Hasan, M Tasdik 
ORCID: 0000-0002-3256-093X, Hossain, Sahadat, Safa, Farhana, Anjum, Afifa, Khan, Abid Hasan, Koly, Kamrun Nahar, Alam, Syeda Fatema, Rafi, Md Abdur, Podder, Vivek, Trisa, Tonima Islam et al (show 7 more authors)
(2022)
Anxiety and depressive symptoms among physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study.
GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH, 9.
pp. 285-297.
Abstract
Objectives In addition to risking their physical well-being, frontline physicians are enduring significant emotional burden both at work and home during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aims to investigate the levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms and to identify associated factors among Bangladeshi physicians during the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods and design A cross-sectional study using an online survey following a convenience sampling technique was conducted between April 21 and May 10, 2020. Outcomes assessed included demographic questions, COVID-19 related questions, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Results The survey was completed by 412 Bangladeshi physicians. The findings revealed that, in terms of standardized HADS cut-off points, the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among physicians was 67.72% and 48.5% respectively. Risk factors for higher rates of anxiety or depressive symptoms were: being female, physicians who had experienced COVID-19 like symptoms during the pandemic, those who had not received incentives, those who used self-funded personal protective equipment (PPE), not received adequate training, lacking perceived self-efficacy to manage COVID-19 positive patients, greater perceived stress of being infected, fear of getting assaulted/humiliated, being more connected with social media, having lower income levels to support the family, feeling more agitated, less than 2 h of leisure activity per day and short sleep duration. All these factors were found to be positively associated with anxiety and depression in unadjusted and adjusted statistical models. Conclusions This study identifies a real concern about the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among Bangladeshi physicians and identifies several associated factors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the vulnerability of the physicians in this extraordinary period whilst they are putting their own lives at risk to help people infected by COVID-19, health authorities should address the psychological needs of medical staff and formulate effective strategies to support vital frontline health workers.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Anxiety symptoms, Bangladesh, COVID-19, depressive symptoms, physicians |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Population Health |
| Depositing User: | Symplectic Admin |
| Date Deposited: | 10 Aug 2022 13:51 |
| Last Modified: | 18 Jan 2023 20:53 |
| DOI: | 10.1017/gmh.2022.30 |
| Open Access URL: | https://doi.org/10.1017/gmh.2022.30 |
| Related URLs: | |
| URI: | https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3160889 |
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