Abstract
The present study investigated the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on anxiety levels, contamination and responsibility/control obsessions and associated OC behaviors in healthcare versus non-healthcare professionals. The study also aimed to examine the relationship between anxiety levels and obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptom levels, gender, age, educational level, and personal and family history of chronic diseases. The 664 participants included 395 (59.5%) men and 269 (40.5%) women and comprised 180 (27.1%) healthcare professionals and 484 (72.9%) non-healthcare professionals. The survey included three data collection tools: (i) Sociodemographic data form, (ii) Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and (iii) the Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale Abriged (DOCS-A) pre- and post-pandemic forms. The BAI scores established a moderate positive correlation with post-pandemic DOCS-A total scores and a weak positive correlation with pre-pandemic DOCS-A total scores (<i>p</i> < 0.001 for both). Pre- and post-pandemic DOCS-A total and subdimension scores were significantly higher in women than in men (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Participants with a personal history of chronic diseases had higher BAI and DOCS-A scores compared to participants with no such history (<i>p</i> < 0.001 and <i>p</i> < 0.001, respectively). The results indicated a significant increase in OC symptoms during the pandemic period compared to the pre-pandemic period and a moderate correlation between the anxiety levels and OC symptom severity. It was also revealed that female gender and personal or family history of chronic diseases posed a higher risk for the increase in anxiety and OC symptoms and healthcare professionals had a higher risk of developing anxiety symptoms compared to non-healthcare professionals.
Highlights
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and spread to the whole world in a short period of time
An independent samples t-test was conducted to compare Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale Abriged (DOCS-A) total and subdimension scores in pre- and post- pandemic, in personal and family history of chronic diseases, in profession, and in gender. The analysis indicated both pre- and postpandemic Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DOCS)-A total and subdimension scores were significantly higher in women than in men (p < 0.05), pre-pandemic DOCS-A total scores were significantly higher in non-healthcare professionals compared to healthcare professionals (p < 0.05), both pre- and post-pandemic Responsibility/Control scores were significantly higher in non-healthcare professionals than in healthcare professionals (p < 0.05), and both pre- and post-pandemic DOCS-A total scores were significantly higher in participants with a personal and family history of chronic diseases compared to participants with no such history (p < 0.05) (Table 5)
The results indicated that OC symptoms increased during the pandemic, a positive correlation was established between anxiety levels and obsessive symptoms, healthcare professionals had higher anxiety levels compared to non-healthcare professionals, non-healthcare professionals had a higher prevalence of OC symptoms during the pandemic compared to healthcare professionals, women had a higher prevalence of OC symptoms compared to men, and participants with a personal and family history of chronic diseases had a higher prevalence of OC symptoms compared to participants with no such history
Summary
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and spread to the whole world in a short period of time. The strict quarantine measures and travel bans imposed nationally and internationally and the subordination of nonpandemic healthcare services in healthcare facilities ceased regular treatment and counseling services and led to difficulties in accessing psychiatric medication [2] These factors increased the risk of exacerbation and worsening of existing diseases in patients receiving psychiatric treatment as well as the risk of developing psychiatric diseases in patients with no history of such diseases. Lockdown measures were reported to have various mental effects including irritability, fear of contracting the disease and infecting other family members, anger, loneliness, denial, anxiety, depression, insomnia, despair, disappointment, and suicide attempt [4,5]. Disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were reported and were positively associated with the quarantine period [6]. Stigmatization against patients with mental disorders may further complicate the condition of these patients [8]
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