Psychological burden, stress, depression, and resilience among midwives: An epidemiological study in Thessaly, Greece

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has profoundly affected the mental health of health-care professionals, including midwives. This study assessed stress, depression, and psychological resilience among midwives in the Thessaly region of Greece and identified associated demographic, socioeconomic, and occupational factors. Between February and March 2021, data were collected from 102 midwives using the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Beck Depression Inventory. Overall, 79.4% of participants feared contracting COVID-19 at work, and 90.2% feared transmitting the virus to family members. While 63.0% showed no depressive symptoms, 15.0% reported mild symptoms. Poor or moderate self-reported health, reduced time spent with patients, employment in the public sector, longer years of service, and concern about transmitting the virus were significantly associated with worse mental-health outcomes. High stress levels correlated with increased depression risk, while higher psychological resilience was protective. In conclusion, midwives in Thessaly experienced a considerable psychological burden during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need for targeted mental health interventions.