Are healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic at risk of psychosis? Findings from a scoping review.

Abstract

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is the largest pandemic since the 1918 influenza pandemic and the worst global crisis since World War II. The health, economic, and social impact of COVID-19 is having significant negative consequences on mental health [1]. Beyond COVID-19 patients themselves, healthcare workers (HCWs) are especially vulnerable to mental health and emotional problems [1,2]. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis has shown high prevalence of depressed mood (22.8%), anxiety (23.2%), and insomnia (34.3%) among HCWs during the COVID-19 crisis, when being female and working in the frontline seem to be factors associated with an increased risk of developing such mental disorders [3]. However, the likelihood of HCWs developing psychotic symptoms as a result of the psychological distress derived from the current coronavirus pandemic has been little explored.