About 24% health professionals suffered from mental stress during Covid: Study

About 24% of the health professionals who were engaged in the treatment process of the Covid patients had suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with doctors being the most affected followed by technologists and nurses, a study has revealed.

Of the total affected health workers, 24.30% were technologists and 22.8% nurses, said the study on "Psychological Impacts, Wellbeing, Associated Factors and Coping Strategies of Health Professionals during Covid-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh," conducted by the National Institute of Preventive and Social Medicine (NIPSOM).

The health education directorate funded the study.

The study findings were presented by the NIPSOM Director Professor Dr Bayzid Khurshid Riaz at a programme on Thursday.

The study was conducted between January and June 2021 on 1,394 health professionals including 596 doctors, 713 nurses and 85 technologists who worked at least one month with the Covid patients.

Most of the health professionals surveyed, had suffered from stress, tiredness and had sleeping problems. Many of them were concerned about their relatives and families which intensified their anxiety. The study suggested counselling for healing the mental stress of health professionals.