KUMJ | VOL. 19 | NO. 3 | ISSUE 75 | JULY - SEPT. 2021
Anxiety, Depression and Functional Impairment among Health Care Workers during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Crosssectional Online Survey
Shrestha R, Khatri B, Adhikari S, Poudyal P
Abstract: Background
COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. The
number of cases and dramatic loss of human life worldwide created psychological
problems among general public, including health care workers.
Objective
To determine the burden of anxiety, depression, and functional impairment among
health care workers in the early days of lockdown during the first wave of COVID-19
outbreak in Nepal.
Method
A hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out among all the employees
of Hospital for Children Eye ENT and Rehabilitation Services, Bhaktapur during the
COVID-19 pandemic lockdown from April 3, 2020 to May 2, 2020 using an online
questionnaire. The tools used were adopted from Nepali version of Hospital Anxiety
and Depression scale (HADS) and Nepali version of WHO Disability Assessment
Schedule (WHODAS 2.0).
Result
The mean age (SD) of the participants (n=86) was 32.53 (7.92) years. Male and female
participants were equal in number. The point prevalence of anxiety and depression
was 25.6% and 14.0%, respectively. Females had a higher prevalence of both anxiety
(39.5% vs 11.6%, p < 0.01) and depression (18.6% vs 9.3%, p=0.351). Clinical and nonclinical
staff
both
had
a
higher
prevalence
of
both
anxiety
(31.0%
and
20.5%,
p=0.265)
and
depression
(16.7%
and
11.4%,
p=0.478).
The
mean
functional
impairment
score
(WHODAS
2.0)
among all participants and participants with anxiety and depression
was 19.47 (95% CI: 18.13-20.80), 21.27 (95% CI: 18.08-24.46), and 19.92 (95% CI:
15.28- 24.56), respectively.
Conclusion
Anxiety and depression during the first lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic were
highly prevalent in clinical and non-clinical employees. Besides controlling the
outbreak, special consideration should be given to mental health.
Keyword : Anxiety, COVID-19, Depression, Functional impairment, Health care workers, Online survey
