Mental health problems among health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: COVID-19 has effects on the mental health of health care workers. Aim: To explore the presence of symptoms associated with mental health problems and associated risk factors in health workers. Material and Methods: The questionnaires PHQ-9 for depression, GAD-7 for anxiety, ISI-7 for insomnia and IES-R-22 for psychological distress were applied to 125 health care workers aged 18 to 67 years (32 physicians, 22 nurses and 71 of other professions) laboring in hospitals and primary care facilities along Chile. Results: Sixty five percent reported depression symptoms, 74% anxiety, 65% insomnia and 57% distress. Physicians had lower median scores in all scales than nurses and other health professionals. Professionals attending patients with respiratory infections or with COVID-19 had higher median scores in the scales that their counterparts. Conclusions: The frequency of mental health problems among these professionals is high and preventive measures should be taken.