Prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress in Resident Doctors, Exposed to SARS-COV-2

Abstract

Objective: Determine the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a sample of resident doctors of the Hospital de Clínicas, José de San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina, one year after the total closure during the quarantine by COVID-19.
Materials and Methods: The following self-administered questionnaires were dispensed: a demographic survey, the Davidson Trauma Scale questionnaire, and the Scale of Dissociative Experiences (EED). First-year residents of basic specialties were excluded, and those who for their specialty does not have contact with patients and licensed doctors were excluded.
Results: PTSD prevalence was 24.3% (n = 25). The medium-sized ones were greater in the participants with a positive score for PTSD compared to those who did not present it (Mann-Whitney U: 13.30, p = 0.001). Associations between the genre were found (X2: 6,074, p = 0.013), the PTSD, and the type of specialty (Fisher’s exact test, p = 0.017). No other associations were found between the other variables analyzed and PTSD.
Conclusion: The prevalence of PTSD was similar to the previous reports. Associations between this disorder, gender, and type of specialty were found. These results should draw the attention of health systems to establish preventive and therapeutic measures to handle this situation.