The psychological effect of the COVID 19 pandemic on the staff of the Mohammed VI University Hospital in Marrakech

Background: Health professionals have undergone very high levels of workload and pressure since the COVID-19 epidemic. Purpose: This study aims to assess the psychological impact of COVID-19 on health professionals at the Mohammed VI University Hospital. From May 31 to June 22, 2020.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study carried out among professionals of the Mohammed VI University Hospital in Marrakech using a questionnaire measuring the psychological impacts; the event impact scale - revised (IES-R), An exploratory and bivariate factor analysis was carried out to exploit the results.

Results; 117 people answered the questionnaire, 66.67% were women, the average age was 30 years with extremes ranging from 25 to 60 years, 46.15% were doctors, 46.15% were nurses, 25.65% of participants lived alone, while 74.35% with families, after the start of the epidemic, 51 people lived in one of the hotels dedicated to housing and confinement. 28.2% or 33 people had declared transport problems. Of the participants in the study, 53.84% presented with insomnia, 12.82% (15) described aggression, and somatization was presented by 9 people (7.69%), nightmares by 9 others (7.69%) and intense fear by 3 people. 7.7% or 9 people who have already consulted the psychiatric listening cell during this period. The IES-R score is calculated at 41.94 or in favor of a post-traumatic stress disorder prevalent in this sample, with a score of avoidance at 12.76, intrusion of memories at 18.58 and hyperactivity at 10.58.

Conclusion: unwanted psychological impacts are prevalent among our healthcare professionals.