<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<sec id="j_jccm-2022-0012_s_006">
<h3>Introduction</h3>
<p>Healthcare professionals, due to the nature of their work, have always experienced occupational stress, depression and low quality of life, which have been aggravated during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jccm-2022-0012_s_007">
<h3>Aim</h3>
<p>A large-scale cross-sectional descriptive correlational study aimed to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Greek healthcare professionals’ psychological status and quality of life.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jccm-2022-0012_s_008">
<h3>Material and Methods</h3>
<p>The study was conducted at “Attikon” General University Hospital and the 2nd Health Region in Athens, Greece. An assessment of anxiety and depression was carried out using the Zung’s Self-Rating Anxiety and Depression Scale (SAS/SDS). To assess the participants’ Quality of Life (QoL) the Short Form Survey-36 (SF-36) was used.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jccm-2022-0012_s_009">
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>147 healthcare professionals were enrolled in the study. 70.7% experienced normal stress levels, 23.8% mild, 4.8% moderate and 0.7% severe. Mild depression was experienced by 34.7%, moderate by 10.2% and severe by 1.4%, with a 53.7% showing no depressive symptoms. Women experienced higher levels of anxiety and depression (p=0.001 &amp; 0.001 respectively), and were 5.4 times more at risk to develop anxiety [Odds Ratio (OR) 5.357, 95% Confidence Interval (CI), 1.95-14.72: p=0.001] and 3.4 depression (OR, 3.365, 95% CI, 1.59- 7.12: p=0.002). Nurses and other professionals experienced higher stress and depression levels (p=0.004 &amp; 0.040 respectively) than doctors. Participants reporting more exhaustion exhibited higher anxiety and depression levels (p=0.001). Compared to the pre-COVID-19 era, women (p=0.001), other health professionals (p=0.001) and those experiencing more physical burnout during COVID-19 (p=0.005) reported worse physical health. Anxiety and depression were negatively correlated with most sub scales of SF-36 except social functioning and bodily pain (p=0.001).</p></sec>
<sec id="j_jccm-2022-0012_s_010">
<h3>Conclusions</h3>
<p>Healthcare professionals’ QoL has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and they experience higher levels of anxiety and depression. There is a need to develop strategies to address the negative psychological impact of this pandemic on healthcare professionals.</p></sec>
</abstract>

Introduction
Healthcare professionals, due to the nature of their work, have always experienced occupational stress, depression and low quality of life, which have been aggravated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aim
A large-scale cross-sectional descriptive correlational study aimed to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Greek healthcare professionals’ psychological status and quality of life.

Material and Methods
The study was conducted at “Attikon” General University Hospital and the 2nd Health Region in Athens, Greece. An assessment of anxiety and depression was carried out using the Zung’s Self-Rating Anxiety and Depression Scale (SAS/SDS). To assess the participants’ Quality of Life (QoL) the Short Form Survey-36 (SF-36) was used.

Results
147 healthcare professionals were enrolled in the study. 70.7% experienced normal stress levels, 23.8% mild, 4.8% moderate and 0.7% severe. Mild depression was experienced by 34.7%, moderate by 10.2% and severe by 1.4%, with a 53.7% showing no depressive symptoms. Women experienced higher levels of anxiety and depression (p=0.001 & 0.001 respectively), and were 5.4 times more at risk to develop anxiety [Odds Ratio (OR) 5.357, 95% Confidence Interval (CI), 1.95-14.72: p=0.001] and 3.4 depression (OR, 3.365, 95% CI, 1.59- 7.12: p=0.002). Nurses and other professionals experienced higher stress and depression levels (p=0.004 & 0.040 respectively) than doctors. Participants reporting more exhaustion exhibited higher anxiety and depression levels (p=0.001). Compared to the pre-COVID-19 era, women (p=0.001), other health professionals (p=0.001) and those experiencing more physical burnout during COVID-19 (p=0.005) reported worse physical health. Anxiety and depression were negatively correlated with most sub scales of SF-36 except social functioning and bodily pain (p=0.001).

Conclusions
Healthcare professionals’ QoL has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and they experience higher levels of anxiety and depression. There is a need to develop strategies to address the negative psychological impact of this pandemic on healthcare professionals.

Occupational Stress and Quality of Life among Health Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Journal of Critical Care Medicine

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Introduction
Healthcare professionals, due to the nature of their work, have always experienced occupational stress, depression and low quality of life, which...

Occupational Stress and Quality of Life among Health Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Article Category: Research article

Publicado en línea: 12 ago 2022

Páginas: 182 - 192

Recibido: 05 ene 2022

Aceptado: 04 may 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jccm-2022-0012

Palabras clave
occupational stress, depression, quality of life, healthcare professionals, COVID-19

© 2022 Efstratios Vamvakas, Ioanna Kontogeorgou, Aggeliki Ntaountaki, Georgia Karkouli, Eleni Pisimisi, Eirini Karampekiou, Efstathios Politis, Iordana Moskofi, Dimitrios Konitopoulos, Eleni Dokoutsidou, Maria Grigoropoulou, Maria Theodorakopoulou, Apostolos Armaganidis, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Occupational Stress and Quality of Life among Health Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Article Category: Research article

Publicado en línea: 12 ago 2022

Páginas: 182 - 192

Recibido: 05 ene 2022

Aceptado: 04 may 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jccm-2022-0012

Palabras claveoccupational stress, depression, quality of life, healthcare professionals, COVID-19

© 2022 Efstratios Vamvakas, Ioanna Kontogeorgou, Aggeliki Ntaountaki, Georgia Karkouli, Eleni Pisimisi, Eirini Karampekiou, Efstathios Politis, Iordana Moskofi, Dimitrios Konitopoulos, Eleni Dokoutsidou, Maria Grigoropoulou, Maria Theodorakopoulou, Apostolos Armaganidis, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Palabras clave
occupational stress, depression, quality of life, healthcare professionals, COVID-19