Revisiting the prevalence of psychological symptoms among health care workers in Saudi Arabia during COVID-19.

Objectives: To analyze the existing literature on the prevalence of psychological symptoms in healthcare workers (HCWs) in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The review will evaluate the assessment methods used for measuring the prevalence of psychological symptoms and critically review the literature's findings concerning psychological support for HCWs.

Methods: All articles were selected from the PubMed database and reviewed for potential inclusion in March 2023. The articles were screened following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses protocol. Assessment of the quality and risk of bias in the included studies was guided using the prevalence critical appraisal tool criteria.

Results: We identified 7 articles that investigated the prevalence of psychological symptoms among HCWs in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. We determined the studies' characteristics and classified and explained various themes. These themes included the prevalence of psychological symptoms found in HCWs, the study designs, the tools used to assess psychological symptoms in HCWs, and the potential impact of the studies on the mental health challenges faced by HCWs due to COVID-19. We also examined the quality and risk of bias in the included studies.

Conclusion: This review's findings provide valuable insights into the psychological symptoms experienced by HCWs during the pandemic. To ensure the consistency of the results, it is essential to reevaluate the prevalence of these symptoms and use a culturally sensitive approach to translating the measures. This review lays the groundwork for future research on psychological symptoms and the interpretation of measurement outcomes.PROSPERO No. ID: CRD42024479813.