Evaluation of the mental health of care home staff in the Covid-19 era. What price did care home workers pay for standing by their patients?

BACKGROUND: The characteristics of this pandemic increase the potential psychological impact on care homes workers (CHWs). The aims of this study were to analyse the mental health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of a broad sample of CHWs in Spain and to identify potential factors that have a significant effect on their mental health and HRQoL. METHOD: This descriptive study comprised 210 CHWs who completed the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Impact Event Scale-Revised, the Insomnia Severity Index, and the Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire. Sociodemographic and clinical data in relation to COVID-19 were also recorded. Descriptive statistics, univariable analysis and multivariable linear regression models were applied to identify factors associated with mental health and HRQoL. RESULTS: Of total, 86.19% of participants were female; 86.67% were aged under 55 years; 11% were physicians and 64.19% were nurses or auxiliaries; 77.62% have themselves tested positive for Covid-19; and 67.94% of CHWs have directly treated patients with Covid-19. 49.28% had clinical depression; over half (58.57%) had clinical anxiety; 70.95% had clinical stress; and 28.57% had clinical insomnia. Increased use of tranquilizers/sedatives appears to be an explanatory variable of suffering greater anxiety, depression, stress and insomnia, and of having a worse HRQoL amongst our CHWs. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms that symptomatology of anxiety, depression, stress, insomnia and HRQoL were affected amongst CHWs during the Covid-19 pandemic.