The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of health-care workers in India: A qualitative phenomenological study

Abstract

Background: Public health emergencies are known to affect mental health and well-being at the individual (anxiety, loneliness) and societal level (income loss, reduced access to services). The socioeconomic and health-care impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are unprecedented with worldwide economic loss, closure of business activities, travel restrictions, social distancing, quarantine and isolation, fear of shortage of basic needs, and rapid spread of mental health problems. Materials and Methods: Qualitative phenomenological research with the overall aim to explore the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among healthcare workers in India was undertaken in a selected tertiary care hospital, in India. Qualitative in-depth interview was conducted to elucidate the mental health issues and problems of healthcare workers as experienced by them. We used phenomenological methodology to conduct in-depth face-to-face interview to focus on individual versions of experience combined with thematic analysis techniques for analyzing and framing the research data. Thematic analysis was carried out on data collected from 29 healthcare workers from different disciplines such as doctors, nurses, laboratory technician, paramedics, and operation theatre technicians. Results: Health-care workers reported various psychosocial issues and problems that they have experienced from the onset of COVID-19. From the analysis, we have generated three overarching themes, each with five subthemes. Conclusion: The study concludes that the health-care workers exposed to pandemic situation are vulnerable for a range of mental health issues from distress to sleep disturbances, fear and anxiety to social isolation and stigma, and loss of hope to helplessness.