Determination of Symptoms of Depressive, Anxiety and Somatic and Perceived Threat of Covid-19 Among Health Care Workers

Abstract

This study aimed to determine symptoms of depressive, anxiety and somatic and perceived threat of coronavirus disease among health care workers. The study was conducted in Istanbul. 315 health care workers who completed the online questionnaire included in the study. Measurement tools consisted of a questionnaire including items to define perceived level of coronavirus disease of participants and questions about demographic characteristics and Patient Health Questionnare-9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and Patient Health Questionnaire-15. It was determined that somatic symptoms were clinically significantly high in 37.8% of the healthcare workers and it is followed by depression symptoms in 34% and anxiety symptoms in 23.5% respectively. The results showed that 77.8% of participants felt coronavirus disease as a life-threatening situation and 95.6% of them worried about being infected. Although worrying about being infected by coronavirus affected symptoms of depressive, anxiety and somatic, feeling life-threatening of coronavirus disease affected symptoms of anxiety and somatic. The factors associated with depression were following; females (OR, 3.85, p= 0.001), being married (OR, 2.35, P=0.049), and no physical exercise (OR, 3.02, p=0.008). As to somatic symptoms, being female (OR, 2.63, p= 0.013), living alone (OR, 2.66, p=0.016), having chronic diseases (OR, 4.31, p= 0.000), and no physical exercise (OR, 2.33, p=0.025) were found as the risk factors. Early psychosocial and psychotherapeutic interventions to these groups that have risk factors in terms of psychiatric symptoms might be beneficial in preventing the development of psychiatric symptoms in healthcare workers during outbreak.