Psychiatria Danubina, Vol. 37 No. 1, 2025.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.24869/psyd.2025.64
The mental health status of Turkish healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: Risk and protective factors
Elvan Ulucan Özkan
; Çankırı Karatekin University, Uluyazı Campus Vocational School of Social Sciences, Department of Social Work, Çankiri Türki̇ye
Seval Bekiroğlu
; Baskent University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Social Work, Fatih Sultan Mahallesi, Çankiri Türki̇ye
Abstract
Background: During the pandemic, healthcare professionals were at high risk for both virus transmission and the development of
mental disorders. This study aimed to analyse the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare professionals
working in various healthcare institutions in Turkey.
Subject and methods: Between June 1st and 15th 2020, a convenient sample of 343 Turkish healthcare professionals (doctors,
nurses, dentists, social workers/psychologists, health technicians, and administrative staff) via online Google Forms. Participants
completed a structured questionnaire (32 questions), the Turkish version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ–28).
Results: The pandemic affected the mental health of almost half of healthcare professionals (47.8 %, GHQ-28 ≥ 5,). The factors
significantly affecting the GHQ-28 total score include gender, age, psychiatric medication use, finding adequate workplace measures,
workplace psychosocial support, needing psychosocial support, exclusion/stigma, weekly working hours and increased workload.
These factors are associated with increased somatic symptoms, anxiety, insomnia, depression and social functioning impairment.
Conclusions: The study highlights the importance of these factors in understanding and managing the mental health issues of
healthcare professionals, particularly those on the front lines staff during the times of global health crises.
Keywords
COVID-19 pandemic; Turkish healthcare professionals; mental health
Hrčak ID:
332232
URI
Publication date:
29.5.2025.
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