Anxiety and depressive symptoms among hospital staff during the COVID-19 pandemic: Longitudinal results from the international COPE-CORONA study

Objective To investigate the long-term changes in anxiety and depressive symptoms, protective and risk factors in hospital staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, our aims were: 1) to evaluate sociodemographic, work-related, and individual characteristics associated with changes in distress symptoms; 2) to explore whether and to what extent sociodemographic, work-related, and individual characteristics predict distress symptoms. Methods Two online surveys were distributed to hospital staff in six countries (Germany, Andorra, Spain, Italy, Iran, Ireland) between May–October 2020 (T1) and between February–April 2021 (T2). An international working group was established for this study, supported by the European Association of Psychosomatic Medicine. Sociodemographic characteristics, contact with COVID-19 patients, anxiety and depressive symptoms, self-compassion, sense of coherence, social support, risk perception, and health and safety at the workplace were evaluated in 611 hospital workers using self-report measures. Results Between T1 and T2, we found a significant increase in anxiety and depressive symptoms. Lower levels of self-compassion and sense of coherence over time were reported in subjects with anxiety or depressive symptoms both at T1 and T2. High levels of risk perception (T2) and low levels of self-compassion (T2), sense of coherence (T2), and social support (T1 and T2) significantly predicted anxiety or depressive symptoms at T2. Conclusion These findings point out the risk of developing and maintaining distress symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic is associated with lower individual and work-related resources in hospital workers. Therefore, enhancing these resources may be a starting point for providing adequate psychological support interventions.