TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence and correlates of anxiety and depression in frontline healthcare workers treating people with COVID-19 in Bangladesh
AU - Tasnim, Rafia
AU - Sujan, Md Safaet Hossain
AU - Islam, Md Saiful
AU - Ritu, Asmaul Husna
AU - Siddique, Md Abid Bin
AU - Toma, Tanziha Yeasmin
AU - Nowshin, Rifat
AU - Hasan, Abid
AU - Hossain, Sahadat
AU - Nahar, Shamsun
AU - Islam, Salequl
AU - Islam, Muhammad Sougatul
AU - Potenza, Marc N
AU - van Os, Jim
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank all of the participants who consented willingly and enrolled in the study voluntarily. Finally, the authors wish to express profound gratitude to Sadman Sakib Rahman, Salman Hridoy, Nishrita Debnath, Md. Fahad Shahariar Nayon, Rubaiya Binthe Hashem, Mohtasin Monim, Md. Naeem Islam, Shahan Ara Taskin Tanha, Nowrin Islam, Safa Akter Ruma, Md. Sifat Farhan Sany, Antara Raidah Rashid, Umma Motahara Anamika, Shahrina Tasnim Manami, Mohosina Akther, Soniya Akter Sony, and?Nusrat Zahan for their voluntary contributions during the data collection periods.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).
PY - 2021/5/25
Y1 - 2021/5/25
N2 - BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers (HCWs) who are in the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic are often under significant pressures that may predispose them to symptoms of poor mental health. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depression among HCWs and factors correlated with mental health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. And, it also aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Bangla version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between July and August, 2020. A self-reported online questionnaire was utilized to collect data. The survey included questions concerning socio-demographic, lifestyle, and work setting, as well as the HADS. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and multiple linear regression analysis were performed.RESULTS: Data from 803 HCWs (50.7% male; mean age: 27.3 [SD = 6.9]; age range: 18-58 years) were included in the final analysis. The Bangla HADS was psychometrically sound, and demonstrated good internal consistency and reliability (α = 0.83), and excellent construct validity. Prevalence estimates of anxiety and depression were 69.5%, and 39.5%, respectively, for less severe symptomology (at least borderline abnormal), and 41.2% and 15.7% for more severe (at least abnormal) symptomology. Regression analyses with the total HADS score as a dependent variable revealed significant (p < 0.05) associations with female gender, moderate and poor health status, infrequent physical exercising, smoking, having had regrets about one's profession because of the pandemic and associated experiences, not updating on the latest COVID-19-related research, experiencing discrimination in the workplace, and facing social problems due to working in a lab or hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms of anxiety and depression are prevalent among HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. The findings suggest a need for screening for mental health concerns, and employing early intervention to help these individuals.
AB - BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers (HCWs) who are in the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic are often under significant pressures that may predispose them to symptoms of poor mental health. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depression among HCWs and factors correlated with mental health concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. And, it also aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Bangla version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between July and August, 2020. A self-reported online questionnaire was utilized to collect data. The survey included questions concerning socio-demographic, lifestyle, and work setting, as well as the HADS. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and multiple linear regression analysis were performed.RESULTS: Data from 803 HCWs (50.7% male; mean age: 27.3 [SD = 6.9]; age range: 18-58 years) were included in the final analysis. The Bangla HADS was psychometrically sound, and demonstrated good internal consistency and reliability (α = 0.83), and excellent construct validity. Prevalence estimates of anxiety and depression were 69.5%, and 39.5%, respectively, for less severe symptomology (at least borderline abnormal), and 41.2% and 15.7% for more severe (at least abnormal) symptomology. Regression analyses with the total HADS score as a dependent variable revealed significant (p < 0.05) associations with female gender, moderate and poor health status, infrequent physical exercising, smoking, having had regrets about one's profession because of the pandemic and associated experiences, not updating on the latest COVID-19-related research, experiencing discrimination in the workplace, and facing social problems due to working in a lab or hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms of anxiety and depression are prevalent among HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. The findings suggest a need for screening for mental health concerns, and employing early intervention to help these individuals.
KW - Anxiety
KW - Bangladesh
KW - COVID-19
KW - Depression
KW - Healthcare workers
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85106873681&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s12888-021-03243-w
DO - 10.1186/s12888-021-03243-w
M3 - Article
C2 - 34034679
SN - 1471-244X
VL - 21
JO - BMC Psychiatry
JF - BMC Psychiatry
IS - 1
M1 - 271
ER -