Prevalence and Associated Factors of Depression and Anxiety Among Healthcare Workers Following the COVID-19 Pandemic
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Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of depression and anxiety among healthcare professionals at Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted between June 1 and August 30, 2024, involving 283 healthcare workers, including physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals. Participants were selected through stratified random sampling. The study employed the Thai Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to evaluate depression and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) to assess anxiety. Descriptive statistics were used for general demographic analysis, while Pearson Chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Spearman rank correlation were applied to examine relationships, with statistical significance set at 0.05.
Results: The majority of participants were female (86.2%), with 62.9% from the nursing profession, 12.7% from the medical profession, and 24.4% from other allied health fields. The prevalence of depression was 19.8%, while anxiety was observed in 9.5% of participants. Significant differences in anxiety levels were found across professions (P = 0.001 and P = 0.011), with physicians exhibiting the highest prevalence (30.56%). Two key factors showed a positive correlation with both depression and anxiety: the number of COVID-19 infections (rs = 0.141, P = 0.018 and rs = 0.133, P = 0.025) and weekly workload (rs = 0.189, P = 0.001 and rs = 0.174, P = 0.003).
Conclusion: In the post-pandemic period, 19.8% of healthcare workers experienced depression, while 30.56% of physicians reported anxiety. Depression was positively associated with weekly workload and recurrent COVID-19 infections, highlighting the necessity for workload management and structured mental health support systems. To address these concerns, policies should be implemented to reduce workload and establish accessible psychological support, including professional counseling and readily available mental health assistance channels.
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