Perception of stress by different categories of medical personnel during the first wave of the COVID‑19 pandemic in Russia

Relevance. In the context of the pandemic, the current psychological state and the likely delayed deterioration of the mental health of medical personnel, regardless of their professional duties, are of concern. Taking into account the stressful circumstances in which the pandemic has placed all medical workers, assessing the level of perceived stress, as well as identifying risk factors and factors that mitigate stress, is an urgent task, the solution of which will contribute to the effective organization of psychological support for medical personnel.

Methods. The study used a shortened version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS10) as the main methodology – a tool designed to study a person's attitude to stressful situations and determine the degree to which life is assessed as stressful and uncontrolled (Cohen et al., 1988). The methodology is widely used by the scientific community, including during the pandemic, and the original English version of the PSS has been translated into many languages and adapted in different countries. The study was conducted through an online survey.

Respondents. The study, conducted in the period from May 9 to June 26, 2020, when there was a steady increase in SARS-CoV 2 virus infections in Russia, involved 1,287 employees of medical institutions in various subjects of the federation (1,079 women and 208 men) aged 19 to 80 years. The sample of the study is represented by doctors, middle and junior medical staff, heads of medical departments and institutions, as well as volunteers.

Results. A high average overall index of perceived stress among employees of medical institutions was revealed. The highest level of stress is observed in the youngest age group (from 19 to 30 years), and with age, the level of stress decreases. There were no differences in the level of stress between male and female health workers in any of the considered stress indicators. Protective factors against increased stress are the presence of children and living with family members or relatives, while the presence of a spouse / partner does not affect the overall indicator of perceived stress. From different categories of medical workers, the index of perceived stress is higher in managers and doctors compared to middle and junior medical personnel. There were no significant differences in the level of stress between the staff working and not working in the "red zone". Differences in the level of stress of medical workers depending on the current situation (the number of infected and dead) in the region of residence were revealed: the level of stress is higher for those specialists who are forced to work in stressful conditions due to the complex epidemiological situation. The relationship between different beliefs about COVID19 and the level of stress is shown: the level of stress is higher in those who take its danger more seriously. In terms of the sources of stress, the most likely predictors are anxiety about exposure to COVID19 at work and the likelihood of infecting loved ones, fear of catching it yourself and getting sick, inability to meet the usual personal needs and economic instability.

Conclusions. Practical interventions, the provision of psychological support and the development of actions to reduce stress for staff during a pandemic, should take into account the role of factors in increasing stress among staff working in specific conditions and focus on the prevailing beliefs and stressors in specific categories of medical factors.

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