Comparison of COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Stress among Frontline Medical Personnel in Daegu City, Korea

• Published in: Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Vol. 57; no. 6; p. 583
• Main Authors: Shin, Su-Jeong, Kim, Yun-Jeong, Ryoo, Hyun-Wook, Moon, Sungbae, Lee, Sang-Hun, Moon, You-Ho, Jang, Tae-Chang, Park, Dong-Chan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 07-06-2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 pandemic; Epidemics; Gender; Likert scale; medical staff; mental health; Nurses; Occupational stress; Pandemics; Personal protective equipment; Physicians; Principal components analysis; Quarantine; Questionnaires; stress anxiety; South Korea
• ISSN: 1648-9144; 1010-660X; 1648-9144
• DOI: 10.3390/medicina57060583

Background and Objectives: Frontline medical staff usually experience high levels of stress, which could greatly impact their work output. We conducted a survey to investigate the level of stress and its association with job types, work departments, and medical centers among COVID-19 pandemic frontline medical personnel. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey using a self-administered questionnaire among 307 frontline medical staff who cared for COVID-19 patients in Daegu city. We used a 33-item questionnaire to assess respondents’ general characteristics, job stress, personal effects associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and their stress level. A general health questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) was included in our questionnaire. Results: Majority (74.3%) of the respondents were in the stress group. The mean GHQ-12 score was 14.31 ± 4.96. More females (67.4%, p < 0.05) and nurses (73.3%, p = 0.001) were in the stress group compared to males and doctors. Medical staff in the general ward considered the severity of the COVID-19 pandemic situation higher. Nurses perceived work changes (p < 0.05), work burden (p < 0.05), and personal impact (p < 0.05) more serious than doctors. Medical staff in Level 3 emergency department (ED) perceived a lack of real-time information (p = 0.012), a lack of resources, and negative personal impacts associated with the pandemic as more serious than staff in Level 1 and Level 2 EDs. Medical staff in the intensive care unit perceived work changes (p < 0.05), work burden (p < 0.05), and lack of personal protective equipment (p = 0.002) as more serious than staff in the ED and general ward. Conclusion: Providing real-time information and resources for reducing work burden and negative personal impact is central to maximizing the work output of the COVID-19 pandemic frontline medical staff. Supporting their mental health through regular programs and intervention is also imperative.