A web survey to assess the perceived mental healthcare among Medical Imaging Professionals during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: During the first week of March 2020 the surge of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases reached all over the globe with more than 150,000 cases. Medical Imaging Professionals (MIP’s) providing imaging services exposed to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) could be psychologically stressed. In this study we assessed the magnitude of the perceived mental health outcomes among MIP’s providing imaging services to patients exposed to COVID-19. We examined the psychological stress, depression and anxiety, experienced by MIP’s in the midst of the outbreak.

Methods: This cross-sectional, web survey-based study collected demographic data and mental health measurements from 250 MIP’s from April 29, 2020, to May 15, 2020. MIP’s working during the pandemic in hospitals for patients with COVID-19 were eligible. An online sample of MIPs was successfully recruited via the authors' networks in India using data collection tool – write google forms. A DASS21 online questionnaire was completed by the participants and then their mental health was assessed.

Results: Of 400 invited MIP’s, 314 (78.5%) participated in the study; and 187 (59.5%)were included as per inclusion criteria. Hundred and three (55.08%) participants screened positive for depression, 105 (56.14%) for anxiety, and 80 (42.78%) for stress. However, 25 (13.36%), 18 (9.62%) and 16 (8.55%) screened positive for extremely severe for depression, anxiety and stress respectively.

Conclusion : In this web survey of MIP’s during COVID-19 pandemic, participants reported experiencing high rates of psychological depression, anxiety and stress, especially frontline MIP’s directly engaged in the imaging procedures for patients with COVID-19.