Psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary healthcare professionals in Turkey: One year into the pandemic

Aim and Objectives: This study aimed to determine the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare professionals working in primary care settings in the first year of the pandemic. Background: The healthcare industry has faced an unprecedented burden in the COVID-19 pandemic. Primary care professionals experienced the high level of psychological problems. Design and Methods: A total of 793 healthcare professionals from different regions of Turkey participated in this cross-sectional study. The STROBE (Strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology) checklist was used in the study. Data were collected online. Results: It has been found that more than half of healthcare professionals experienced severe depression, three-quarters experienced anxiety, and almost half experienced stress. It was also found that about half of the participants experienced a high degree of acute and chronic fatigue, and one-fifth experienced low inter-shift recovery. Conclusion: The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of primary care professionals, especially nurses and midwives, are alarming. The problems that arise from the flawed healthcare delivery models and gender inequality, which worsen the usual psychological effects of the pandemic on primary care professionals, should be addressed urgently. Relevance to Clinical Practice: Psychological support and rehabilitative services should be expanded to eliminate the short- and long-term psychological effects of the pandemic on healthcare professionals.