Comparing Psychological Symptoms in the Medical Staff of Specialized Medical Centers with the Medical Staff of Non-Specific Corona Centers

Abstract

Background & aim: The medical staff involved in the fight against the Covid-19 disease experience high physical and mental pressures. In this regard, it is necessary to investigate the psychological symptoms of healthcare workers at risk and compare them with other populations. Therefore, the present study was conducted with the aim of comparing psychological symptoms in the medical staff of specialized medical centers with the medical staff of non-specific Corona centers. Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study of a comparative type that was conducted from August to December 2021. The statistical population was all the medical staff of specific and non-specific Corona medical centers of hospitals in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer Ahmed state in 2021. 169 of them were selected using the available sampling method. Questionnaires for demographic information, patient health (PHQ-9), generalized anxiety (GAD-7), and Pittsburgh sleep quality (PSQI) was used. SPSS-25 statistical software, descriptive indices, independent t-test, and chi-square (chi-square) test were used for data analysis. Results: 97 people (57.40%) of the participants were in special medical centers for Corona and 72 people (42.60%) were in non-specific medical centers for Corona. There was a significant difference between the research groups in terms of the participant infected with Corona (P<0.05). Also, there was a significant difference between the research groups in terms of anxiety (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between them in terms of depression and sleep quality (P<0.05). Conclusion: Considering the high anxiety of the frontline medical staff, it is necessary to design and implement trainings and interventions based on anxiety reduction for them.

Keywords

• anxiety
• depression
• sleep quality
• health centers
• coronavirus
• covid-19
• medical staff