Covid-19 pandemic impact in pediatricians: stress factors and their consequences

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated that the COVID-19 pandemic has had negative psychological consequences on healthcare professionals, however, specific data on pediatricians are scarce. 

Objective: To evaluate anxiety among pediatricians after the first COVID-19 wave as well as to identify possible related risk factors. 

Material and Method: A cross-sectional multicentric survey study was designed and sent to Spanish pediatricians through the Asociación Española de Pediatría’s e-mail lists. Demographic, socio-familial, occupational, emotional self-perception, psychosomatic symptoms, smoking, alcohol, and psychotropic drugs use data were collected. The State-Trait Anxiety Scale (STAI) was included, and its association with qualitative and quantitative variables of the sample was studied. 

Results: 440 surveys were registered. 42.2% of the participants expressed moderate-intense anxiety symptomatology according to the Anxiety-State scale and 26.9% on the Anxiety-Trait scale. Isolation at home was associated with a higher score on both scales. A change in the work situation of the cohabitant resulted in a higher score on the Anxiety-State scale. 41.1% of the respondents classified the psychological impact suffered as mild, 50% as moderate, and 8.9% as severe. Up to 71.8% of the participants manifested some psychosomatic symptoms, with a linear association between the concurrence of symptoms and higher scores on the two scales. 

Conclusions: After the first pandemic wave, pediatricians have suffered anxiety, causing physical and emotional discomfort. Personal sit- uations were the main source of concern. Likewise, the presence of several somatic symptoms was associated with higher levels of anxiety.