies was guided using the prevalence critical appraisal tool criteria.

RESULTS

We identified 7 articles that investigated the prevalence of psychological symptoms among HCWs in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. We determined the studies' characteristics and classified and explained various themes. These themes included the prevalence of psychological symptoms found in HCWs, the study designs, the tools used to assess psychological symptoms in HCWs, and the potential impact of the studies on the mental health challenges faced by HCWs due to COVID-19. We also examined the quality and risk of bias in the included studies.

CONCLUSION

This review's findings provide valuable insights into the psychological symptoms experienced by HCWs during the pandemic. To ensure the consistency of the results, it is essential to reevaluate the prevalence of these symptoms and use a culturally sensitive approach to translating the measures. This review lays the groundwork for future research on psychological symptoms and the interpretation of measurement outcomes.PROSPERO No. ID: CRD42024479813.

Exploring the relationships between resilience, burnout, work engagement, and intention to leave among nurses in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Nurses have faced significant personal and professional stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic that have contributed to increased rates of burnout, intention to leave, and poorer work engagement. Resilience has been identified as a critical factor influencing job outcomes; however, the dynamics of this association have not yet been investigated within the context of the Thai workforce. The study objective was to determine the associations between resilience and job outcomes, including burnout, intention to leave, and work engagement among nurses working in Thailand during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study gathered data from a sample of 394 registered nurses employed across 12 hospitals. The research instruments comprised the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Health Services Survey (MBI-HSS), a questionnaire assessing the intention to leave the job, and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). To determine the associations among the measured variables, multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

One-third of nurses experienced emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, and about half experienced reduced personal accomplishment; one-tenth of nurses intended to leave their job. Nurses who exhibited higher levels of resilience were found to have a significantly reduced likelihood of experiencing high emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a diminished sense of personal accomplishment. Conversely, these nurses were more likely to report higher levels of work engagement than their less resilience.

CONCLUSION

The COVID-19 pandemic offers important lessons learned about promoting the well-being of the nursing workforce and protecting against adverse job outcomes. While we identified resilience as a significant predictor of several nurse outcomes, other work environment factors should be considered. Government and hospital administrations should allocate resources for individual and organizational-level interventions to promote resilience among frontline nurses so that hospitals will be better prepared for the next public health emergency and patient and nurse outcomes can be optimized.

Mental health status and related factors influencing healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The mental health of healthcare workers during the coronavirus-2019 pandemic was seriously affected, and the risk of mental health problems was high. The present study sought to systematically evaluate the mental health problems of healthcare workers worldwide during the pandemic and to determine the latest global frequency of COVID-19 associated mental health problems.

METHODS

Data in the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), EMBASE, Elsevier, MEDLINE, PubMed, PsycINFO and the Web of Science before November 11, 2022, were systematically searched. Cohort, case-control and cross-sectional studies were included. The meta-analysis used a random effects model to synthesize the comprehensive prevalence rate of mental health problems. Subgroup analyses were performed based on time of data collection; whether the country was or was not developed; continent; doctors and nurses; doctors/nurses vs. other healthcare workers; and psychological evaluation scale.

RESULTS

A total of 161 studies were included, including 341,014 healthcare workers worldwide, with women accounting for 82.8%. Occupationally, 16.2% of the healthcare workers were doctors, 63.6% were nurses and 13.3% were other medical staff. During the pandemic, 47% (95% confidence interval [CI], 35-60%) of healthcare workers reported job burnout, 38% (95% CI, 35-41%) experienced anxiety, 34% (95% CI 30-38%) reported depression, 30% (95% CI, 29-31%) had acute stress disorder, and 26% (95% CI, 21-31%) had post-traumatic stress disorder.

CONCLUSIONS

The study found that there were common mental health problems among health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most common was job burnout, followed by anxiety, depression, acute stress and post-traumatic stress disorder. Although the global pandemic has been brought under control, its long-term impact on the mental health of healthcare workers cannot be ignored. Additional research is required to develop measures to prevent, monitor and treat psychological disorders among healthcare workers.

Re-examining provider perceptions of best pre-war practices: what elements can help opiate agonist therapy programs in Ukraine successfully survive the crisis?

Purpose

This paper seeks to explore and understand what constitutes successful opioid agonist therapy (OAT) programs from the views of Ukrainian OAT providers in their context-specific accounts. Prior to the ongoing war the Ukrainian addiction treatment system made great strides to expand its OAT program and increase the number of patients. Since the beginning of the war there has been much alarm that those hard-earned successes will be destroyed. However, emerging evidence suggests that the Ukrainian OAT programs have shown signs of resilience in the face of adversity albeit at great cost. What aspects of the OAT programs developed prior to the crisis have been helpful to allow them to weather the storm? Using the data from 24 addiction treatment providers, this paper describes the essential elements of the OAT programs that preceded the current crisis which made them robust over time. By examining the narratives of the participants interviewed pre-war and pre-COVID-19 the paper reveals structural and cultural elements of the OAT programs before the perfect storm that are likely to endure. To the best of our knowledge, no one else has investigated OAT providers perspectives in Ukraine prior to the crisis which makes this paper extremely salient to understand both the robustness and the vulnerability of MAT programs in Ukraine during the war and going forward.

Methodology

The data come from qualitative semi-structured interviews with 24 OAT providers throughout 5 regions of Ukraine. Participants included front-line clinicians, head narcologists, and chief doctors from TB clinics, district hospitals and drug addiction centers. Using a coding scheme of 103 inductively developed categories we explored participants' perceptions of their OAT program.

Findings

In the stories shared by clinicians pre crisis, three major interconnected themes focused on economic uncertainty at the institutional level (leading to under-staffing), structural capacity of the program, and clinicians' professional identity, shaping differing views on application of rules for administrative discharge, take-home dosing, and the potential for scale-up. Knowing the data collection was completely unbiased to the current crisis, interpreting the findings helps us understand that OAT clinicians have had "years" of training under conditions of duress in Ukraine to overcome barriers, find creative solutions and form a support network that became indispensable in surviving the current humanitarian catastrophe.

Conclusion

In the discussion we point out that the current crisis magnified the pre-existing challenges as the providers approach toward overcoming them was already largely present before the crisis (just on a different scale). The underlying fragility of resources was a constant since OAT inception in Ukraine. Historically, providers in Ukraine operated in a system that was under-funded in the absence of solid governmental funding for OAT programs, yet they came up with solutions which required ingenuity that they took pride in. This gives hope that addiction treatment in Ukraine and OAT programs will not be casualties of this humanitarian crisis and providers and their patients will persevere.

Factors affecting the work passion of physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study in Thailand

PURPOSE

This qualitative study explores the factors influencing physicians' work passion during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Thai medical context.

METHODS

Using an appreciative inquiry (AI) approach, we conducted qualitative interviews with 30 physicians from a public hospital in Thailand to investigate the factors that influence passion for their professional work (work passion).

RESULTS

Our analysis revealed 12 codes influencing physician work passion, which were grouped into four themes: job factors (meaningful work, challenging tasks, task accomplishment, autonomy, work-life balance); organizational factors (fairness, positive environment); relationship factors (having a role model, psychological support, collaboration, recognition and respect); and individual factors (spiritual drive).

CONCLUSION

These findings contribute to developing knowledge about work passion among physicians and provide information to develop effective strategies to harness and manage work passion, thus improving clinical practice and healthcare outcomes. This qualitative study sheds light on the factors that influence physician work passion during the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand, providing valuable information for future research and guiding the development of strategies to optimize work passion and its impact on clinical practice.

Predictors of compassion satisfaction among healthcare professionals working in intensive care units: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of compassion satisfaction, related factors, and predictors among healthcare professionals in Thai intensive care units.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 12 intensive care units at a university hospital in Thailand from August to November 2022. All nurses and doctors were invited to complete an anonymous online survey which included: the Professional Quality of Life Scale version 5, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Passion Scale, Flourishing Scale, and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and hierarchical multiple regressions were used for data analysis in SPSS 28.0.

RESULTS

A total of 178 nurses and doctors participated (92.13% nurses, 89.89% female, mean 32.10 years). Average compassion satisfaction (assessed using the Professional Quality of Life Scale) was moderate, with a mean score of 37.94 (SD = 5.58). The final regression model predicting compassion satisfaction was significant and explained 65% of the variance in compassion satisfaction, F (11, 154) = 26.00, p < 0.001. Four out of 11 predictor variables made unique statistically significant contributions to the final model: resilience (β = 0.48, p < 0.001), harmonious passion (β = 0.24, p < 0.001), being a nurse (not a doctor; β = 0.17, p < 0.05), and holding a postgraduate qualification (β = 0.10, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Most healthcare professionals in critical care units have a moderate level of compassion satisfaction, which is correlated with resilience, flourishing, and harmonious passion. Resilience and harmonious passion predict compassion satisfaction. These factors are modifiable through intervention.

IMPLICATION FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE

Assessment of staff psychological well-being can identify those at risk for stress and impaired professional quality of life. Resilience and harmonious passion predict compassion satisfaction and can be modified through psychological interventions to promote psychological well-being and professional quality of life in healthcare workers in intensive care units.

Life Satisfaction Before and During COVID-19 Pandemic in Thailand

Objective: To investigate prevalence of life satisfaction in the Thai population before and during the COVID-19 epidemic, and factors associated with life satisfaction during the epidemic. Methods: Multistage sampling was used to draw a sample from the Thai population. A total of 3,115 Thai participants age 15 years or older from a nationally-representative longitudinal survey in 2019 and in 2021 were included in this study. The study applied the Scale with Life Satisfaction (SWLS) instrument to measure life satisfaction among the Thai population before and during the COVID-19 epidemic. Multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the association between life satisfaction and other variables. The follow-up survey response rate for individuals was 44.8%. Results: An average life satisfaction score during the COVID-19 epidemic (in 2021) was 22.4 which decreased from 25.5 before the COVID-19 epidemic (in 2019). More than one-third of the participants (36.5%) reported having less life satisfaction during the epidemic, which was nearly 20 percentage points higher than before the epidemic (17.7%). Controlling for life satisfaction in 2019, the analysis found statistical associations between demographic and economic characteristics and health-related behaviours, and life satisfaction during 2021. People in the older age cohorts (p ≤ 0.001), in a rural area (p ≤ 0.05), having higher education (p ≤ 0.001), still being employed (p ≤ 0.01) and becoming unemployed (p ≤ 0.01) had higher life satisfaction. The possibility of higher life satisfaction was also found in people who maintained good health (p ≤ 0.01), sufficient physical activity (p ≤ 0.001), and fruit and vegetable intake (p ≤ 0.01). People with income loss during the epidemic had lower life satisfaction (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: The findings suggest that policies and systems for resilience and social protection are needed for empowering individuals-especially the poor and vulnerable-to cope with crises, and improve health and wellbeing outcomes.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Polish Healthcare Staff in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic

INTRODUCTION

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many adverse phenomena, particularly in the area of health for both individuals and society as a whole. Healthcare staff also suffered dire consequences.

AIM

The aim of this study was to assess whether the COVID-19 pandemic increased the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder among healthcare professionals in Poland.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

The survey was conducted between 4 April 2022 and 4 May 2022. The study applied the Computer Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) technique using the standardised Peritraumatic Distress Inventory (PDI) questionnaire.

RESULTS

The average score obtained by the respondents on the PDI was 21.24 ± 8.97. There was a statistically significant difference between the average PDI score obtained based on the gender of the subject (Z = 3.873, p = 0.0001.) The score obtained amongst nurses was statistically significantly higher compared to the paramedic group (H = 6.998, p = 0.030). There was no statistically significant difference between the average PDI score obtained based on the age of the participants (F = 1.282, p = 0.281), nor with their length of service (F = 0.934, p = 0.424). A total of 82.44% of the respondents received 14 PDI points, the cut-off point indicating the risk of PTSD that was adopted in the study. It was concluded that 6.12% of respondents did not require intervention (<7 PDI score); 74.28% of respondents needed further follow-up for PTSD and a reassessment of the PDI approximately 6 weeks after the initial testing; and 19.59% required coverage for PTSD prevention and mitigation (>28 PDI score).

CONCLUSIONS

The study has shown a high risk of post-traumatic stress disorder among healthcare professionals in Poland. This risk is related to the gender of the respondents, with an indication of a higher risk of PTSD among women. The results have also shown a correlation between increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder and occupation, with nurses being the most affected group. In contrast, no association has been found in terms of age and length of service for an increase in the risk of PTSD, following exposure to trauma in relation to healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Stress coping strategies of Iranian healthcare staff during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed healthcare staff to mental distress. Given the importance of applying effective strategies to cope with stress caused by COVID-19, this study aimed to assess the stress-coping strategies of Iranian healthcare providers. This cross-sectional study was performed through a web-based survey. Data collection was done online using a demographic data questionnaire and the short form of Endler and Parker's coping inventory. The mean scores of task-oriented strategies (27.06 ± 5.13) were higher than avoidance-oriented (19.42 ± 5.77) and emotion-oriented strategies (18.45 ± 5.76), and the healthcare workers mainly used task-oriented styles to cope with COVID-19-related stress. There was a significant difference between the score of task-oriented strategy in terms of age groups (P < 0.001), work experience (P = 0.018), level of education (P < 0.001), having children (P = 0.002), and type of hospital (P = 0.028). The score of task-oriented strategies was lower in employees who were in the age group of 20-30 years and had less than 10 years of work experience, and it was higher in employees who had children, worked in private hospitals, and had a master's degree or higher. The score of emotion-oriented strategies in the age group of 51-60 years was significantly lower than other age groups (P < 0.01) and was significantly higher in employees with a bachelor's degree than those with a master's degree or higher (P = 0.017). There was no significant difference between the scores of avoidance-oriented strategies and any socio-demographic variables. According to the findings of this study, young and less experienced employees were more inclined to utilize emotion-oriented coping styles. Therefore, considering appropriate training programs for these employees to apply effective coping strategies is extremely important.

The COVID-19 pandemic and mental health outcomes - A cross-sectional study among health care workers in Coastal South India

Background: Frontline health care workers (HCWs) are at increased risk of developing unfavourable mental health outcomes and burnout, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing the early warning signs of mental distress is very important to ensure the provision of quality patient care. Methods: In this facility-based cross-sectional study, HCWs of the teaching hospitals affiliated to Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore were assessed regarding their mental health status using a semi-structured questionnaire. All doctors and nurses who were willing to participate from these teaching hospitals were included in the study. Data was collected over a period of four months (1 st March -30 th June 2021) till the required sample size was reached and analysed using IBM SPSS and expressed using mean (standard deviation), median (interquartile range), and proportions. Univariate analysis was done to identify the factors associated with mental health outcomes among the HCWs and the corresponding unadjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were reported. Results: A total of 245 HCWs [52.2% (n=128) doctors and 47.8% (n=117) nurses] were included in our study. The proportion of participants with depressive symptoms, anxiety, and insomnia assessed using PHQ-9, GAD-7, and ISI-7 scales were 49% (n=119), 38% (n=93), and 42% (n=102) respectively. Depression, anxiety, and insomnia were more likely to be experienced by HCWs aged > 27 years, females, and involved in COVID-19 patient care. (p>0.05) Conclusions:  Our findings that 38% of the examined HCWs had clinically relevant anxiety symptoms and 49% had clinically relevant depression symptoms draws attention to the importance of systematically tracking the mental health of HCWs during this ongoing pandemic. HCWs should monitor their stress reactions and seek appropriate help both on a personal and professional level. Appropriate workplace interventions including psychological support should be provided to HCWs, to ensure provision of uncompromised quality patient care.

The COVID-19 pandemic and mental health outcomes - A cross-sectional study among health care workers in Coastal South India

Background: Frontline health care workers (HCWs) are at increased risk of developing unfavourable mental health outcomes and burnout, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recognizing the early warning signs of mental distress is very important to ensure the provision of quality patient care. Methods: In this facility-based cross-sectional study, HCWs of the teaching hospitals affiliated to Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore were assessed regarding their mental health status using a semi-structured questionnaire. All doctors and nurses who were willing to participate from these teaching hospitals were included in the study. Data was collected over a period of four months (1 st March -30 th June 2021) till the required sample size was reached and analysed using IBM SPSS and expressed using mean (standard deviation), median (interquartile range), and proportions. Univariate analysis was done to identify the factors associated with mental health outcomes among the HCWs and the corresponding unadjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were reported. Results: A total of 245 HCWs [52.2% (n=128) doctors and 47.8% (n=117) nurses] were included in our study. The proportion of participants with depressive symptoms, anxiety, and insomnia assessed using PHQ-9, GAD-7, and ISI-7 scales were 49% (n=119), 38% (n=93), and 42% (n=102) respectively. Depression, anxiety, and insomnia were more likely to be experienced by HCWs aged > 27 years, females, and involved in COVID-19 patient care. (p>0.05) Conclusions:  Our findings that 38% of the examined HCWs had clinically relevant anxiety symptoms and 49% had clinically relevant depression symptoms draws attention to the importance of systematically tracking the mental health of HCWs during this ongoing pandemic. HCWs should monitor their stress reactions and seek appropriate help both on a personal and professional level. Appropriate workplace interventions including psychological support should be provided to HCWs, to ensure provision of uncompromised quality patient care.

Influence of Previous Mental State on Psychological Outcomes of Spanish Out-of-Hospital Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study aimed to describe factors relating to the psychological distress of healthcare workers (HCWs) in Spanish out-of-hospital emergency medical services (EMS), according to the previous or non-use of psychotropic drugs or psychotherapy. A multicentre, cross-sectional descriptive study was designed. The study population were all physicians, nurses, and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) working in any Spanish out-of-hospital EMS between February and April 2021. The main outcomes were the levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and self-efficacy, assessed by DASS-21 and G-SES. Differences in levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and self-efficacy, according to sex, age, previous use of psychotropic drug or psychotherapy, work experience, professional category, type of work, and modification of working conditions were measured using the Student's t-test for independent samples, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, or 2-factor analysis of covariance. A total of 1636 HCWs were included, of whom one in three had severe mental disorders because of the pandemic. The interaction of the previous or non-use of psychotropic drugs or psychotherapy with the rest of the factors considered did not modify the levels of stress, anxiety, depression, and self-efficacy. However, HCWs with a history of psychotropic drug or psychotherapy use had a more intense negative emotional response and lower self-efficacy, regardless of their sex, professional category, type of work, or change in the working conditions. These HCWs are considered particularly vulnerable to the development or recurrence of new disorders or other comorbidities; therefore, the implementation of monitoring and follow-up strategies should be a priority.

Dietary Patterns, Occupational Stressors and Body Composition of Hospital Workers: A Longitudinal Study Comparing before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This longitudinal study aimed to evaluate the association between dietary patterns and the body composition of hospital workers subjected to occupational stressors before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data on sociodemographic, occupational, lifestyle, anthropometric, food consumption and occupational stress were collected before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 218 workers from a private hospital in Santo Antônio de Jesus, Bahia, Brazil were included in the study. After evaluating the normality of the data, parametric or non-parametric tests were used to characterize the sample. Dietary pattern was defined with Exploratory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling was used to test the desired association. During the pandemic, work per shift increased by 8.2% (p = 0.004) and working hours > 40 h/week increased by 9.2% (p = 0.006). Despite the higher prevalence of low occupational stress (85.8% vs. 72.1%), high stress increased by 13.7% from 2019 to 2020 (p < 0.001) and 30.3% reported a positive mediating effect on the variables of body composition, body mass index (b = 0.478; p < 0.001), waist circumference (b = 0.395; p = 0.001), fat-free mass (b = 0.440; p = 0.001) and fat mass (b = -0.104; p = 0.292). Therefore, a dietary pattern containing high-calorie foods was associated with changes in the body composition of hospital workers, including occupational stressors as mediators of this relationship.

High Prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Psychological Distress Among Healthcare Workers in COVID-19 Field Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study from Vietnam

Objective

To evaluate the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychological disturbances in the Vietnamese healthcare workers (HCWs) at COVID-19 field hospitals.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) to measure PTSD and the Depression Anxiety Stress scale (DASS) to measure other psychological disturbances. The anxiety about COVID-19 was evaluated by the fear of COVID-19 (FOC) scale. A self-developed questionnaire was used to assess work conditions and HCW's major concerns and preparedness. Ordinal logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with the severity of PTSD. A structural modeling equation (SEM) model was fitted to examine the correlation between PTSD and other psychological disturbances.

Results

A total of 542 HCWs participated in this study. The prevalence of PTSD was 21.2%, most cases were mild. In the ordinal logistic regression analysis, a history of mental illness, poor preparedness, working in a condition with poor resources, a greater number of concerns, and greater fear of COVID-19 were independently associated with higher severity of PTSD. The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 46.8%, 38.3%, and 60.2, respectively. In the SEM model, PTSD and psychological disturbances had a strong correlation (standardized covariance 0.86).

Conclusion

The prevalence of PTSD and other psychological disturbances was alarmingly high among HCWs who worked at COVID-19 field hospitals. The reported associated factors can be useful for policymakers and health authorities in the preparation for future pandemics.

Associations between psychological responses and quality of life at early and late time of quarantine among residents of a collective quarantine facility in central Taiwan

OBJECTIVES

Few countries required people living in collective facilities to undergo quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic, which could lead to more psychological effects than quarantine at home or hotels. This study assessed the changes in depression, anxiety, and quality of life (QOL) among residents of a collective quarantine facility in central Taiwan.

METHODS

Between April and November 2020, 660 collective quarantine facility residents participated in the survey conducted on the first and last days of the 14-day quarantine period. Questionnaires of Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), and WHO quality of life (WHOQOL)-BREF were used to measure depression and anxiety symptoms, and QOL, respectively. Linear regression model with generalization estimation equation method was for estimating the differences in depression, anxiety, and QOL between two surveys and to test the changes of associations between them over time.

RESULTS

PHQ-9 and WHOQOL-BREF scores showed no significant changes, but GAD-7 score decreased during quarantine (p = 0.011, Cohen's d = -0.11). Both PHQ-9 and GAD-7 were negatively associated with overall and domain-specific WHOQOL-BREF scores on both the first and last days of quarantine. Such associations did not significantly vary with time, except for the association between PHQ-9 and environmental domain WHOQOL-BREF score, being stronger on the first day than on the last day of quarantine (p = 0.041, η2 = 0.0021).

CONCLUSION

A significant decrease in anxiety among quarantined individuals over a 14-day quarantine period was found. While depression was negatively associated with overall QOL, the strength of association between depression and environmental domain QOL decreased over the period.

Mental health in Austrian psychotherapists during the COVID-19 pandemic

Although the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health has been reported in different communities, little is known about the mental health of psychotherapists during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Austrian psychotherapists and compare it with the general population. A total of n = 513 psychotherapists (80.5% women; mean age: 53.06 ± 9.94 years) took part in an online survey conducted from April to June 2022. At the same time, a representative sample (N = 1,031) of the Austrian general population was surveyed online. Indicators of mental health were mental wellbeing (WHO-5), depression (PHQ-2), anxiety (GAD-2), insomnia (ISI-2), and stress (PSS-10). The general population sample was matched according to age and gender with the psychotherapist's data using propensity scores, yielding a final sample of n = 513 (80.5% women; mean age: 52.33 ± 13.39 years). Psychotherapists showed lower odds for exceeding cut-offs for clinically relevant depressive, anxiety, insomnia and stress symptoms (0.34-0.58) compared to the general population. Further studies should elucidate the protective factors underlying these findings.