Psychological Impact of Coronavirus Disease-2019 on Healthcare Workers

Abstract

Purpose We studied the psychological impact of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) on employees at an urban tertiary care center in the United States' mid-Atlantic region. Methods A Research Electronic Data Capture, or REDCap, survey was completed by 1,116 employees who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic at the tertiary care center. Data included findings from a demographic survery, the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R), the Patient Health Questionnaire - 9 (PHQ-9), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder - 7 (GAD-7). A series of Chi- square and, as appropriate, Fisher's Exact tests were performed to compare outcomes among healthcare workers. Results Healthcare employees who had direct contact with patients during the pandemic had significantly higher scores (increased impairment) on the GAD-7 (P<.05), PHQ-9 (P<.001), and IES-R scales (P<.01). Employees with prior psychiatric diagnoses had significantly higher scores on those same corresponding psychological measures (P<.001). Employees who identified with a set of spiritual beliefs had significantly lower scores on the GAD-7 (P<.001) and PHQ-9 (P<.01). Employees reporting five or more years of work experience had lower markers of distress across measures (P<.05). Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound psychological effect on healthcare workers. Our findings point to patient contact and prior psychologic distress as risk factors for impairment, while employee spirituality and prior work experience appear to mitigate risk. Healthcare leaders may use our findings to help employees cope with health crises.