Covid-19's Impact on Healthcare Workers

The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated many of the problems and Healthcare Industries across the world. From burnout to insufficient pay, healthcare workers have had to tackle a great deal of workplace issues in addition to the global health crisis. As would be expected, the mental health of healthcare workers internationally has been affected by the proliferation of these issues.

Although the impact of the pandemic has reverberated throughout the healthcare industry, some professionals have been disproportionately affected compared to others. According to Chatzittofis et al., “Frontline personnel with direct contact with patients with COVID-19 has been identified as being more vulnerable to anxiety and depressive symptoms,” (2021). The stress of dealing with increased regulations along with having to demonstrate greater patience means that front-line workers are stretched thin. Frontline workers have also faced additional emotional burden as a result of families unable to visit loved ones in the hospital due to COVID-19 restrictions. The increased emotional burden upon healthcare workers puts them at greater risk for anxiety and depressive symptoms.

Rates of anxiety, depression, and insomnia in healthcare settings across the world have also seen spikes during the pandemic. However, a metastudy conducted found that the instances of these three diseases were not all equal. The highest rates of anxiety, depression, and insomnia were found in Africa and South Asia (Zhang and Chen, 2021). Many studies and organizations had identified potential areas of risk for mental health before the pandemic. The aftermath of the pandemic have exacerbated the existence of mental health disparities within healthcare settings. The greatly increased instances of anxiety and depression in Africa and South Asia suggest that additional resources must be devoted to mental health for healthcare workers.

Works Cited

Chatzittofis A, Karanikola M, Michailidou K, Constantinidou A. Impact of the COVID-19

Pandemic on the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers. Int J Environ Res Public Health.

2021 Feb 3;18(4):1435. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18041435. PMID: 33546513; PMCID:

PMC7913751.

Zhang, Stephen X., and Jiyao Chen. “Scientific Evidence on Mental Health in Key Regions

under the COVID-19 Pandemic – Meta-Analytical Evidence from Africa, Asia, China,

Eastern Europe, Latin America, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Spain.” European

Journal of Psychotraumatology, vol. 12, no. 1, Jan. 2021, pp. 1–4. EBSCOhost,

doi-org.proxy.cc.uic.edu/10.1080/20008198.2021.2001192.