Abstract

MARQUES, Mariana et al. Mental health of health professionals, during the first wave of Covid-19. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2021, vol.22, n.3, pp.778-788.  Epub Dec 31, 2021. ISSN 1645-0086.  https://doi.org/10.15309/21psd220301.

It is still unknown the impact of the COVID pandemic in the mental health, stress perception and quality of life, of health professionals. We wish to assess the variables mentioned above, in the first wave of the pandemic. 680 health professionals (women, 78,5%; nurses, 46,3%; worked in COVID-19 services, 48,2%) answered the BSI-18, the PSS and the EUROHIS-QOL-8. Women presented higher levels of stress, anxiety and somatization; technical assistants, operational assistants, doctors and nurses referred higher somatization (than senior technicians, health senior technicians and pharmacists); nurses and operational assistants had higher levels of somatization than doctors; health professionals that worked at COVID services and were on quarantine/isolation presented higher anxiety and somatization; professionals that were on quarantine referred lower levels of depression; those that were infected presented less quality of life, higher anxiety, depression and somatization. The impact of the pandemic in the central variables was demonstrated, in these health professionals. In the future, considering equally aversive circunstances, it might be important to monitor the mental health of the health professionas and to offer specific plans of psychological support.

Keywords : Health professionals; COVID-19; Mental health; Perceived stress; Quality of life.

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