Depression, anxiety and stress after COVID-19 vaccination: A retrospective cross-sectional study among health care providers.

BACKGROUND

Corona virus disease (COVID-19) is a health concern that produced considerable psychological and physical health challenges to Health care providers (HCPs) internationally.

AIMS

This study aims to determine the level of depression, anxiety, and stress after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine among HCPs in Iraq.

METHODS

A retrospective cross-sectional study design was used in this study. The participants involved were 700 Iraqi HCPs who received one or two doses from COVID-19 vaccines. The questionnaire was designed and brought to them electronically using Google form and distributed by social media. Then mental health status was measured using a specific depression, anxiety and stress scale named DASS-21. Each domain of the DASS scale was calculated for each subject and DASS-21 scores were compared between different demographic groups.

RESULTS

Females represented a large percentage of participants (80%). The majority of participants had a normal level of DASS-21 after receiving the vaccine. Higher scores were obtained among graduated young age groups also among individuals who have side effects associated with the vaccine.

CONCLUSIONS

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that assesses mental health after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine in the middle east. The study concluded that HCPs have low DASS-21 scores and this gives us promising results for the use of the COVID-19 vaccine in future.