Perceived stress and associated factors among healthcare workers in a primary healthcare setting: the Psychological Readiness and Occupational Training Enhancement during COVID-19 Time (PROTECT) study

INTRODUCTION Disease outbreaks such as the COVID-19 pandemic significantly heighten the psychological stress of healthcare workers (HCWs). The objective of this study was to understand the factors contributing to the perceived stress levels of HCWs in a public primary care setting during the COVID-19 pandemic, including their training, protection and support (TPS), job stress (JS), and perceived stigma and interpersonal avoidance. METHODS This cross-sectional study using an electronic self-administered questionnaire was conducted at the National Healthcare Group Polyclinics in March 2020. Data was collected anonymously. Analysis was performed using regression modelling. RESULTS The response rate was 69.7% (n = 1,040). The mean perceived stress level of HCWs in various departments ranged from 17.2 to 20.3. Respondents who reported higher perceived stress were those who made alternative living arrangements, were more affected by the current pandemic, reported higher JS and were Muslims. Respondents who reported lower perceived stress were those who had been through the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic in 2003 and H1N1 pandemic in 2009 as HCWs, and those who had higher confidence in the organisation's TPS. CONCLUSION All HCWs, regardless of their scope of work, were similarly stressed by the current pandemic compared to the general population. Improving the confidence of HCWs in their training, protection and the support of personal protective equipment, and retaining experienced HCWs who can provide advice and emotional support to younger colleagues are important. Adequate psychological support for HCWs in the pandemic can be transformed into reserves of psychological resilience for future disease outbreaks.

Automated summary

This study aimed to understand the perceived stress levels of healthcare workers (HCWs) in a public primary care setting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Factors such as training, protection and support (TPS), job stress (JS), and perceived stigma and interpersonal avoidance were analyzed. The results showed that all HCWs experienced similar levels of stress, and improving their confidence and providing adequate psychological support were crucial for managing the current pandemic and future disease outbreaks.