The comparison of anxiety, depression and stress symptoms levels of healthcare workers between the first and second COVID-19 peaks

Backgrounds: Although the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been investigated, there is no study comparing the effects between the peaks. This study aims to compare the levels of anxiety, depression, and stress of healthcare workers struggling with pandemic between the first and second peaks. Methods: A total of 2460 healthcare workers, 1051 from the first peak period and 1409 from the second peak period, were included in the study. The first peak measurements of the participants were made between 07.04.2020 and 05.05.2020 and the second peak measurements were made between 22.11.2020 and 20.12.2020 according to the peak period in Turkey. Depression-Anxiety-Stress-21(DASS-21) scale was applied to the participants online by the purpose of the study. Results: The mean age of the participants was 32.63 +/- 7.70, and 66.5% of them were female. A statistically significant difference was found between the income status (p < 0.001), lifestyle (p < 0.001) and COVID-19 test result (p < 0.001), DASS-21 Depression (p < 0.001, t = -5.311), Anxiety (p < 0.001, t = -8.244), Stress (p < 0.001, -10.056) and total(p < 0.001, t = -8.719) scores of the two groups. Conclusion: The present study results showed that healthcare workers meticulously struggling with the pandemic had increased anxiety, depression, and stress levels at the second peak of the pandemic compared to the first peak.