Predictors of psychological distress among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in California

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study explores factors contributing to California healthcare workers’ stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. A retrospective data from the 2021 UCLA California Health Interview Survey was retrieved to analyze responses from 918 healthcare workers. Results showed that healthcare workers with single parents had the highest stress, followed by Hispanics, single persons without children, and women. Healthcare workers experiencing racial discrimination and difficulty paying for basic needs during COVID-19 had the highest average stress. Being women, having COVID-19 difficulties, being younger, and being married explained 12.4% of the variance in the psychological distress of healthcare workers from California when linear regression was run. Implications on the necessity for Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) and creating policies that support the mental health of healthcare workers are elaborated.