COVID-19 and the Mental Health of Frontline Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study in Southwestern Iran

Background: Nurses, as frontline health workers, are exposed to the risks of adverse mental health outcomes due to their direct contact with COVID-19 patients. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the mental health of frontline nurses in Behbahan, southwestern Iran. Methods: In this web-based cross-sectional study, data from 173 frontline nurses were collected in 3 COVID-19 referral hospitals in Behbahan, southwestern Iran. This study included demographic information and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the variables affecting mental health. Results: The present study included 173 frontline nurses (nurses and nurse assistants), 71.7% of whom were female and 28.3% of whom were male. Further, 76.3% of frontline nurses were suspected of poor mental health, and 23.7% were mentally healthy. The results of the multivariable logistic regression model showed that female participants had poorer mental health than men (odds ratio [OR], 2.51; 95% CI, 1.16 - 5.41; P = 0.01). The mental health of nurses with a history of COVID-19 infection was poorer than that of nurses without a history of COVID-19 infection (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.42 - 7.53; P = 0.006). Conclusions: The findings of our study showed that female nurses with a history of COVID-19 were more at risk for poor mental health. These groups need more attention and support in epidemics.