Factors associated with anxiety in multiprofessional health care residents during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: To estimate the prevalence and factors associated with anxiety among multiprofessional health residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Cross-sectional study, conducted in July 2020 with multiprofessional health residents (n = 67) from a university hospital. We used the Beck Anxiety Inventory to assess anxiety. Analyzing data through the chi-square test, likelihood ratio, and multiple analysis using Poisson regression with robust variance. Results: The proportion of moderate/severe anxiety was 31.3%, which showed significant association with working in sectors involving COVID-19 and directly with suspected/confirmed cases of COVID-19. During the multiple analysis, we found prevalence of anxiety in participants who needed psychological support after entering their residence and those who used psychotropic meds. Conclusion: The results seem to indicate that residents had their mental health impaired during the pandemic, but the maintenance of the variables in the model also suggests that they sought help to control anxiety.

Keywords

• Anxiety
• Internship and Residence
• University Hospitals
• Pandemic
• Coronavirus Infections