Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and well-being of resident doctors in Jammu and Kashmir: a cross-sectional study

Asma Jabeen; Shazia Chowdhary; Amrit Rai Badgal; Sakib Arfee

doi:10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20220390

Authors

Asma Jabeen Department of Ophthalmology, GMC, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Shazia Chowdhary Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, GMC, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Amrit Rai Badgal Jammu and Kashmir Health Services, India
Sakib Arfee Department of Orthopedics, GMC, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20220390

Keywords:

COVID-19 pandemic, Resident doctors, Mental impact

Abstract

Background: After its first detection in China SARS-COV-2 which is also known as COVID-19 has imposed significant impact on healthcare system. Not only has this affected the mental health of young resident doctors who work as the primary contact to these patients and frontline workers during this pandemic it has also significantly increased their psychological distress among them. Aim of our study was to evaluate the adverse impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and well-being of resident doctors working in the major tertiary care hospitals of union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 4 major tertiary care hospitals of North India. This study was based on a questionnaire form filled by 400 resident doctors who are presently undergoing training in above mentioned hospitals. Psychological impact was assessed using depression, anxiety and stress scale-21 (DASS-21). The final results were based on the inference drawn these forms and analysed using SPSS version 26.

Results: Total of 400 questionnaire forms handed over 391 residents reverted back. Among these 391, 47% were females and 53% males. 32% of the total respondents were senior residents and 68 were working as junior residents. Regarding the working during pandemic a total of 54.6% worked overtime and 23.6% were in direct contact with RTPCR confirmed COVID patients. Statistically significant number of residents were categorized as having anxiety and stress levels with statistically non-significant data related to depression.

Conclusions: Resident doctors are adversely affected during these difficult times of COVID pandemic taking into the consideration both psychologically and academically. A similar study at the larger scale especially at national level may give us more effective understanding of the working conditions of frontline warriors and necessary steps which should be taken to reduce the long-term consequences.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

Author Biographies

Asma Jabeen, Department of Ophthalmology, GMC, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Resident, Department of Ophthalmology, GMC Jammu, J&K, India.

Shazia Chowdhary, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, GMC, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Senior Resident, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, GMC Jammu, J&K, India.

Amrit Rai Badgal, Jammu and Kashmir Health Services, India

Orthopaedic Surgeon (D ortho, DNB Ortho), J&K Health Services.

Sakib Arfee, Department of Orthopedics, GMC, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Senior Resident, Department of Orthopedics, GMC Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India.

References

Torales J, O’Higgins M, Castaldelli-Maia JM, Ventriglio A. The outbreak of COVID-19 coronavirus and its impact on global mental health. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2020;66(4):317-20.

Cao W, Fang Z, Hou G, Han M, Xu X, Dong J, et al. The psychological impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on college students in China. Psychiatry Res. 2020;287:112934.

Holmes EA, O’Connor RC, Perry VH, Tracey I, Wessely S, Arseneault L, et al. Multidisciplinary research priorities for the COVID-19 pandemic: A call for action for mental health science. Lancet Psychiatry. 2020;7(6):547-60.

Pfefferbaum B, North CS. Mental health and the Covid-19 pandemic. N Engl J Med. 2020;383(6):510-2.

Wang C, Pan R, Wan X, Tan Y, Xu L, Ho CS, et al. Immediate psychological responses and associated factors during the initial stage of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic among the general population in China. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(5):1729.

Osama M, Zaheer F, Saeed H, Anees K, Jawed Q, Syed SH, et al. Impact of COVID-19 on surgical residency programs in Pakistan; a residents’ perspective. Do programs need formal restructuring to adjust with the “new normal”? A cross-sectional survey study. Int J Surg. 2020;79:252-6.

Sahu D, Agrawal T, Rathod V, Bagaria V. Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on orthopaedic surgeons in India: a survey. J Clin Orthopaed Trauma. 2020;11(3):283-90,

Chen Q, Liang M, Li Y, Guo J, Fei D, Wang L, et al. Mental health care for medical staff in China during the COVID-19 outbreak. Lancet Psychiat. 2020;7(4):15-6.

Tan BYQ, Chew NWS, Lee GKH, Jing M, Goh Y, Yeo LL, et al. Psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care workers in Singapore. Ann Intern Med. 2020;173(4):317-20.

Rana T, Hackett C, Quezada T, Chaturvedi A, Bakalov V, Leonardo J, et al. Medicine and surgery residents’ perspectives on the impact of COVID-19 on graduate medical education. Med Educ Online. 2020;25(1):1818439.

Sinha S, Kern LM, Gingras LF, Reshetnyak E, Tung J, Pelzman F, et al. Implementation of video visits during COVID-19: lessons learned from a primary care practice in New York City. Front Public Health. 2020;8:514.