Depression, Anxiety and Stress and Job-Related Factors Among Healthcare Workers in a Tertiary Government Hospital in the Philippines During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Abstract Background and Objectives: Ensuring the total well-being of healthcare workers (HCW), including their mental health and psychological well-being, is an essential aspect in the delivery of safe care to patients and the preservation of the health workforce. The WHO has identified depressive and anxiety disorders and stress as the three most common mental health problems in the workplace. It also stated substantial increase in the global burden of disease for 2020 as a result of the pandemic (WHO 2022). Factors in the workplace played a significant role in increasing mental health strain of HCWs during the COVID 19 pandemic. This study aimed to determine the level of mental well-being and emotional state of HCWs in terms of depression, anxiety, and stress in a tertiary hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines and to identify the factors that may be associated with depression, anxiety and stress. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study among healthcare workers (HCW) involved in direct patient care in a single tertiary government hospital in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic. It made use of an on-line self-administered questionnaire that was sent thru pertinent social media groups (i.e. Viber, WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger) of doctors, nurses and allied medical professionals actively working in the clinical areas. Stratified sampling method was used and was based on the estimated percentage by category of healthcare workers working in the clinical areas of the hospital. Data collection was conducted from February to March 2022. Results: Three hundred sixty-four healthcare workers agreed to participate and submitted their responses to the questionnaire and met the inclusion criteria. Depression, Anxiety and Stress and Job-Related Factors Among Healthcare Workers… xii The mean age was 35, with 251 females and 113 males. Majority of the respondents are single (62.62%), living with immediate family (50.82%) and work in a COVID designated area (62.09%). This study showed high prevalence of depression (49.18%), anxiety (61.54%) and stress (30.22%) among the HCWs. It also showed that work in high infection/COVID designated areas is significantly associated with anxiety and stress and that high-job demand is significantly associated with all three mental health states of depression, anxiety and stress. Factors such as job-control and job-support are not significantly associated with depression, anxiety, and stress. Conclusion: Focus should be placed on modifying the condition of high job-demand among healthcare workers working in hospitals, particularly those involved in direct patient care and working in high infection areas, to be able to attenuate its effects on the states of depression, anxiety and stress.