Prevalence and risk factors of depression and anxiety in frontline healthcare workers in the COVID-19 pandemic in Bucaramanga and its metropolitan area

Introduction: The rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide has created a health emergency leading to overloading health systems and exposing the personnel who work in these health institutions to stressors that impact their physical and emotional health. Available information on conditions caused by viral outbreaks and previous pandemics indicates that healthcare workers and others on the front lines are at increased risk of infection and various adverse outcomes. Objective: To establish the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms and associated factors in frontline care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bucaramanga and its Metropolitan Area, Santander, Colombia. Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study. The outcomes were symptoms of anxiety and depression assessed with the Hopkins Checklist-25 Scale (HSCL-25) questionnaire. The prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms was calculated, and bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed using logistic regression. Results: A total of 1118 participants were included. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms was 5.55% (95% CI 4.27-7.05), depression 4.56% (95% CI 3.41-5.95), and both 7.42% (95% CI 5.95-9.12). In the bivariate analysis, seven factors were associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression, however, only four of them remained in the multivariate model: marital status OR: 2.65 (95% CI 1.17-5.98); obesity (OR: 3.21 ,95% CI 1.67-6.17); “someone in your household has been diagnosed with COVID-19” (OR: 2.28 ,95% CI 1.39-3.76) and “has symptoms of COVID-19 in the last 14 days” (OR: 2.09 ,95% CI 1.25-3.50). Conclusions: The prevalence of symptoms of anxiety and depression was lower than that reported in other studies. However, it is important to continue taking these symptoms into account and, as necessary, conduct an intervention with psychological support programs by mental health specialists.