Pandemic-Induced Depression and Anxiety in Healthcare Professionals

Medical staff has been at the centre of the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, facing diverse work-related stressors. Studies from various countries have shown that healthcare professionals have an increased risk of burnout and mental disorders during pandemic outbreaks. The present study aimed to investigate what kind of work-related stressors healthcare professionals in Germany have been facing and how they have been affected psychologically by the COVID-19 pandemic. N=300 healthcare professionals completed an online survey including the ISR symptom checklist to measure psychological well-being and questions on help-seeking behaviour. Findings were analyzed using t-tests, regression, and comparisons to large clinical and non-clinical samples assessed before and during the pandemic. Results show that healthcare professionals were most affected by protective measures at their workplace and changes in work procedures. Psychological symptoms, especially of anxiety and depression, were significantly more severe than in a non-clinical pre-pandemic sample and in the general population during the pandemic. At the same time, most professionals indicated that they would not seek help for psychological concerns. These findings indicate that healthcare employers need to pay increasing attention to the mental health of their staff, encourage help-seeking behaviour, as well as provide access to mental health support.