a) Perception of working overload and work conditions during pandemic
80.7% of HCWs are overwhelmed by work, 62.7% feels a deterioration of working conditions and 62.7% refer a work overload. PSS-10 is statistically higher among those that perceive work overload. The perception of working overload is statistically associated to suffer anxiety crisis (X2; p<0.0001)
b) Level of Information received
34.1% refer to receive poor information, 32.1% refer to receive adequate information and 32.1% refer to be overinformed
c) Front-line HCWs
Front-line HCWs obtain the highest score perceived stress.
Fisher´s Exact test determine the association between front-line workers and anxiety crisis (p<0.00001), the perception of working overload (p<0.00001), the start on antidepressants (p<0.0001) and the increase in anxiolytic consumption (p<0.0001)
d) Work place
PSS scores are higher among the HCWs that work in both places: Primary Health Centers and in Hospitals followed by the HCWs in Primary Health Centers and lower scores in those that work only in Hospitals (X2; p=0.004)
e) HCWs living with a vulnerable person
Kruskal-Wallis H test is used to determine if there are statistically significant differences between two or more groups of an independent variable on a continuous or ordinal dependent variable (fear of infecting and PSS-10). There are statistically differences: living with a vulnerable person (fear to infect) is associated to PSS-10 higher scores
f) HCWs with medical conditions
There are not statistically differences (Kruskal-Wallis) between PSS-10 and suffer a medical condition among the HCWs
g) Substance use in healthcare workers
17.3% are smokers (and 40% recognize increased consumption with the pandemic). 28.1% are drinkers (and 27.75% recognize increased consumption with the pandemic). Higher PSS-10 scores do not correlate with the increase in alcohol and tobacco use. The narcissistic personality trait is statistically linked to alcohol use (X2; p=0.0026)
h) Psychiatric drugs consumption
20.6% are on medication anxiolytics and antidepressants (63.55 recognize having higher doses with the pandemic)
12.1% have started antidepressants during the pandemic
Fisher´s Exact test determine the association between front-line workers and the start on antidepressants as significant (p<0.0001)
i) Anxiety and depression (subscales SCL-90-R)
As we can see (Table 1) there is a correlation (Rho Spearman) between PSS-10 and depression and anxiety symptomatology
j) Personality traits
85% of the sample show is positive to, at least, one personality trait
The personality traits that appeared were: anankastic (52.9%), anxious (44.5%), histrionic (38.2%), schizoid (37.3%), impulsive (29.7%), borderline (26.5%), dependent (25.8%), paranoid (15%), antisocial (6.9%), narcissistic (5.9%), schizotypal (3.9%)
The personality traits that correlate (Rho-Spearman) more with the PSS-10 and insomnia are the anxious, borderline and impulsive (Table 2). According to Rho Spearman analysis all the personality traits correlate autolytic ideation, work load and fear to infect vulnerable family with the exception of narcissistic and antisocial personality traits (Table 2)
k) Anxiety crisis
35.6% have suffered anxiety crisis during the last month. The perception of working overload is statistically associated to suffer anxiety crisis (X2; p<0.0001)
l) Trouble falling sleep
85.7% of the sample recognizes problems falling sleep
There is a correlation (Rho-Spearman) between PSS-10 scores and trouble falling sleep (Table 1).
m) Autolytic ideation
14.4% have been thinking about killing themselves. There is statistically significant relationship (X-square) between suicidal ideation and the medical vulnerability to Covid (p=0.009) or living with someone vulnerable (p=0.038). There is not statistically significant relationship (X-square) between suicidal ideation and working in front line or sex.
n) Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10)
Scores ranging from 0 to 13 are considered low stress. Scores 14-26 are considered moderate stress. Scores between 27 and 40 are considered high perceived stress
In our sample the average score is 19.7 with a standard deviation of 6.7. 22.4% of the sample have a score ≥ 20 which high stress perceived
More work overload is associated with higher PSS-10 scores