Factors associated with the intensity of anxiety and depression symptoms in health workers of two centres of reference for COVID 19 patient care in Antioquia, Colombia – A latent class analysis

Objective

To classify the staff of two reference institutions for COVID-19 care in Antioquia according to the intensity of anxiety and depression symptoms, and to determine the factors associated with these classes.

Methods

Cross-sectional study in which the GAD-7, PHQ-9, fear of COVID-19, and the Copenhagen Burnout scale were used. Latent class analysis was performed to identify the classes, and the factors associated with these were determined using multinomial logistic regression.

Results

486 people participated. The three-class model had the best fit: class I with low scores on the scales; class II with mild degrees of anxiety and depression, and intermediate levels of fear of COVID-19 and perceived stress; and class III with moderate and severe degrees of anxiety, depression, and perceived stress. The factors associated with belonging to class III were age (OR = 0.94; 95%CI, 0.91−0.96), change of residence to avoid exposing relatives (OR = 4.01; 95%CI, 1.99–8.09), and a history of depressive disorder (OR = 3.10; 95%CI, 1.27–7.56), and anxiety (OR = 5.5; 95%CI, 2.36–12.90). Factors associated with class II were age (OR = 0.97; 95%CI, 0.95−0.99), history of depressive disorder (OR = 3.41; 95%CI, 1.60−7.25), living with someone at risk of death from COVID-19 (OR = 1.86; 95%CI, 1.19−2.91), family member being healthcare staff (OR = 1.58; 95%CI, 1.01−2.47), and change of residence to avoid exposing relatives (OR = 1.99; 95%CI, 1.11−3.59).

Conclusions

Three classes of participants were obtained, two of them with anxiety and depression symptoms. Younger age and a history of mental disorder were factors associated with the two classes of symptomatic patients; other factors may be causes or consequences of the symptoms.