Six-month psychopathological symptom trajectories following the COVID-19 outbreak: Contrasting mental health outcomes between nurses and the general population

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a social, economic and health crisis that had a major impact on the mental health of the global community, particularly nurses. The objective of the current study is to conduct a longitudinal evaluation of the trajectory of depressive, anxiety, trauma, and fear of COVID-19 symptoms, comparing self-reports of nurses and the general population over a six-month period. Self-report questionnaires were administered online to a sample of 180 nurses and 158 individuals from the general population for the baseline assessment (T1) and follow-up at 6 months (T2). Levels of symptoms reported by nurses were generally greater and tended to worsen over time, as opposed to the levels of symptoms reported by the general population that tended to improve. Levels of depressive, anxiety, and trauma symptoms were significantly different between nurses and the general population over time. Levels of fear of COVID-19 declined significantly from T1 to T2 in both groups. These results suggest that it is crucial to monitor the longer-term effects of COVID-19 and to develop resilience-promoting interventions tailored to the unique needs of this vulnerable group.