Sawera Mansoor, Nadia Azad, Usama Bin Zubair, Tahreem Waqar, Anam Butt, Qurat-ul Ain.
Mental Health Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Frontline Healthcare Workers at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
J Pak Psych Soc Jan ;17(4):07-12.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mental health impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the front-line health care workers at a tertiary care hospital in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. STUDY DESIGN: Cross sectional research. PLACE AND DURATION OF THE STUDY: This study was conducted from 6th May to 6th June 2020 at Fauji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Through purposive sampling, all frontline healthcare workers involved in the care of positive or high suspicion cases of COVID-19 at Triage clinics and Corona wards were recruited. Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) and Impact of events scale-revised (IES-R) were administered; factors associated with significant mental health impact were analyzed using SPSS 20.0. RESULTS: A total of 94 frontline healthcare workers were made part of the sample. 18 (19.1%) reported significant depression while 32 (34%) had significant anxiety. Female gender and greater degree of contact with PCR positive COVID19 cases were significantly related with higher depression and anxiety. Significant stress was reported by 33 (35.1%); there was a significant association of stress with being female, single, a nurse or paramedic and a greater degree of contact with PCR positive COVID-19 cases. 38 (40.4%) participants showed presence of significant trauma; healthcare workers at corona isolation unit or ICU were amongst the most affected. CONCLUSION: Depression, anxiety, stress and trauma were seen among the front liners fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Special attention should be paid to the mental health needs of this vulnerable population, particularly females and those having a greater contact with PCR positive cases in high-risk settings.

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