Mental health challenges faced by young medical residents fighting COVID-19 in tunisia

Abstract

Introduction

COVID-19 pandemic affected not only physical health of individuals, and communities but also their mental health worldwide. Young physicians, who were providing care for patients during the outbreak in a global atmosphere of stress, anxiety and depression, were not spared.

Objectives

To assess anxiety and depression among young medical resident exposed to COVID-19 in Tunisia and its associated factors

Methods

It was a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical online-based survey, from April 19, 2020, to May 5, 2020 on 180 medical residents in training, via a Google-Form link. We used a self-administered anonymous questionnaire containing sociodemographic and clinical data. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) validated in the Tunisian dialectal version was used to assess anxiety and depression.

Results

Among 180 young doctors included, 70.2% were female, 16% were married, 81.8% worked in a university Hospital and 51.1% were frontline caregivers involved in primary screening. Our study revealed that 66.1% of young medical residents were suffering from anxiety (severe anxiety: 28.9 %) and 61.7% of them from depression (severe depression: 29.1%). Anxiety disorder was correlated to female gender (p=0.008), being married (0.001), worse quality of sleep (p<10^-3) and increased consumption of tea and coffee (p=0.012). Depression was associated to worse quality of sleep (p<10^-3), lack of physical activity (p<10^-3), shortage of personal protective equipment (p=0,027) and anxiety disorder (p<10^-3).

Conclusions

Our study indicated a high proportion of anxiety and depression among young doctors in training, needing systematic screening in order to prevent them.