摘要:Background: Studies have shown that working in frontline healthcare roles during epidemics and pandemics was
associated with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders.
Objectives: The objectives of this study were to identify demographic, work-related and other predictors for
clinically significant PTSD, depression, and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic in UK frontline health and social
care workers (HSCWs), and to compare rates of distress across different groups of HCSWs working in different roles
and settings.
Methods: A convenience sample (n = 1194) of frontline UK HCSWs completed an online survey during the first
wave of the pandemic (27 May – 23 July 2020). Participants worked in UK hospitals, nursing or care homes and
other community settings. PTSD was assessed using the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ); Depression was
assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9); Anxiety was assessed using the Generalized Anxiety
Disorder Scale (GAD-7).
Results: Nearly 58% of respondents met the threshold for a clinically significant disorder (PTSD = 22%;
anxiety = 47%; depression = 47%), and symptom levels were high across occupational groups and settings.
Logistic regression analyses found that participants who were concerned about infecting others, who could not
talk with their managers if there were not coping, who reported feeling stigmatized and who had not had reliable
access to personal protective equipment (PPE) were more likely to meet criteria for a clinically significant mental
disorder. Being redeployed during the pandemic, and having had COVID were associated with higher odds for PTSD.
Higher household income was associated with reduced odds for a mental disorder.
Conclusions: This study identified predictors of clinically significant distress during COVID-19 and highlights the
need for reliable access to PPE and further investigation of barriers to communication between managers and staff.
关键词:COVID-19 ; frontline workers ; health and social care ; pandemics ; distress ; PTSD ; depression ; anxiety