Level of depression and its associated factors among the frontline physicians of Bangladesh during the COVID-19 outbreak

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the frontline physicians to a greater risk of getting infected, tremendous workload, and drastic changes in their work environment, leading to an increased prevalence of depression among doctors from many countries, including Bangladesh. The aim of this study was to examine the association of various personal, professional and psychosocial factors with different degrees of depressive symptoms among the frontline doctors of Bangladesh working during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online, cross-sectional survey was conducted for that purpose and data were collected from 312 doctors working in Bangladeshi hospitals using a self-administered survey questionnaire inclusive of a validated tool (Patient Health Questionnaire-9). Among the participants, around half were of age 30-34 years (51.3%), 81.8% worked in public hospitals and 70.5% did not have any comorbidity. Regarding workplace conditions, 77% of the doctors reported a perceived shortage of healthcare providers at their workplace, while 95% reported a perceived shortage of equipment, most commonly N95 masks (49%), gowns (35%), eye-protective shields (35%). A total of 199 (63.8%) participants received formal training since the beginning of the pandemic. According to the response from PHQ-9 questionnaire, 17 (5%) participants reported having no depression, while 18 (6%), 18 (6%), 25 (8%), and 234 (75%) reported having mild, moderate, moderately severe, and severe depression. Findings from multiple logistic regression showed the odds of moderate-to-severe depression to be higher among physicians with comorbidities (OR:7.47, CI: 1.27-43.89, P: 0.026) and those who felt extremely worried from looking at negative news on social/mass media (aOR: 15.180, CI:1.98-116.683, P: 0.009). To preserve and promote the psychological well-being of Bangladeshi doctors, it is, therefore, crucial to take these identified sources and risk factors of depression under sincere consideration by the responsible authorities and appropriate measures should be designed to remove these sources of depression to better support the physicians of the country.