Evaluation of Anxiety, Depression, and Insomnia Levels of Healthcare Professionals after Inactive COVID-19 Vaccination (CoronaVac)

Abstract

bjective: The aim of this study was to examine changes in the levels of depression, anxiety, and insomnia after inactive COVID-19 vaccination among healthcare professionals working actively during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1, 2021, to June 30, 2021, using an online survey across frontline healthcare professionals in Turkey. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale were used to evaluate the mental health of the participants, and the Insomnia Severity Index-7 (ISI-7) was used to evaluate their sleep problems. The data obtained from two different periods, pre-vaccination and post-vaccination, were examined. Results: The study included 416 healthcare professionals. The frequency of depression, anxiety, and insomnia was 27.9%, 31.5%, and 41.1%, respectively, in the pre-vaccination period, and there was a decrease in these rates (22.8%, 21.9%, and 34.1%, respectively) in the post-vaccination period. The differences between the two periods were also statistically significant for the PHQ-9 (p=0.000), GAD-7 (p=0.002), and ISI-7 (p=0.038) scores. We determined that the presence of long weekly working hours, being female, living alone, and presence of psychiatric disease were effective in the development of depression and anxiety. Conclusion: Among frontline healthcare professionals, depression, anxiety, and insomnia symptoms and the frequency of the diagnosis of these clinical conditions increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, after the start of the immunization process, the frequency of these mental disorders and the anxiety levels of the healthcare professionals significantly decreased.