Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting mental health worldwide, particularly among healthcare workers (HCWs). Risk and protective factors for depression and generalized anxiety in healthcare workers need to be identified to protect their health and ability to work. Social support and optimism are known protective psychosocial resources, but have not been adequately studied in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic among healthcare workers in Germany. Methods: Within the first wave of the VOICE study (n = 7765), a longitudinal web-based survey study among healthcare workers in Germany, we assessed symptoms of depression (PHQ-2) and generalized anxiety (GAD-2), social support (ENRICHD Social Support Inventory; ESSI), and generalized optimism as well as sociodemographic, occupational, and COVID-19 related variables. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine associations between the constructs. Results: The analyses revealed that higher levels of social support and optimism were associated with lower levels of depression and generalized anxiety. They showed a higher association with depression and generalized anxiety than demographic or occupational risk factors such as female gender and direct contact with infected individuals. Conclusion: Psychosocial resources such as social support and optimism appear to contribute to successful coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and should be considered in future studies.

Background: Sick leave and turnover of nurses exacerbate an already existing nursing shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany and other countries. Frequency and associated factors of sick leave and intention to quit among nurses need to be examined to maintain healthcare. Methods: An online survey among nursing staff (N = 757) in German hospitals was conducted between May and July 2021. Sick leave days, intention to quit, working conditions, depression, anxiety and sleep disorder symptoms, effort-reward imbalance (ERI), COVID-19-related and sociodemographic variables were measured. Regression analyses were performed. Results: The intention to quit was present in 18.9%. One third (32.5%) reported sick leave of ≥10 and 12.3% more than 25 days in 12 months. Significant predictors for ≥10 sick leave days were infection with SARS-CoV-2, a pre-existing illness, exhaustion, trust in colleagues and fear of becoming infected. Higher ERI reward levels, perception of sufficient staff and contact with infected patients were associated with lower odds for ≥10 sick leave days. Lower reward levels, having changed work departments during the pandemic, working part-time and higher depression levels significantly predicted turnover intention. Conclusion: Alarmingly, many nurses intend to quit working in healthcare. Perceived reward seems to buffer both sick leave and turnover intention. Enhancing protection from COVID-19 and reducing workload might also prevent sick leave. Depression prevention, improved change management and support of part-time workers could contribute to reducing turnover intention among nurses.

Background: This longitudinal, multicenter web-based study explored the trajectories of depressive and anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic among physicians over two years. Methods: At four measurement points between 4/2020 and 5/2022 depressive (Patient Health Questionnaire-2, PHQ-2) and anxiety symptoms (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-2, GAD-2) among physicians in German hospitals were assessed. Time, gender and age effects were analyzed with linear mixed regression models. Comparisons with norm values for the German population during the COVID-19 pandemic were also performed and frequencies of probable depression and anxiety are reported. Results: The physicians (N = 340) showed a significant increase of depressive symptoms from T1 (M = 1.35, SD = 1.33) to T4 (M = 1.64, SD = 1.34) (p < .001) and of anxiety symptoms from T1 (M = 1.35, SD = 1.42) to T2 (M = 1.59, SD = 1.43) (p = .024). The main effect of gender was only significant for anxiety symptoms (p = .001): women demonstrated higher scores than men. A significant age class difference was observed only for depressive symptoms: the youngest age group (18–40 years) revealed higher values than the oldest group (> 50 years, p = .003). As compared to the general population, the physicians reported significantly elevated PHQ-2 (T1: M = 1.35, SD = 1.33; T2: M = 1.53, SD = 1.37; T3: M = 1.55, SD = 1.40; T4: M = 1.64, SD = 1.34) and GAD-2 scores (T1: M = 1.35, SD = 1.42; T2: M = 1.59, SD = 1.43; T3: M = 1.61, SD = 1.57; T4: M = 1.49, SD = 1.46) for all measurement points (all p < .001). The frequencies of probable depression (PHQ-2 ≥ 3) and anxiety (GAD-2 ≥ 3) were: 14.1% and 17.0% (T1), 16.5% and 21.9% (T2), 17.8% and 22.6% (T3) and 18.5% and 17.3% (T4), respectively. Conclusions: Mental distress of physicians in German hospitals has increased in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic with gender and age-related differences. Possible causes should be explored and regular monitoring of mental health and prevention programmes for physicians should be established. Trial registration: The study was registered on ClinicalTrials (DRKS-ID: DRKS00021268) on 9.4.2020.

Zusammenfassung: Hintergrund: Die COVID-19-Pandemie stellt eine anhaltende Belastung für die Gesellschaft und das Gesundheitssystem dar. Die Bereitschaft des Gesundheitspersonals zur COVID-19-Impfung ist aufgrund seiner Schlüsselrolle in der Pandemiebewältigung besonders relevant. Ziel der Arbeit: Die Studie untersuchte die Impfbereitschaft des Gesundheitspersonals in Deutschland in Abhängigkeit von soziodemografischen, berufsbezogenen und COVID-19-spezifischen Merkmalen sowie psychischer Gesundheit. Methoden: Zwischen November 2020 und Januar 2021 wurden 6217 Beschäftigte im deutschen Gesundheitswesen mithilfe der Onlinebefragung VOICE im Rahmen des Netzwerks Universitätsmedizin (NUM) zu ihrer Impfbereitschaft, ihren soziodemografischen, berufsbezogenen, COVID-19-spezifischen und psychosozialen Daten befragt. Ergebnisse: Die Impfbereitschaft der Stichprobe lag bei 65,3 %. Mit einer höheren Impfbereitschaft assoziiert waren: männliches Geschlecht, Alter > 40 Jahre, keine Kinder und keinen Migrationshintergrund zu haben, keine Tätigkeit in der direkten Patientenversorgung, Zugehörigkeit zu einer COVID-19-Risikogruppe, Zugehörigkeit zur Berufsgruppe der Ärztinnen und Ärzte und der Psychologinnen und Psychologen im Vergleich mit den Pflegekräften, ausreichende Informiertheit über COVID-19 und der wahrgenommene Schutz durch die Maßnahmen nationaler/lokaler Behörden und des Arbeitgebers, Angst vor Infektion sowie keine Anzeichen von Depression. Die höchste Impfbereitschaft zeigten Ärztinnen und Ärzte. Diskussion: Die Bereitschaft zur COVID-19-Impfung im Gesundheitswesen war im beschriebenen Zeitraum insgesamt als mäßig einzuschätzen. Informationen über die Krankheit und Impfung, vor allem für jüngere, weibliche und nichtärztliche Beschäftigte, angemessene Schutzmaßnahmen und die Prävention depressiver Symptome könnten die Impfbereitschaft erhöhen.