Impact of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression on Quality of Life of Health Care Professionals: A Post Covid-19 Lockdown Analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of stress, anxiety, and depression, on the quality of life of health care professionals in post covid-19 lockdown along with the gender differences in the variables under study. Correlational research design was employed and data of (N=120) was taken through purposive sampling comprising general physicians (n=35), specialized physicians (n=30), psychiatrists (n=20), and psychologists (n=35) around the Malakand division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. Collected data was then analyzed via statistical tools; the t-test, correlation, and linear regression analysis using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Statistical outcomes indicated that stress and depression have an adverse impact on the quality of life of health care professionals while anxiety on the other hand had no significant impact on them. Results further revealed that female health care professionals encounter higher level of stress, anxiety, and depression, with poor quality of life than male health care professionals in post covid-19 situation. This study catered to the post-covid 19 situation that contributed to the increase of mental health problems (like stress, anxiety, depression, and poor quality of life) in practicing mental health and physical health professionals as compared to other people. These findings would be beneficial for clinical psychologists to better understand the mental health of health care professionals in different clinical settings. Current study findings will fill the gaps regarding Pakistan-based literature for future studies in the same domain.