Psychological Effects of the Outbreak of COVID-19 on the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers in Iran

Background and Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic exposed healthcare workers to heavy stress and made them vulnerable to various types of mental illnesses. This study aims to evaluate the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare workers in the COVID-19 ward. Methods: This study was performed during the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 9-Dey Hospital of Torbat Heydarieh in Iran, in which a total of 178 healthcare workers in the COVID-19 ward participated via the census sampling method. In this study, we employed the Goldberg general health questionnaire along with a researcher-made questionnaire on the experience of exposure to COVID-19 disease. Following the completion of the questionnaires, the participants’ data were analyzed by the SPSS software and statistical tests (the Spearman and Pearson correlations). Results: Our results showed 91.1%, 77.57%, 87.55%, 87.07%, 56.75%, and 74.16% for the general health, physical symptoms, anxiety symptoms, sleep disorders, social dysfunction, and depression symptoms, respectively, during the COVID-19 pandemic conditions. The results showed a significant association between the experience of exposure to COVID-19, anxiety symptoms, and sleep disorders (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study, the mental health of the study population was threatened and harmed according to the defined classification and the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were undeniable. Access to counseling and psychotherapy systems, rehabilitation, and the improvement of working conditions can effectively enhance resilience and promote the mental health of healthcare workers and increase the quality of care and treatment services.