Depression, Anxiety and Stress during COVID-19 Pandemic among Physicians and their Families at King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Introduction:

Physicians are the frontline warriors in the battle against the pandemic. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate the impact of this health crisis on healthcare professionals and their families. This study aims to examine the prevalence and factors influencing depression, anxiety, and stress among doctors and their family members during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

This is a cross-sectional study recruited doctors (or their family members) who work in the Faculty of Medicine, Rabigh, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire containing Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale - 21 Items (DASS-21) was used to collect participant data using an online link. Scores for depression, anxiety and stress are calculated by summing the scores for the relevant items. Descriptive statistics were computed based on variable types. Quantitative variables were summarized using means and Standard Deviation (SD), while qualitative variables were presented as frequencies and proportions. Univariate analysis with Chi-square was employed to assess goodness of fit at a significance level of 0.05. Regression models were utilized to identify potential predictors for each dimension of depression, anxiety, and stress.

Results:

A total of 143 participants were included in this study. Of them, 60.8% were doctors affiliated to Rabigh College, while 39.2% were relatives of doctors. Regarding depression, 46.2%.8% had depression with different degrees; 11.2% and 6.3 had "Severe" and "Extremely severe" depression, respectively. Similarly, 41.3% had abnormal anxiety levels, 11.2% had severe or extremely severe anxiety, and 30.1% experienced stress in different severity levels. Patients’ characteristics such as gender, nationality, marital status and occupation were found to be associated with different psychological problems.

Conclusions:

The study's findings revealed that a substantial proportion of the doctors and their family members had moderate to extreme levels of depression, anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings highlight the importance of considering cultural and contextual factors when assessing and addressing mental well-being within specific populations.