COVID-19 and anxiety amongst health professionals in prisons.

Objectives: The main aim of this article was to analyze the emotional levels of anxiety amongst health professionals employed in prisons during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) epidemic.

Material and method: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted by means of a validated anxiety questionnaire answered by 100 clinical nurses and nursing assistants residing in Spain and working in prisons. Alongside the demographic information, the test included 14 items related to anxiety levels. The questionnaire turned out to be highly reliable after carrying out an analysis with a Cronbach´s alpha of 0.935, demonstrating high reliability.

Results: Over one third of health participants presented severe anxiety levels, with a greater impact on women than on men. The situation in centers for the elderly appears to be more tense and complex than in prisons, although the latter are far more overcrowded. However, both institutions show common factors, such as the vulnerability of their populations and a possible explosive outbreak, which would exceed the resources available in such institutions.

Discussion: The significant levels of anxiety that nursing professionals showed in the study make it necessary to implement measures to avoid more serious future consequences in the medium and long term.