Health outcomes and psychosocial risk exposures among healthcare workers during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak

Introduction: The aim is to describe the health and psychosocial risk factors of Spanish healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study by means of an online questionnaire (April-May 2020). The data comes from the database resulting from the COTS project Working conditions, insecurity, and health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample consisted of 1989 health care workers. Results: Women, young people (doctors and nurses) and the middle-aged (assistants) had poorer health and greater exposure to psychosocial risks. Geriatric assistants were the most-affected occupational group. Conclusions: gender, occupation, and age are focuses of inequality in the exposure of health care workers to psychosocial risks.

Automated summary

The study found that female healthcare workers, young individuals (doctors and nurses), and middle-aged individuals (assistants) in Spain had poorer health and greater exposure to psychosocial risks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among these groups, geriatric assistants were the most severely affected. Gender, occupation, and age were identified as key factors contributing to inequalities in the exposure of healthcare workers to psychosocial risks.