Abstract Objectives: In this study, we intended to estimate the prevalence of probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among healthcare workers (doctors and nurses) during the persistent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, as well as to study the association of PTSD with various sociodemographic factors and work-related factors. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was done among 210 healthcare workers in a tertiary care, designated COVID-19 hospital in Western India. We obtained sociodemographic details using a semistructured form for COVID-19 duty-related questions. To obtain the prevalence of probable PTSD, we used the PTSD checklist for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (PCL-5). Results: We found that out of 210 healthcare workers, 31 (14.76%) had a diagnosis of probable PTSD, among them 16 were doctors and 15 were nurses. Female healthcare workers had significantly more risks for probable PTSD than their male counterparts ( p < 0.05). Working in an intensive care unit ( p < 0.05) and family history of COVID-19 ( p < 0.001) were the factors significantly associated with probable PTSD. Patient’s major PTSD symptoms were re-experiencing traumatic events and avoidance of COVID-19-related thoughts, places, and persons. Conclusion: This study highlights the critical need for future interventions, focusing on the prevention and treatment of PTSD symptoms, emphasizing the provision of timely and effective psychological support for healthcare workers operating in the context of highly infectious disease outbreaks.
Mehta et al. (Wed,) studied this question.