Post-pandemic depression, anxiety, and stress: A look at the mental health of medical and administrative staff

Introduction: Research has shown how mental health among hospital staff worldwide was affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, evidence of the physiological status of healthcare and administrative workers at the first level of medical care post-pandemic is scant. Therefore, it is necessary to...

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Main Authors: Pacheco-Flores Laura Iraís, Pineda-Téllez Magno Edén, Ramos-Tovar Erika
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-03-01
Series:Acta Psychologica
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825000198
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author Pacheco-Flores Laura Iraís
Pineda-Téllez Magno Edén
Ramos-Tovar Erika
author_facet Pacheco-Flores Laura Iraís
Pineda-Téllez Magno Edén
Ramos-Tovar Erika
author_sort Pacheco-Flores Laura Iraís
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Research has shown how mental health among hospital staff worldwide was affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, evidence of the physiological status of healthcare and administrative workers at the first level of medical care post-pandemic is scant. Therefore, it is necessary to identify mental health problems among hospital staff following the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: To determine the prevalence of symptoms and severity of depression, anxiety, and stress among health personnel in the primary care post-pandemic of the Institute of Social Security and Services for State Workers in Puebla. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on medical and administrative staff, comprising 190 participants who worked during the pandemic. A data collection instrument and the 21 item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale were used to determine the prevalence of symptoms and severity of these three mental health issues. Results: The prevalence of symptoms of depression was 20.5 %, with a moderate predominant severity index (38.5 %), anxiety was 33.2 %, with an extremely severe predominant index (36.5 %), and stress was 30.0 %, with a moderate predominant severity index (36.8 %), respectively. The nursing subgroup, within the medical area staff, exhibited a prevalence of anxiety symptoms of 44.7 %, which was statistically significant (p = 0.008). Conclusion: Despite the post-pandemic period during which this study was conducted, the nursing staff was the most affected group in terms of the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety and depression. Another relevant finding was that administrative workers showed an extremely severe intensity of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.
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spelling doaj-art-7ac1f70f4b094e03b37b5d655a8eb5f52025-08-20T03:11:38ZengElsevierActa Psychologica0001-69182025-03-0125310470610.1016/j.actpsy.2025.104706Post-pandemic depression, anxiety, and stress: A look at the mental health of medical and administrative staffPacheco-Flores Laura Iraís0Pineda-Téllez Magno Edén1Ramos-Tovar Erika2Universidad de las Américas Puebla, Puebla, MexicoBenemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla, MexicoSección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Superior de Medicina del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis y Díaz Mirón s/n, Casco de Santo Tomás, 11340 Ciudad de México, Mexico; Corresponding author.Introduction: Research has shown how mental health among hospital staff worldwide was affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, evidence of the physiological status of healthcare and administrative workers at the first level of medical care post-pandemic is scant. Therefore, it is necessary to identify mental health problems among hospital staff following the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: To determine the prevalence of symptoms and severity of depression, anxiety, and stress among health personnel in the primary care post-pandemic of the Institute of Social Security and Services for State Workers in Puebla. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on medical and administrative staff, comprising 190 participants who worked during the pandemic. A data collection instrument and the 21 item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale were used to determine the prevalence of symptoms and severity of these three mental health issues. Results: The prevalence of symptoms of depression was 20.5 %, with a moderate predominant severity index (38.5 %), anxiety was 33.2 %, with an extremely severe predominant index (36.5 %), and stress was 30.0 %, with a moderate predominant severity index (36.8 %), respectively. The nursing subgroup, within the medical area staff, exhibited a prevalence of anxiety symptoms of 44.7 %, which was statistically significant (p = 0.008). Conclusion: Despite the post-pandemic period during which this study was conducted, the nursing staff was the most affected group in terms of the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety and depression. Another relevant finding was that administrative workers showed an extremely severe intensity of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825000198DepressionAnxietyStressMedical areaNursing staffAdministrative area
spellingShingle Pacheco-Flores Laura Iraís
Pineda-Téllez Magno Edén
Ramos-Tovar Erika
Post-pandemic depression, anxiety, and stress: A look at the mental health of medical and administrative staff
Acta Psychologica
Depression
Anxiety
Stress
Medical area
Nursing staff
Administrative area
title Post-pandemic depression, anxiety, and stress: A look at the mental health of medical and administrative staff
title_full Post-pandemic depression, anxiety, and stress: A look at the mental health of medical and administrative staff
title_fullStr Post-pandemic depression, anxiety, and stress: A look at the mental health of medical and administrative staff
title_full_unstemmed Post-pandemic depression, anxiety, and stress: A look at the mental health of medical and administrative staff
title_short Post-pandemic depression, anxiety, and stress: A look at the mental health of medical and administrative staff
title_sort post pandemic depression anxiety and stress a look at the mental health of medical and administrative staff
topic Depression
Anxiety
Stress
Medical area
Nursing staff
Administrative area
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691825000198
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