Workplace Stress and Anxiety among Medical Health Workers in Selected Hospitals of Kathmandu during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-sectional Descriptive Study

Abstract

Introduction: Workers in the health-care industry who are exposed to COVID-19 are more likely to suffer mental health issues. The aim of this study was to assess the work place stress & anxiety among medical health worker working in selected hospital of Kathmandu during COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study among medical health workers working in selected hospitals of Kathmandu during COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 420 medical health workers were selected through convenient sampling from various wards of the selected hospital. Data was collected using a self- -administered questionnaire. Perceived Stress scale (PSS-10) and Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD - 7) were used to assess stress and anxiety among health care workers. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 21. Point estimate at 95% Confidence Interval was calculated along with frequency and percentage.

Results: Out of 420 respondents, 361 (86.0%) (95% CI: 82.3 to 89.1) experienced moderate levels of stress, while 13 (3%) (95% CI: 1.7 to 5.2) of them experienced high levels of stress. Similarly, out of 420 respondents, 105 (25.0%) (95% CI: 20.9 to 29.4) had moderate anxiety, while 57 (13.60%) (95% CI: 10.4 to 17.2) of them had severe anxiety.

Conclusions: The outcomes of the study indicated a significant proportion of anxiety and stress symptoms among health professionals in Nepal during the pandemic's stages. Health worker preferences should be incorporated into programs designed to reduce stress among them during the COVID-19 pandemic.