Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may cause significant anxiety among healthcare professionals (HCPs). COVID-19-related psychological impacts on HCPs in Western countries have received relatively little attention.
Objective: This study aims to assess the levels of anxiety in HCPs working in the province of Quebec (Canada) during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and identify factors associated with changes in anxiety scores.
Methods: An exploratory online cross-sectional survey was conducted among Quebec HCPs from April to July 2020. The Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to measure state anxiety among HCPs. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were performed.
Results: A total of 426 HCPs completed the survey. Anxiety scores ranged from 20 to 75 points, with 80 being the highest possible value on the STAI scale. Being a female HCP [B = 5.89, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.49-9.3] and declaring having the intention to avoid caring for patients with COVID-19 (B = 3.75, 95% CI: 1.29-6.22) were associated with increased anxiety scores. Having more years of experience was associated with decreased anxiety scores [B = -0.2, 95% CI: -0.32-(-0.08)].
Conclusion: Organizational strategies aimed at preventing and relieving anxiety should target junior female HCPs who express the intention to avoid caring for patients with COVID-19. Seniority could become an important criterion in selecting frontline HCPs during pandemics. Further studies are needed to comprehensively examine the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Canadian HCPs and identify evidence-based coping strategies.
Keywords: Canada; anxiety; health personnel; multivariate analysis; surveys and questionnaires.