PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS OF INCREASINGFREQUENCY OF COVID-19 PATIENTS AMONGFRONT LINERS/ EMERGENCY HEALTH CAREWORKERS

Abstract

Objective of the Study: To determinepsychological stress of increasing frequency of covid-19 patients among front liners/ emergency health care workers at Ziauddin hospital.Methodology: This is a hospital based descriptive studyconducted in Emergency department of Ziauddin Institute and Hospital from 1^st April 2020 to 1^st May 2020.The inclusion criteria involved all front line health care workers working in emergency department including medical (physicians, nurses, postgraduates) and nonmedical personnel visiting emergency departments (administrators, technicians, maintenance staff, allied health professionals. The exclusion criteria involved other health care professionals not being exposed to suspected COVID patients. Results: Out of 65 working staff enrolled the mean age was 34.02 ± 6.017 years. Mostly working staff in emergency included males compared to females 48:17 (73.8%: 26.2%). During the first wave of Covid-19, there was increasing stress n=16 (24.6%) most commonly seen compared to isolated anxiety n= 6(9.2%), and depression n=4(6.2%). The severity of symptoms was mostly mild to moderate, very less patients had severe symptoms of depression, anxiety or stress or combined symptoms with statistical significant correlation found among severity and symptoms p value 0.000. Conclusion:Our study showed the psychological impact of first wave of COVID19 among front liners with nearly almost all had symptoms of depression, stress and anxiety. The impact of pandemic seemed to be greater especially among our frontline team.