O-062 a More Accurate Prevalence of PTSD and Common Mental Disorders in Healthcare Workers in England: A Two-Phase Epidemiological Survey

Introduction Previous studies on impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers’ (HCWs) mental health relied on self-reported screening measures to estimate point prevalence. Screening measures, designed to be sensitive, have low positive predictive value and often overestimate prevalence. We present a more accurate prevalence of common mental disorders (CMDs) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among HCWs in England using diagnostic interviews. Methods A two-stage, cross-sectional study comprising diagnostic interviews (n=337) within a larger multi-site longitudinal cohort of HCWs (n=23,462) was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. This included two representative participant groups: i) 243 participants completed the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the Clinical Interview Schedule – Revised (CIS-R) to assess CMDs; ii) 94 participants completed the PCL-6 and the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5) for DSM-5 – to assess PTSD. Results The GHQ screening caseness for any CMD was 52·8% (95% CI 51.7 to 53.8). Using the CIS-R diagnostic interviews, the estimated population prevalence of generalised anxiety disorder was 14.3% (95% CI 10.4 to 19.2) and for depression 13.7% (95% CI 10.1 to 18.3). The PCL-6 screening caseness for PTSD was 25·4% (95% CI 24.3 to 26.5). Using the CAPS-5 diagnostic interviews, estimated population prevalence of PTSD was estimated at 7·9% (95% CI: 4.0 to 15.1). Discussion Implications for clinical practice, policy and future research will be discussed. Conclusion Prevalence estimates of CMDs in HCWs are considerably lower when estimated using diagnostic interviews than through screening tools. Nevertheless, 1-in-7 HCWs met the threshold for a clinically diagnosable mental disorder who might benefit from intervention.