Psychological Burden of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Workers: A Comparative Study Across Sectors and Clinical Roles

Background and aim: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted healthcare workers' mental health, causing stress, anxiety, burnout, and post-traumatic stress disorder. This study evaluated psychological indicators across government and private healthcare settings to develop targeted mental health interventions for healthcare workers. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted over one year at the Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, India, and the Government Headquarters Hospital in Kanchipuram, India. The study involved 400 healthcare workers from each tertiary care hospital. A stratified random sampling method categorized workers into frontline and non-frontline groups. Data were collected using a custom questionnaire for stress and demographic data, and standardized questionnaires for anxiety and depression: the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D). Statistical analyses used independent t-tests and chi-square tests. Results: Frontline workers showed elevated incidences of severe anxiety (n=22, 22%) and depression (n=32, 31.8%) compared to non-frontline counterparts. Non-frontline workers reported higher levels of mild-to-moderate stress and anxiety. Healthcare professionals in the private sector showed higher levels of severe stress (n=78, 39%), anxiety (n=88, 44%), and depression (n=84, 42%) than those in the government sector. Significant differences were observed in psychological assessments between frontline and non-frontline workers and between government and private-sector workers. Conclusion: This study shows the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers' psychological well-being. Frontline workers faced higher rates of severe anxiety and depression, while non-frontline workers experienced notable levels of mild-to-moderate stress. These findings emphasize the need for support systems and interventions tailored to address the needs of frontline and non-frontline healthcare workers across government and private sectors.