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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Since the end of December 2019, the world has been fighting one of the most serious pandemics in human history due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A pandemic that makes health care workers susceptible of developing depressive, anxiety symptoms now or in the future. OBJECTIVE:     To identify symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress among physicians managing COVID 19 patients in Iraq and to ascertain association with socio-demographic and clinical variables. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study (descriptive and analytical) was done from the 1st of September to the 1st of November 2020. Physicians working in different Iraqi health care institutions (general hospitals, primary health care centers and COVID 19 quarantine centers) were asked to submit an online survey. RESULTS: Out of the 656 physicians who were included in this study, 61.9% had stress symptoms, 27.0% had anxiety symptoms and 27.1% had depressive symptoms. Stress related symptoms were more prevalent in younger age, females, single physicians, having less years of experience and lower academic degree, working in COVID 19 isolation wards, avoiding contact with the family and being infected with COVID 19. These factors were positively associated with developing stress symptoms.  Anxiety symptoms were positively associated with married physicians and working in COVID 19 isolation wards. Depression was not significantly associated with any of the studied variables. CONCLUSION: COVID 19 pandemic negatively impacts the psychological status of physicians as depression, anxiety and stress symptoms were found in different levels.   

DOI

10.52573/ipmj.2023.181127

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