Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-27gpq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-27T19:26:49.717Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Depression among frontline medical and paramedical staff during the coronavirus pandemic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2022

O. Maatouk*
Affiliation:
Razi Hospital, F Adult Psychiatry Department, Manouba, Tunisia
R. Kammoun
Affiliation:
Razi hospital, Psychiatry G, manouba, Tunisia
I. Kammoun
Affiliation:
Razi Hospital, Avicenne Psychiatry Department, Mannouba, Tunisia
K. Souabni
Affiliation:
Razi Hospital, Psychiatry D, Manouba, Tunisia
M. Karoui
Affiliation:
Razi hospital, Psychiatry G Department, Mannouba, Tunisia
H. Nefzi
Affiliation:
Razi hospital, Psychiatry G Department, Mannouba, Tunisia
F. Ellouz
Affiliation:
Razi hospital, Psychiatry G, denden, Tunisia
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Introduction

The current coronavirus pandemic is a unique and unusual situation. It is putting the general population under severe strain. However, frontline medical and paramedical staff remain particularly vulnerable to depression because of its close contact with patients.

Objectives

The aim of this work was to screen and evaluate depression in the frontline professionals during the pandemic and to study their associated factors .

Methods

In this study , we conducted a national descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study over a 2-month period from September to October 2020. We used “Beck Depression Inventory” to assess depression and “Brief Cope Scale” to detect a possible correlation between depression and coping mechanisms.

Results

We collected 78 professionals. The mean age was 29.86 years. 2/3 of workers were women. 67.9% of the staff were residents. 39.7% worked in Covid units. 7.7% had personal psychiatric history. 56.4% of the staff worked daily and 76.9% of them provided direct care to patients with Coronavirus. 52.6% of workers did not receive adequate training of protection against Covid-19.The staff reported 66.7% of death among their patients. 42.3% suffered from minor depression and only 2.3% suffered from severe depression. During this period we objectified an increase of 14.1% in the psychoactive substances use. Stigma affected 57.7% of professionals. We didn’t objectify a significant correlation between Depression and coping mechanisms .

Conclusions

Screening depression among healthcare professionals should be considered in order to prevent it, ensure continuity of care and avoid sick leaves.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Type
Abstract
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.