Psychological impact on care professionals due to the SARS-Cov-2 virus in Spain

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the psychological impact of the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic on nurses in Spain in three different dimensions: exposure to stressors, perceived emotions, and stress coping. Background: On March 11, 2019, the World Health Organization recognized a global pandemic caused by a SARS-Cov-2 virus, COVID-19, which rapidly spread across the planet, involving a community health emergency of international scope. Introduction: The pandemic situation in health centers has led to significant changes in the work environment, compromising care professionals’ physical and psychological health and resulting in strong physical and mental exhaustion. Methods: An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out, between February and April 2021, in a large sample of 1360 participants. The researchers conducted the dissemination of a validated questionnaire to working nurses in Spain. Results: The sex variable in relation to the study dimensions (stressors, perceived emotions, and coping strategies) showed a mean for stressors of 62.2 ± 10.5 in women and 59.8 ± 12.5 in men (p = 0.010), showing statistically significant differences. Age was a protective factor for all dimensions (p < 0.001). Time of experience showed statistically significant differences for stressors and coping strategies in professionals with more than 15 years of experience. Discussion: Female nurses who are younger, have less work experience, have not built a family of their own, and live in smaller or indoor flats may be more vulnerable to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on their mental health. Other national and international studies, in this line, have shown an important psychological impact on these professionals. Conclusion: It is necessary to design and adopt effective strategies and measures for the protection of nurses' mental health, as well as for the prevention and early diagnosis of possible mental health problems.