Quantification of stress and depression level posed by COVID-19 in first-line healthcare workers

Abstract

After pandemic, healthcare workers experienced a series of emotional and psychological disturbances that could impact their mental well-being. In this study, the feasibility of morphological characteristics of photoplethysmographic (PPG) waveform to quantify stress and depression level posed by COVID-19 in first-line healthcare workers is explored. Results show that higher stress and depression level are moderately correlated with large systolic amplitude and parameters that might indicate early wave reflection. These results suggest that an arterial stiffness, quantified with PPG morphological characteristics, could provide valuable information in assessing mental health.