Open AccessCOVID-19-associated healthcare worker depression: An increasingly common condition
Author(s) -
Kemal Koray Bal
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
kulak burun boğaz uygulamaları (online)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2587-0408
DOI - 10.5606/kbbu.2021.23855
Subject(s) - beck depression inventory , mood , depression (economics) , medicine , covid-19 , health care , significant difference , psychiatry , family medicine , psychology , clinical psychology , disease , anxiety , infectious disease (medical specialty) , economics , macroeconomics , economic growth
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the mood of the employees of the ear-nose-throat (ENT) department with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and determine the relationship between the mood and the quality and quantity of the work done. METHODS: A total of 62 healthcare workers (24 males, 38 females; mean age: 34.3±1.1 years; range 24 to 52 years) of our ENT clinic, who have been actively managing COVID-19 patients since April 2020, were included in the study. Those in the study were classified into two groups as nurses (Group 1) and doctors (Group 2). Group 1 consisted of 33 (53.2%) nurses, and Group 2 consisted of 29 (46.8%) doctors. The participants were assessed with a questionnaire by a clinical psychologist, and BDI was conducted to evaluate depressive mood in these individuals. RESULTS: A statistically significant difference was found between the groups in thinking they have sufficient knowledge on COVID-19, and the employees in Group 2 were more of the opinion that they did not have sufficient information (p=0.002). A statistically significant difference was found between the groups in terms of their viewpoint on the precautions against COVID-19 (p=0.001). Group 2 was more inclined to think that the precautions taken were inadequate (p=0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of BDI severity, age, and BDI score (p=0.252, p=0.137, p=0.053, respectively). CONCLUSION: Employees of high-risk departments such as ENT may be more prone to a depressed mood. The increased risk of contamination in correlation with the work done can lead to increased BDI scores and depressive mood disorder.