Professional Quality of Life and Mental Health among Doctors in Tamil Nadu during COVID19 Pandemic

M C Vasantha Mallika; A R Glannie; Pretty Venis

doi:10.47203/IJCH.2022.v34i01.017

Authors

M C Vasantha Mallika Sree Mookambika Institute of Medical Sciences, Kulasekharam, Tamil Nadu https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1739-5323
A R Glannie Sree Mookambika Institute of Medical Sciences, Kulasekharam, Tamil Nadu https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9632-2623
Pretty Venis Sree Mookambika Institute of Medical Sciences, Kulasekharam, Tamil Nadu https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9655-9305

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47203/IJCH.2022.v34i01.017

Keywords:

COVID-19, Compassion Satisfaction, Secondary Traumatization, Mental health

Abstract

Background: The pandemic COVID19, a serious global threat has led to elevated levels of pressure on medical professionals. The research shows that occupational stressors has been significantly associated with the pandemic.Objective: To estimate the professional quality of life of doctors in Tamil Nadu and their mental health during the COVID19 pandemic. Settings andDesign: Cross-sectional study in Tamil Nadu, South India. Method: Among 318 doctors from both private and government sectors in Tamil Nadu, South India during April 9th - May 10th 2021, the study was conducted to estimate the professional quality of life [Compassion Satisfaction (CS), Secondary Traumatization (ST) and burnout] using ProQOL-5 scale. Depression and Anxiety were estimated using PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scales respectively. Statistical analysis used: Association between the variables was found using Chi-square test. Results: Among the 318 respondents (170 males and 148 females), CS and ST levels were high in 77(24.2%), and 10(3.1%) respondents respectively. Severe depression and anxiety were among 36(11.3%) and 109(34.3%) respectively. Statistically significant association was found for Burnout (?2=55.671; OR=15.135; 95% CI=6.361-36.013 and ?2=57.518; OR=18.014; 95% CI=7.054-46.007) and ST (?2=56.701; OR=15.432; 95% CI=6.486-36.717 and ?2=26.281; OR=4.558; 95% CI=2.476-8.390) with both depression and anxiety (p<0.05). Conclusions: Doctors of Tamil Nadu, South India are challenged with adverse mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic with a significant association between the quality of life at work and psychological distress.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Firew T, Sano ED, Lee JW, Flores S, Lang K, Salman K, Greene MC, Chang BP. Protecting the front line: a cross-sectional survey analysis of the occupational factors contributing to healthcare workers’ infection and psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in the USA. BMJ open. 2020;10(10):e042752.

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-042752

Buselli R, Corsi M, Baldanzi S, Chiumiento M, Del Lupo E, Dell'Oste V, Bertelloni CA, Massimetti G, Dell’Osso L, Cristaudo A, Carmassi C. Professional quality of life and mental health outcomes among health care workers exposed to Sars-Cov-2 (Covid-19). International journal of environmental research and public health. 2020;17(17):6180.

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17176180

Stamm BH. Professional quality of life scale (ProQOL): Compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue (ProQOL) Version 5.

https://doi.org/10.1037/e517292011-601

American Psychiatry Association; Depression; cited on 12th April 2021. Available from: https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/depression/what-is-depression (Accessed on 12/03/22)

American Psychiatry Association; Anxiety disorders. Available from: https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/anxiety-disorders/what-are-anxiety-disorder (Accessed on 12/03/22)

Pappa S, Ntella V, Giannakas T, Giannakoulis VG, Papoutsi E, Katsaounou P. Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and insomnia among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Brain, behavior, and immunity. 2020;88:901-

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2020.05.026

Kroenke K, Spitzer RL, Williams JB. The PHQ?9: validity of a brief depression severity measure. Journal of general internal medicine. 2001;16(9):606-13.

https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.016009606.x

Spitzer RL, Kroenke K, Williams JB, Löwe B. A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7. Archives of internal medicine. 2006;166(10):1092-7.

https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.166.10.1092

Bohlken J, Schömig F, Lemke MR, Pumberger M, Riedel-Heller SG. COVID-19 pandemic: stress experience of healthcare workers-a short current review. Psychiatrische Praxis. 2020;47(4):190-7.

https://doi.org/10.1055/a-1159-5551

Chang D, Xu H, Rebaza A, Sharma L, Cruz CS. Protecting health-care workers from subclinical coronavirus infection. The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. 2020;8(3):e13.

https://doi.org/10.1016/s2213-2600(20)30066-7

Walton M, Murray E, Christian MD. Mental health care for medical staff and affiliated healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. European Heart Journal: Acute Cardiovascular Care. 2020;9(3):241-7.

https://doi.org/10.1177/2048872620922795