The Impact of COVID-19 on Spanish Health Professionals: A Description of Physical and Psychological Effects

Aim: To describe the physical and psychological symptoms in healthcare workers caring for COVID-19 patients. Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study design. A sample of 1,452 participants was collected. Sociodemographic data were recorded. Symptoms of anxiety were screened with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), symptoms of depression were measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and finally physical symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15). Percentages, means and standard deviations, the one-way and two-way ANOVA test, the Chi square test and Pearson's correlation coefficient were all calculated. The level of significance was (p < 0.05). Results: Medium levels of anxiety (range, 5-9) and depression (range, 5-9) were observed, as well as the existence of physical symptoms (5-30). Nursing staff presented higher scores for anxiety than medical staff (Bonferroni test = -1.68; p < 0.001). Significant differences were also found for depression (F = 9.8; p < 0.001). Nursing staff and assistant nursing staff presented higher scores than medical professionals (Post hoc test = -2.11;p < 0.001 and Post hoc test = -1.53; p < 0.001, respectively). Significant differences were found according to gender in all variables referring to emotional distress: anxiety (t student = -6.492; p < 0.001), depression (t student = -4.703; p < 0.001) and physical symptoms (t student = -9.015; p < 0.001). Female healthcare workers displayed anxiety, depression and physical symptoms more frequently than their male counterparts. Analysing gender differences within each professional activity, no significant differences were found using the two-way ANOVA test (F = 1.52; p = 0.109). Anxiety and depression correlated with physical symptoms (rxy = 0.604; p < 0.001) when applying Pearson's correlation coefficient. Conclusions: The study confirms the psychological impact and manifestation of physical symptoms in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 outbreak, highlighting the need to monitor symptoms and provide effective psychological intervention to prevent adverse effects on mental health such as post-traumatic stress disorder and burnout.