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

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Anxiety; COVID-19; burnout; depression; resident doctors; sleep disturbances; stress.