Abstract

Objective: Facing the critical situation of the pandemic, healthcare professionals are directly involved in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients with COVID-19 in the front line and they are at risk of developing psychological distress and other mental health symptoms. Here it is aimed to determine where the child clinic staff stand in terms of the psychological burden of the disease.

Methods: A hundred and fifty-one eligible physicians and nurses working in the Clinic of Pediatric, University of Health Sciences Turkey, İzmir Tepecik Education and Research Hospital who answered a web-based questionnaire between 10-20 June 2020 were included in the study. Socio-demographic questions, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) were used to evaluate the psychological determinants of the healthcare workers.

Results: Most of the participants were males (73.6%) and physicians (64.2%). Nearly two-thirds of the participants were employed in the COVID-19 related departments. We found strong correlations between DASS-21 subscale scores and ISI. Regarding socio-demographic variables, there were statistical differences for the results of ISI and DASS-21; such as male workers had more emotional problems and to be married had no protective effect during this pandemic.

Conclusion: Trying to understand mental health responses after this emerging public health problem, it can enable us to be prepared for the disaster for healthcare professionals and communities. None of the studies conducted does include child health and disease clinics and more research is needed about this topic.