Comparing Anxiety and Professional Efficiency Among Normal- and Over -Weight Medical Staff During the Covid-19 Outbreak: A Case-Control Study

Abstract

Background: The professional efficiency of personnel and medical staff is among the most critical issues in the Covid-19 pandemic. Studies have shown that being obese/overweight is among the causes of anxiety and related to reduced professional efficiency. This study aimed to compare anxiety and professional efficiency among normal- and overweight/obese medical staff during the Covid-19 outbreak. Methods: To conduct this study, 82 overweight/obese and 79 normal-weight healthcare employees at the Arak University of Medical Science, Arak, Iran, were participated. The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) a valid, reliable, and self-report questionnaire applied to measure anxiety. Weight, height, and other demographic information were recorded. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated by dividing weight (kg) by height (m) squared. Results: Results obtained from modeling BMI as a continuous variable concerning BAI showed a positive and significant association after adjustment for age and gender (OR=2.61, 95% CI=1.32-5.16) and in the multivariate analysis (OR=2.83,95% CI=1.33-5.99). In addition, there was a significant association between BAI and medical staff professional efficiency (OR=0.599, 95%CI=0.405-0.885). Also, a significant correlation was seen between BMI and BAI scores. Conclusions: Our findings add to the growing evidence that BMI is an independent predictor of mental disorders and can reduce professional efficiency. As conclusion, training individuals on the harms of obesity and mental readiness to reduce mental disorders can effectively combat disasters.