Mental Health of Hospital Staff During COVID-19: A Comparative Longitudinal Study
Abstract
Background: Staff burnout was a major challenge for healthcare systems globally during the COVID‑19 pandemic. In this regard, this study aimed to examine the mental health status of employees in two hospitals: one that admitted patients with COVID‑19 (COVID‑19 hospital) and another that did not admit such patients (non‑COVID‑19 hospital). Materials and Methods: This multistage case‑control study was conducted on 1241 participants who were selected using the census sampling method. The participants completed the Symptom Checklist 25 and a demographic checklist, along with the assessment of other relevant variables. Data collection occurred at 3 (June 2020), 6 (September 2020), and 9 (December 2020) months following the COVID‑19 outbreak. The data were analyzed in using the Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests for statistical analysis. Results: Among the 300 staff members at the COVID‑19 hospital, 187 (62%), 73 (24%), and 40 (13%) members were medical, nonmedical, and administrative staff, respectively. At the non‑COVID‑19 hospital, out of 300 staff members, 235 (78%), 53 (18%), and 12 (4%) members were medical, nonmedical, and administrative staff, respectively. The staff at the COVID‑19 hospital showed higher total SCL‑25 scores, compared to those at the non‑COVID‑19 hospital. Despite an overall upward trend in psychiatric disorders in both groups, significant differences were observed at 6 months (p = 0.02) and 9 months (p < 0.001) following the outbreak. Conclusions: The staff at the COVID‑19 hospital were at a higher risk of developing mental health disorders. The mental health status of employees at both hospitals evolved over time.
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