Association Between Occupational Stress and Mental Health in Healthcare Workers During the Coronavirus Pandemic in 2019

TL;DR

This study explores how job stressors affect mental health among healthcare workers during the 2019 coronavirus pandemic.

Contribution

The study identifies specific job stressors linked to depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress in healthcare workers during the pandemic.

Findings

High interpersonal conflicts and job fitness stress were linked to depressive symptoms.

Job overload and interpersonal conflicts were associated with anxiety symptoms.

Job overload and low job control were connected to post-traumatic stress.

Abstract

Background

During the coronavirus pandemic in 2019, deterioration of mental health was reported among healthcare workers. However, few studies have examined the relationship between healthcare workers’ mental health and occupational stress in healthcare settings during the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to identify job stressors associated with mental health issues among healthcare workers.

Methods

The study was conducted from May 2020 to January 2021. We analyzed the impact of job stressors on mental health issues using the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire, the seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Impact of Event Scale-Revised, and the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire in 204 healthcare workers working at a hospital treating patients with COVID-19.

Results

The results indicate that job stressors affecting depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress differed. High total Interpersonal Conflicts and Job Fitness stress scores were significantly associated with depressive symptoms (Interpersonal Conflicts OR:1.77; 95% CI:1.15-2.70; p = 0.001, Job Fitness OR:1.84; 95% CI:1.05-3.23; p = 0.04). High total Job Overload and Interpersonal Conflicts stress scores were significantly associated with anxiety symptoms (Job Overload OR:1.76; 95% CI:1.06-2.93; p = 0.003, Interpersonal Conflicts OR1.90; 95% CI:1.09-3.31; p = 0.002). High total Job Overload and Job Control stress scores were significantly associated with post-traumatic stress (Job Overload OR1.37; 95% CI:1.01-1.85; p = 0.04, Job Control OR1.69; 95%CI:1.17-2.43; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that strategies addressing job stressors to maintain or improve mental health during an infectious disease epidemic should be tailored to individual stress responses. Additionally, the results indicate that maintaining positive interpersonal relationships in the workplace and reducing workload are particularly important for supporting mental health among healthcare workers.