The psychological impact of COVID-19 duty among resident doctors working in a COVID-hospital: A short-term follow-up study.

BACKGROUND

There is a dearth of longitudinal research that measures the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of resident doctors.

AIM

This study aimed to estimate depression, anxiety, stress, burnout, and sleep disturbances (insomnia and nightmares) among resident doctors after COVID-19 duty. The study was a prospective longitudinal study among resident doctors posted in COVID-19 wards in a tertiary hospital in North India.

METHODS

The participants were assessed at two points of time, two months apart, on a semistructured questionnaire and self-rated scales for depression, anxiety, stress, insomnia, sleep quality, nightmare experience, and burnout.

RESULTS

A significant proportion of resident doctors working in a COVID hospital had symptoms of depression (29.6%), anxiety (28.6%), stress (18.1%), insomnia (22%), and burnout (32.4%), even after two months of being off COVID duty. It was seen that these psychological outcomes had a strong positive correlation with each other. Compromised sleep quality and burnout significantly predicted depression, anxiety, stress, and insomnia.

CONCLUSION

The current study has added to the psychiatric aspects of COVID-19 among resident doctors and the changes in these symptoms with time and highlights the need for targeted interventions to decrease these adverse outcomes.