Abstract
Background: The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on mental health status in a variety of populations. Methods: An online non-probability sample survey was used to assess psychological distress symptoms and burnout among perinatal healthcare professionals (PHPs) during the pandemic in Italy. The questionnaire included the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Demographic and occupational factors associated with stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms were analyzed. Results: The sample size was 195. The estimated self-reported rates of moderate to severe anxiety symptoms, depression symptoms, and perceived stress levels were 18.7, 18.7, and 21.5%, respectively. Furthermore, 6.2% of respondents reported burnout. One factor associated with all three self-reported psychological distress issues was suffering from trauma unrelated to the pandemic (aOR: 7.34, 95% CI: 2.73–20.28 for depression; aOR: 6.13, 95% CI: 2.28–16.73 for anxiety; aOR: 3.20, 95% CI: 1.14–8.88 for stress). Compared to physicians, psychologists had lower odds of developing clinically significant depressive symptoms (aOR: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.04–0.94) and high stress levels (aOR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.04–0.80). Conclusions: High rates of self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as perceived stress, among PHPs were reported during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health authorities should implement and integrate timely and regular evidence-based assessment of psychological distress targeting PHPs in their work plans.
Highlights
Introduction published maps and institutional affilThe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has far infected more than 100 million people and caused almost three million deaths globally (see https://covid19.who.int/(accessed on 16 May 2021)
Most perinatal healthcare professionals (PHPs) worked in outpatient facilities, including family counseling services (43.0%), outpatient healthcare clinics (15.2%), and private offices (11.5%)
3 domains, we found significant differences in symptomatology levels between people who did and did not suffer from trauma not related to the pandemic (p < 0.001 for depression and anxiety, p = 0.004 for stress)
Summary
Introduction published maps and institutional affilThe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has far infected more than 100 million people and caused almost three million deaths globally (see https://covid19.who.int/(accessed on 16 May 2021). In an effort to contain the spread of infection, governments across the world have been imposing mitigation strategies [1], which have caused side effects such as physical and emotional isolation, huge economic losses, and disrupted healthcare services All of these have led to a global atmosphere of uncertainty and psychological distress [2,3,4]. During this global emergency, a growing body of studies have documented the impact of this situation on mental health status and related risk factors of vulnerable populations, such as people with mental disorders [5,6] and front-line healthcare workers [7,8].
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