Impact of Unexpected In-House Major COVID-19 Outbreaks on Depressive Symptoms among Healthcare Workers: A Retrospective Multi-Institutional Study

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 20; no. 6; p. 4718
• Main Authors: Sato, Hideki, Maeda, Masaharu, Takebayashi, Yui, Setou, Noriko, Shimada, Jiro, Kanari, Yumiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 07.03.2023; MDPI
• Subjects: Confidence; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; Depression - epidemiology; Depression - psychology; Depression, Mental; Disease control; Disease Outbreaks; Epidemics; Health care; Health care facilities; Health Personnel - psychology; Hospitals; Houses; Humans; Infections; Intensive care; Medical personnel; Mental depression; Mental health; Nurses; Nursing Homes; Outbreaks; Pandemics; Polymerase chain reaction; Post traumatic stress disorder; Psychiatrists; Psychologists; Public health; Regression analysis; Retrospective Studies; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Signs and symptoms; Sociodemographics; Suicidal behavior; Viral diseases; Japan; Fukushima Japan; COVID-19; suicidal ideation; healthcare worker; depressive symptom; major outbreak
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20064718

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has significantly affected the mental health of healthcare workers (HCWs). The authors have provided psychosocial support to HCWs working in typical hospitals and nursing homes in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, where major COVID-19 outbreaks have occurred since December 2020. This study retrospectively examines depressive symptoms before psychosocial interventions among HCWs working at typical hospitals and nursing homes experiencing in-house major COVID-19 outbreaks. We have offered psychosocial support in eight hospitals and nursing homes, obtaining data on the mental health status of 558 HCWs using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The study's results indicate that 29.4% of HCWs have exhibited moderate or higher depressive symptoms, and 10.2% had suicidal ideation. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that being a nurse was associated with higher depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation compared to other HCWs. In addition, multiple logistic regression analysis of Polymerase Chain Reaction-positive HCWs showed that being a nurse and the number of COVID-19-related symptoms was associated with high depressive symptoms. These results suggest that HCWs in typical hospitals and nursing homes experiencing major COVID-19 outbreaks are more likely to exhibit severe depressive symptoms, which may worsen if infected with COVID-19. This study's findings expand the current understanding of HCWs' depressive symptoms and the importance of psychosocial support during unexpected major outbreaks in healthcare facilities.