Perceived Stress and Psychological Morbidity Among Healthcare Workers: Post-Pandemic Study from India

Abstract

Healthcare workers are often under tremendous stress, a situation made even more challenging by the COVID-19 pandemic. This stress puts them at higher risk for mental health issues and sleep problems. While there's a growing body of international research on this topic, there’s still limited data on healthcare workers experiences in tertiary care settings in India. The study aimed to understand how healthcare workers perceive stress, alongside symptoms of depression and anxiety, and to evaluate their sleep quality using well-established psychological assessment tools. The goal was also to explore how perceived stress relates to these mental health outcomes. We conducted a cross-sectional study in a tertiary care hospital in India, between October 2021 and June 2022. We gathered data from 225 healthcare workers, including doctors and nurses, through an anonymous online survey. We have recruited a total of 225 participants for the study including doctors and nurses. We applied various statistical methods, including descriptive statistics and regression analyses, to interpret the data. The participants mean age was approximately 26 years, with a majority (63.6%) being female. Most respondents were postgraduate doctors (54.22%). On average, participants have reported moderate levels of perceived stress, with a mean PSS-4 score of 7.86. More than half of the participants showed symptoms of depression and anxiety according to the DASS-21. Additionally, the mean PSQI score was 6.92, indicating poor sleep quality. We found a significant correlation between perceived stress and the severity of depressive (p < 0.001**) and anxiety symptoms (p = 0.002**). In a specific analysis of individuals with poor sleep (PSQI > 5), the overall model indicated significance (R = 0.348, p = 0.001**), but no individual predictors stood out. Our findings highlight that healthcare workers were experiencing significant levels of stress, mental health issues, and sleep disturbances in the aftermath of the pandemic. The clear link between perceived stress and the severity of depression and anxiety symptoms demonstrates an urgent need for focused mental health support systems for frontline healthcare workers.