Category: COVID-19 Global Response/Response in Low Resource Settings

Poster Session: COVID-19 Global Response/Response in Low Resource Settings

478 - Psychological Distress among Infectious Disease Physicians during the Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak in the Republic of Korea

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Presenting Author(s)

Se Yoon Park

Assistant professor
fectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, Seoul, Korea
seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, Republic of Korea
Disclosure: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.

Co-Author(s)

BK

Bongyoung Kim

Associate Professor
Department of Internal Medicine, Hanyang University College of Medicine
Seongdong-gu, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, Republic of Korea
Disclosure: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
DJ

Dong Sik Jung

Professor
Dong-A University College of Medicine
Busan, Pusan-jikhalsi, Republic of Korea
Disclosure: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
SJ

Sook In Jung

Professor
Chonnam National University Medical School
GwangJu, Kwangju-jikhalsi, Republic of Korea
Disclosure: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
WO

Won Sup Oh

Professor
Kangwon National University School of Medicine
Chuncheon, Kangwon-do, Republic of Korea
Disclosure: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
Sk

Shin-Woo kim

Dr
School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University
Daegu, Taegu-jikhalsi, Republic of Korea
Disclosure: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
KP

Kyong Ran Peck

Professor
Samsung Medical Center
Seoul, Seoul-t'ukpyolsi, Republic of Korea
Disclosure: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
HC

Hyun-Ha Chang

Professor
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea
Daegu, Taegu-jikhalsi, Republic of Korea
Disclosure: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.

Background: This study aimed to investigate psychological distress among infectious disease (ID) physicians during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in the Republic of Korea.

Methods: Using an online-based survey link sent via text message and email, we conducted a survey from April 21 to 25, 2020, targeting all ID physicians currently working in ID (n = 265). The questionnaire was based on the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales, and information was collected on factors protecting against psychological distress and difficulties in relation to COVID-19.

Results: Of 265 ID physicians, 115 (43.3%) responded, showing burnout (97, 90.4%), depression (20, 17.4%), anxiety (23, 20.0%), and stress (5, 4.3%). There were no differences in terms of distress between ID physicians who were directly involved in the care of patients with COVID-19 or not (Table 1). Greater than 50% of physicians valued their work and felt recognized by others, whereas < 10% indicated that sufficient human and financial support and private time had been provided during the outbreak. The most challenging issues concerned a lack of human resources for COVID-19 treatment or infection control, a shortage of personal protective equipment or airborne infection isolation rooms, pressure for research, and lack of guidelines for COVID-19 management (Figure 1).Table 1.

Figure 1. Difficulties in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Abbreviations: COVID-19, coronavirus disease 19; HCWs, healthcare workers; ICPs, infection control practitioners; IRB, Institutional Review Board; PPE, personal protective equipment

Conclusion: During the COVID-19 outbreak in the ROK, most respondents reported psychological distress. Preparing strategies for infectious disease outbreaks that support ID physicians is essential.