Middle East Current Psychiatry (Nov 2020)

Coping with depression and anxiety in Egyptian physicians during COVID-19 pandemic

  • Ola Osama Khalaf,
  • Mohamed A. Khalil,
  • Reham Abdelmaksoud

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s43045-020-00070-9
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 27, no. 1
pp. 1 – 7

Abstract

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Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health emergency with a negative impact on mental health. Healthcare workers are one of the most vulnerable groups to psychological stress in pandemics especially COVID-19. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed depression, stress, and coping among a sample of Egyptian physicians using an electronic survey. It included demographic data; Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21); and Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS). Results We found that the majority of the sample were females (61.2%), in medical specialties (51.2%), and living with vulnerable family members (92.4 %). The majority (63%) suffered from severe or extremely severe depression, 77.6% had extremely severe anxiety, and 72% suffered from stress. BRCS showed that only 17.1% had high resilient coping. Female physicians had significantly higher depression, anxiety, and stress scores of DASS than male physicians (p = 0.001, < 0.001, and < 0.001, respectively). The anxiety scale was significantly higher in those with chronic diseases (p = 0.040) while the stress scale was lower significantly in those with higher academic degree (p = 0.034). Age had a significantly negative correlation with DASS anxiety (p = 0.031) and stress scores (p = 0.037). The BRCS score had a significantly negative correlation with the depression, anxiety, and stress scales of DASS (p = 0.018, 0.014, and 0.007 respectively). Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic has a negative impact on the psychological well-being of the studied Egyptian physicians. Prophylactic measures should be implemented to avoid development of psychiatric symptoms in physicians.

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