Traumatic stress in Egyptian doctors during COVID-19 pandemic

• Published in: Psychology, health & medicine health & medicine, 2023, Vol.28 (1), p.171-178
• Main Authors: Seifeldin Abdeen, Mai, Mohammed, Maha Zakariya, El Hawary, Yomna, Yosef, Mostafa, El Nagar, Zeinab Mohamed, Hashim, Mostafa Ahmad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: COVID-19; COVID-19 - epidemiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; depression; Depression - epidemiology; Egypt; Egypt - epidemiology; Female; Health care industry; High risk; Humans; Medical diagnosis; Medical personnel; Mental depression; mental health; Occupational stress; pandemic; Pandemics; Physicians; Post traumatic stress disorder; Psychological distress; PTSD; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - diagnosis; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - epidemiology
• ISSN: 1354-8506; 1465-3966
• DOI: 10.1080/13548506.2022.2059096

COVID-19 pandemic has heavily burdened healthcare systems throughout the world, causing substantial mental distress to medical professionals. We aim to investigate the associated traumatic stress in a sample of practicing physicians in Egypt during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study assessed depression, and Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among a sample of Egyptian physicians using an electronic survey. It included demographic and practice-related data, PTSD Checklist - Civilian Version (PCL-C) and the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Of the 124 respondents, 66.9% were at high risk for depression and 37.9% met criteria for diagnosis of PTSD. Female gender and perceived work-related stress were significantly associated with PTSD. PTSD and depression severity scores were positively correlated. These findings highlight the importance of timely mental support and intervention for medical workers.