Predictors of Anxiety Regarding The COVID-19 Pandemic Among Health-care Workers in a Hospital Not Assigned to Manage COVID-19 Patients in Nepal.

Introduction: We studied the levels and severity of anxiety caused by COVID-19 amongst frontline health-care workers (HCWs) in a tertiary care neurological hospital in Nepal, not assigned to manage COVID-19 cases. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 frontline Health Care Workers (HCWs) using a 10-point subjective assessment tool, the Anxiety Level Index (ALI), and the Zung Self Rating Anxiety Score (SAS), to assess the level of anxiety regarding COVID-19. Results: On ALI 55% of HCWs were found to have marked severe anxiety (6-9), however, on SAS 44% of HCWs reported anxiety. The majority HCWs were female (n=78) with nurses forming 62% of the sample size. The mean age was 26.8 years (SD 8.17). Factors associated with significantly higher levels of anxiety regarding COVID-19 on ALI were age (p=0.002), sex (p=0.001), receiving regular COVID-19 updates via social media (p=0.011) and a high frequency of checking for COVID-19 information authenticity (p=0.039). Work experience (p=0.026) and frequency of checking for information authenticity (p=0.029) were factors found to increase SAS measured anxiety and were found to be associated with significantly higher levels of anxiety. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that respondents with work experience of less than or equal to 2 years were 0.380 (95% CI 0.158 to 0.910) times less likely to have anxiety than those with work experience of more than 2 years. Similarly, the odds of having anxiety among those who checked information authenticity less frequently was 0.377 (95% CI 0.153 to 0.931) times less than those who often did. Conclusion: The COVID-19 outbreak has caused a substantial impact on the mental health of frontline HCWs in a hospital not assigned to manage COVID-19 patients. Length of time of worked in healthcare and the frequency of checking for COVID-19-related information were significant predictors of anxiety.