Obstetrics Healthcare Providers’ Mental Health and Quality of Life During COVID-19 Pandemic: Multicenter Study from Eight Cities in Iran
coronavirus, covid-19, SARS-CoV-2, quality of life, health care provider, obstetrics
Homeira Vafaei,1 Shohreh Roozmeh,1 Kamran Hessami,1,2 Maryam Kasraeian,1 Nasrin Asadi,1 Azam Faraji,1 Khadije Bazrafshan,1 Najmieh Saadati,3 Soudabeh Kazemi Aski,4 Elahe Zarean,5 Mahboobeh Golshahi,6 Mansoureh Haghiri,7 Nazanin Abdi,8 Reza Tabrizi,9 Bahram Heshmati,10 Elham Arshadi11 1Maternal-Fetal Medicine Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; 2Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; 3Fertility Infertility and Perinatology Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; 4Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Reproductive Health Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran; 5Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; 6Department of Psychology, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran; 7Department of Perinatology, Maternal-Fetal Center, Vali-e-Asr Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; 8Fertility and Infertility Research Center, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran; 9Health Policy Research Center, Institute of Health, Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; 10Medical Journalism Department, Paramedical School, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; 11Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IranCorrespondence: Nasrin AsadiMaternal-Fetal Medicine Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Maternal- Fetal Medicine (Perinatology), Hafez Hospital, Chamran Ave, Shiraz, IranTel +98-71-36128257Fax +98-71-362128257Email nasadi2012@yahoo.caBackground: The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has become the most challenging issue for healthcare organizations and governments all over the world. The lack of evidence-based data on the management of COVID-19 infection during pregnancy causes an additional stress for obstetrics healthcare providers (HCPs). Therefore, this study was undertaken to evaluate depression, perceived social support, and quality of life among obstetrics HCPs.Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional multicenter study was conducted in eight cities in Iran. During the study period, 599 HCPs were separated into direct, no direct, and unknown contact groups according to their exposure to COVID-19-infected pregnant patients. The Patient Health Questionaire-9 (PHQ-9), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and Short Form-36 (SF-36) were used to assess depression, perceived social support, and quality of life.Results: Obstetrics and gynecology specialists had significantly higher social functioning and general health scores compared to other HCPs (residents/students or nurses/midwives). Depression was negatively correlated with most of the domains of quality of life, regardless of the COVID-19 contact status of the study participants. Social support, however, was positively correlated with some domains of quality of life, such as physical functioning, energy/fatigue, and emotional well-being, among staff members who had either direct contact or no contact with COVID-19 patients.Conclusion: During the COVID-19 outbreak, the depression score among obstetrics HCPs was negatively associated with quality of life. Social support, however, had a reinforcing effect on quality of life.Keywords: coronavirus, COVID-19, healthcare provider, obstetrics, quality of life, SARS-CoV 2
Vafaei H, Roozmeh S, Hessami K, Kasraeian M, Asadi N, Faraji A, Bazrafshan K, Saadati N, Kazemi Aski S, Zarean E, Golshahi M, Haghiri M, Abdi N, Tabrizi R, Heshmati B, Arshadi E