J Korean Med Sci.  2021 Sep;36(36):e262. 10.3346/jkms.2021.36.e262.

Effects of Depression and Resilience of Public Workers on Work-related Stress and Anxiety in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

• Ju G
• Lee J
• Ahn MH
• Lee J
• Kim EJ
• Suh S
• Chung S

• KMID: 2520112
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2021.36.e262

Abstract

Background
This study explored the clinical variables related to public workers' stress and anxiety regarding the viral epidemic, and the mediating effect of resilience on the relationship between their depression and anxiety in response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Methods
A total of 938 public workers answered anonymous questionnaires in May 2020. The survey included rating scales such as the Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-9 (SAVE-9), Patients Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 2 items (CD-RISC 2), and subjects also answered whether they were employed in COVID-19 related fields.
Results
Married, female, junior, public workers reported a higher level of stress and anxiety in response to the viral epidemic. Furthermore, high levels of stress and anxiety toward the epidemic are defined by high PHQ-9, high GAD-7, and low CD-RISC 2 scores. It could also be seen that resilience mediated the effect of depression in public workers and their stress and anxiety levels toward the epidemic.
Conclusion
It is important to reduce the psychological burden of public workers and manage their mental health to help them cope with the epidemic wisely and efficiently. Among many mental health factors, psychological resilience represents an essential target for psychological intervention among public workers.

Keyword

COVID-19 Resilience; Anxiety; Depression; Public Service

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Mediation model showing that the effect of depression (independent variables) on stress and anxiety to viral epidemic (outcome) is mediated by resilience (mediator).PHQ-9 = Patient Health Questionnaire-9, SAVE-9 = Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics-9.

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