Work-related and Personal Factors Associated with Mental Well-being during COVID-19 Response: A Survey of Health Care and Other Workers.

BACKGROUND Background: Response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has created an unprecedented disruption in work conditions. This study describes the mental health and well-being among workers both with and without clinical exposure to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. OBJECTIVE Objective: Measure the prevalence of stress, anxiety, depression, work-exhaustion, burnout, and decreased well-being among faculty and staff at a university and academic medical center during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and describe work-related and personal factors associated with their mental health and well-being. METHODS Methods: All faculty, staff, and post-doctoral fellows of a university, including its medical school, were invited in April 2020 to complete an online questionnaire measuring stress, anxiety, depression, work exhaustion, burnout, and decreased well-being. We examined associations between these outcomes and factors including work in high-risk clinical settings, and family/home stressors. RESULTS Results: There were 5550 respondents (overall response rate of 34.3%). 38% of faculty and 14% of staff (n=915) were providing clinical care, while 57% of faculty and 77% of staff were working from home. Among all workers, anxiety, depression, and high work exhaustion were independently associated with community or clinical exposure to COVID-19 [Prevalence Ratios and 95% confidence intervals 1.37 (1.09 - 1.73), 1.28 (1.03 - 1.59), and 1.24 (1.13 - 1.36) respectively]. Poor family supportive behaviors by supervisors were also associated with these outcomes [1.40 (1.21 - 1.62), 1.69 (1.48 - 1.92), 1.54 (1.44 - 1.64)]. Age below 40 and a greater number of family/home stressors were also associated with these poorer outcomes. Among the subset of clinicians, caring for patients with COVID-19 and work in high-risk clinical settings were additional risk factors. CONCLUSIONS Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the pandemic has had negative effects on the mental health and well-being of both clinical and non-clinical employees. Mitigating exposure to COVID-19 and increasing supervisor support are modifiable risk factors that may protect mental health and well-being for all workers. CLINICALTRIAL