Mental health in Chilean healthcare workers during the post-COVID-19 pandemic
Keywords:
mental health; anxiety; depression; healthcare workers; Covid-19 pandemicAbstract
Introduction: In a post-pandemic scenario, studies show that anxiety, depression, and stress have become chronic among mental health workers. The objective of this study is to evaluate symptoms of anxiety and depression in Chilean healthcare workers, taking into account differences by sex, age, and type of facility.
Method: This cross-sectional study, conducted in 2022, administered an online questionnaire to a sample of 623 healthcare workers, 81.1 % of whom were women (n=505) and 18.9 % men (n=118). 60.5 % (n=385) worked in hospitals, and 39.5 % (n=238) worked in Family Health Care Centers. Depressive symptom questionnaires (PHQ-9) and anxiety questionnaires (GAD-7) were administered.
Results: 41.0 % of workers in Primary Health Care centers showed a moderate to severe level of anxiety; in comparison, 29.8 % of the total sample of public health workers presented a moderate to severe level. Regarding the PHQ-9, 29.3 % and 41.5 % of hospital and primary health care workers, respectively, presented a moderate to severe level of depressive symptoms; in comparison, 33.4 % of the total sample presented a moderate to severe level.
Discussion: Post-pandemic articles published up to the present date were reviewed to reflect how the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health persisted until 2022. Comparing the results with recent studies shows that stress, anxiety, and depression are still prevalent among Chilean health workers. Therefore, it is necessary to continue supporting healthcare workers to find a balance between their own needs and those of their patients.
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Copyright (c) 1970 Ximena Cecilia Macaya Sandoval, Carolina Inostroza, Robert Kohn, Benjamín Vicente
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