General health and psychological defense mechanisms of front-line healthcare workers during COVID-۱۹ pandemic in Iran

Introduction: Since December ۲۰۱۹, people throughout the world has been encountering COVID ۱۹ pandemic different populations, especially health care workers have been facing psychological challenges such as high amount of anxiety. In this st udy, we assessed impacts of COVID ۱۹ pandemic on first line health care workers psychological well being in the north of Iran Iran. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional analytical study was conducted in ۴ hot spot major hospitals of Rasht, during first month of the outbreak in Iran. Physicians and nurses were divided into two categories as low and high risk groups based on their level of exposure to the virus. Standard general health questionnaire (GHQ ۲۸) and defense style questi onnaires (DSQ ۴۰) were also used Results: The mean age of participants was ۳۰.۲ ± ۶.۶. Of total ۱۹۹ subjects, ۷۳.۴% were females and ۲۶.۶% were males. ۶۳.۲۳ % of participants were nurses and ۳۶.۸۶% were physicians. Base on the mental health questionnaire, ۶۰.۸% and ۱۰.۵۵% of participants experienced mild to moderate psychological stress. There were no significant differences between high risk and low risk grou ps. Females those who had lost a family member due to COVID ۱۹ and nurses with less developed defense mechanisms were found to be associated with psychological morbidity (P<۰.۰۰۱). Also, in terms of psychological defense mechanisms, nurses working in high risk wards showed more developed mechanisms than their peers Conclusion: Majority of physicians and nurses working during COVID ۱۹ pan demic were experiencing levels of psychological distress, mostly in the form of anxiety, sleep dysfunction and depression. Females, individuals who had lost a family member due to the C OVID ۱۹ infection and those with less developed psychological defense mechanisms were at higher risk of developing mental morbidity.

Keywords:

COVID ۱۹ , M ental health , D efense mechanisms , H ealth care workers , GHQ ۲۸ , DSQ ۴۰