A Cross-Sectional Survey Analysis of Health Care Workers’ Infection and Psychological Distress During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the USA
Name: Kiran Salman
School: Mailman School of Public Health, Class of 2020
Mentor: Tsion Firew, MD, MPH
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with significant occupational stressors for front line healthcare workers (HCWs), including COVID-19 exposure risk. Our study sought to assess factors contributing to HCW infection and psychological distress during the COVID19 pandemic in the U.S.A. We conducted a cross sectional survey of HCWs, collected during May 2020. Participants completed a 42-item survey assessing disease transmission risk and mental health. The questionnaire was disseminated over various social media platforms. 3,083 respondents from 48 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories accessed the survey. Using a convenience sample of health care workers who worked during the pandemic, 3083 respondents accessed the survey and 2040 participants completed at least 80% of the survey. Participants were largely from the Northeast and Southern US, with attending physicians (31.12%), nurses (26.80%), Emergency Medical Technicians (13.04%) with Emergency Medicine being the most common specialty represented (38.30%). Twenty-nine percent of respondents met the criteria for being a probable case due to reported COVID-19 symptoms or a positive test. HCWs in the Emergency Department (31.64%) were more likely to contract COVID-19 compared to HCWs in the ICU (23.17%) and inpatient settings (25.53%). HCWs that contracted COVID-19 also reported higher levels of depressive symptoms (Mean Diff.=0.31; 95% CI: 0.16, 0.47), anxiety symptoms (Mean Diff.=0.34; 95% CI: 0.17, 0.52) and burnout (Mean Diff.=0.54; 95% CI: 0.36, 0.71). HCWs have experienced significant personal physical and psychological risk while working during the of COVID-19 pandemic. These findings highlight the urgent need for continued support for provider physical and mental health well-being.