Psychological Distress and Anxiety Levels Among Health Care Workers at the Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Arab Emirates

Objectives: Providing medical care during a global pandemic exposes healthcare workers (HCW) to a high level of risk, causing anxiety and stress. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anxiety and psychological distress among HCWs during COVID-19.Methods: We invited HCWs from 3 hospitals acros...

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Autores principales:	Basema Saddik, Iffat Elbarazi, Mohamad-Hani Temsah, Fatemeh Saheb Sharif-Askari, Waad Kheder, Amal Hussein, Hellme Najim, Riyad Bendardaf, Qutayba Hamid, Rabih Halwani
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Frontiers Media S.A. 2021
Materias:	mental health healthcare workers COVID-19 psychological distress anxiety disorders Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/fc90ebb56f044ff59bdd0c23490df3e9
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:fc90ebb56f044ff59bdd0c23490df3e92021-11-11T17:46:08ZPsychological Distress and Anxiety Levels Among Health Care Workers at the Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Arab Emirates1661-856410.3389/ijph.2021.1604369https://doaj.org/article/fc90ebb56f044ff59bdd0c23490df3e92021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2021.1604369/fullhttps://doaj.org/toc/1661-8564Objectives: Providing medical care during a global pandemic exposes healthcare workers (HCW) to a high level of risk, causing anxiety and stress. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anxiety and psychological distress among HCWs during COVID-19.Methods: We invited HCWs from 3 hospitals across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to participate in an anonymous online survey between April 19–May 3, 2020. The GAD-7 and K10 measures were used to assess anxiety and psychological distress. Logistic regression models assessed associations between knowledge, attitude, worry, and levels of anxiety and psychological distress.Results: A total of 481 HCWs participated in this study. The majority of HCWs were female (73.6%) and aged 25–34 years (52.6%). More than half were nurses (55.7%) and had good knowledge of COVID-19 (86.3%). Over a third (37%) of HCWs reported moderate/severe psychological distress in the K10 measure and moderate/severe anxiety (32.3%) in the GAD-7, with frontline workers significantly reporting higher levels of anxiety (36%). Knowledge of COVID-19 did not predict anxiety and psychological distress, however, HCWs who believed COVID-19 was difficult to treat and those who perceived they were at high risk of infection had worse mental health outcomes. Worry about spreading COVID-19 to family, being isolated, contracting COVID-19 and feeling stigmatized had 1.8- to 2.5-fold increased odds of symptoms of mental health problems. Additionally, HCWs who felt the need for psychological support through their workplace showed increased odds of psychological distress.Conclusion: HCWs in the UAE reported a high prevalence of psychological distress and anxiety while responding to the challenges of COVID-19. The findings from this study emphasize the public, emotional and mental health burden of COVID-19 and highlight the importance for health systems to implement, monitor, and update preventive policies to protect HCWs from contracting the virus while also providing psychological support in the workplace.Basema SaddikBasema SaddikIffat ElbaraziMohamad-Hani TemsahMohamad-Hani TemsahFatemeh Saheb Sharif-AskariWaad KhederAmal HusseinHellme NajimRiyad BendardafRiyad BendardafQutayba HamidQutayba HamidRabih HalwaniRabih HalwaniRabih HalwaniRabih HalwaniFrontiers Media S.A.articlemental healthhealthcare workersCOVID-19psychological distressanxiety disordersPublic aspects of medicineRA1-1270ENInternational Journal of Public Health, Vol 66 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	mental health healthcare workers COVID-19 psychological distress anxiety disorders Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270
spellingShingle	mental health healthcare workers COVID-19 psychological distress anxiety disorders Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 Basema Saddik Basema Saddik Iffat Elbarazi Mohamad-Hani Temsah Mohamad-Hani Temsah Fatemeh Saheb Sharif-Askari Waad Kheder Amal Hussein Hellme Najim Riyad Bendardaf Riyad Bendardaf Qutayba Hamid Qutayba Hamid Rabih Halwani Rabih Halwani Rabih Halwani Rabih Halwani Psychological Distress and Anxiety Levels Among Health Care Workers at the Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Arab Emirates
description	Objectives: Providing medical care during a global pandemic exposes healthcare workers (HCW) to a high level of risk, causing anxiety and stress. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anxiety and psychological distress among HCWs during COVID-19.Methods: We invited HCWs from 3 hospitals across the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to participate in an anonymous online survey between April 19–May 3, 2020. The GAD-7 and K10 measures were used to assess anxiety and psychological distress. Logistic regression models assessed associations between knowledge, attitude, worry, and levels of anxiety and psychological distress.Results: A total of 481 HCWs participated in this study. The majority of HCWs were female (73.6%) and aged 25–34 years (52.6%). More than half were nurses (55.7%) and had good knowledge of COVID-19 (86.3%). Over a third (37%) of HCWs reported moderate/severe psychological distress in the K10 measure and moderate/severe anxiety (32.3%) in the GAD-7, with frontline workers significantly reporting higher levels of anxiety (36%). Knowledge of COVID-19 did not predict anxiety and psychological distress, however, HCWs who believed COVID-19 was difficult to treat and those who perceived they were at high risk of infection had worse mental health outcomes. Worry about spreading COVID-19 to family, being isolated, contracting COVID-19 and feeling stigmatized had 1.8- to 2.5-fold increased odds of symptoms of mental health problems. Additionally, HCWs who felt the need for psychological support through their workplace showed increased odds of psychological distress.Conclusion: HCWs in the UAE reported a high prevalence of psychological distress and anxiety while responding to the challenges of COVID-19. The findings from this study emphasize the public, emotional and mental health burden of COVID-19 and highlight the importance for health systems to implement, monitor, and update preventive policies to protect HCWs from contracting the virus while also providing psychological support in the workplace.
format	article
author	Basema Saddik Basema Saddik Iffat Elbarazi Mohamad-Hani Temsah Mohamad-Hani Temsah Fatemeh Saheb Sharif-Askari Waad Kheder Amal Hussein Hellme Najim Riyad Bendardaf Riyad Bendardaf Qutayba Hamid Qutayba Hamid Rabih Halwani Rabih Halwani Rabih Halwani Rabih Halwani
author_facet	Basema Saddik Basema Saddik Iffat Elbarazi Mohamad-Hani Temsah Mohamad-Hani Temsah Fatemeh Saheb Sharif-Askari Waad Kheder Amal Hussein Hellme Najim Riyad Bendardaf Riyad Bendardaf Qutayba Hamid Qutayba Hamid Rabih Halwani Rabih Halwani Rabih Halwani Rabih Halwani
author_sort	Basema Saddik
title	Psychological Distress and Anxiety Levels Among Health Care Workers at the Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Arab Emirates
title_short	Psychological Distress and Anxiety Levels Among Health Care Workers at the Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Arab Emirates
title_full	Psychological Distress and Anxiety Levels Among Health Care Workers at the Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Arab Emirates
title_fullStr	Psychological Distress and Anxiety Levels Among Health Care Workers at the Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Arab Emirates
title_full_unstemmed	Psychological Distress and Anxiety Levels Among Health Care Workers at the Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Arab Emirates
title_sort	psychological distress and anxiety levels among health care workers at the height of the covid-19 pandemic in the united arab emirates
publisher	Frontiers Media S.A.
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/fc90ebb56f044ff59bdd0c23490df3e9
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Psychological Distress and Anxiety Levels Among Health Care Workers at the Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Arab Emirates

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