Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Mental Wellbeing of Healthcare Professionals: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND COVID 19 pandemic posed a varied group of challenges to health care workers (HCWs) like new disease with no treatment, less treatment options available, worry for infection to family members, shortage of personal protective equipment (PPEs), uncertainty, and stress associated with lockdowns. HCWs are highly vulnerable to negative mental distress; this psychological distress varies in different group of HCWs and also on different psychological domains. In this study, we wanted to assess the impact of COVID 19 on the psychological well-being of health care professionals when providing care to COVID-19 patients. METHODS A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on doctors providing care to COVID -19 patients at King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam, during the second wave of COVID from March 2021 to December 2021. The questionnaire included three domains – Personal questions, work related questions, and pandemic related questions. The response to the questions was recorded in Likert’s scale. RESULTS 50 (50.00 %) were sometimes physically exhausted, 49 (49.00 %) participants were sometimes emotionally exhausted, and 46 (46.00 %) participants reported that sometimes they felt worn out (extremely tired). 54 (54.00 %) participants reported that sometimes they were frustrated with their work, and 46 (46.00 %) participants reported sometimes feeling burnt out because of the work. 48 (48.00 %) participants reported sometimes feeling depressed, 38 (38.00 %) participants stated sometime having a fear of catching COVID-19 infection, and 44 (44.00 %) participants reported consistently having to fear of family members getting infected due to the exposure in work environment. CONCLUSIONS In total, COVID-19 had a negative effect on psychological well-being of the HCWs, but that was not severe to cause any specific psychological disorders. There was no significant difference in mental health impact between the genders and age groups of the participants.