Psychological Impact on the Nursing Professionals of the Rioja Health Service (Spain) Due to the SARS-CoV-2 Virus

Pablo Del Pozo-Herce, Rebeca Garrido-García, Iván Santolalla-Arnedo, Vicente Gea-Caballero, Pablo García-Molina, Regina Ruiz de Viñaspre-Hernández, Francisco José Rodríguez-Velasco and Raúl Juárez-Vela
Additional contact information
Pablo Del Pozo-Herce: Department of Psychiatry, Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Rebeca Garrido-García: Group of Research in Sustainability of the Health System, Biomedical Research Center of La Rioja (CIBIR), 26006 Logroño, Spain
Iván Santolalla-Arnedo: Group of Research in Sustainability of the Health System, Biomedical Research Center of La Rioja (CIBIR), 26006 Logroño, Spain
Vicente Gea-Caballero: Nursing School La Fe, Adscript Center Universidad de Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Pablo García-Molina: Department of Nursing, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain
Regina Ruiz de Viñaspre-Hernández: Group of Research in Sustainability of the Health System, Biomedical Research Center of La Rioja (CIBIR), 26006 Logroño, Spain
Francisco José Rodríguez-Velasco: Department of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Badajoz University of Extremadura, 06006 Extremadura, Spain
Raúl Juárez-Vela: Group of Research in Sustainability of the Health System, Biomedical Research Center of La Rioja (CIBIR), 26006 Logroño, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 2, 1-13

Abstract: Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health emergency that has affected health professionals around the world, causing physical and mental exhaustion with a greater probability of developing mental disorders in professionals who provide healthcare. Objective: The objective of this study was to know the psychological impact of the SARS-CoV-2 virus on the nursing professionals working for the Rioja Health Service. Methods: We conducted an observational and descriptive cross-sectional study. The nursing staff at the Rioja Health Service were invited to respond to a self-administered questionnaire between June and August 2020. Results: A total of 605 health professionals participated in the questionnaire; 91.9% were women, 63.14% were registered nurses, and 36.28% were auxiliary nurses. Risk factors for mental health professionals were identified in more than 90% of nurses ( p = 0.009), affecting their psychological state with feelings of exhaustion, emotional overload ( p = 0.002), and less use of coping strategies among women. Younger professionals with less experience had higher levels of stress compared to those with more than five years of experience, who showed a progressive reduction in the impact of stressors ( p < 0.001). Professionals with dependent family members presented higher levels of emotional overload and coping problems ( p = 0.009). Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant psychological impact on health professionals in terms of stress, emotional well-being, and the use of coping strategies. Female health professionals with dependents, a temporary contract, and less work experience have been more psychologically affected.

Keywords: nursing; mental health; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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