International Journal of Public Health Science (IJPHS)
Vol 15, No 1: March 2026

Mental health status of healthcare workers in COVID-19 vs non-COVID-19 units: findings from Shariati Hospital, Tehran

Jorbonyan, Abdolhakim (Unknown)
Khosrozadeh, Maryam (Unknown)
Karimi-rozveh, Ali (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
05 Mar 2026

Abstract

This cross-sectional study compared the mental health status of healthcare workers in COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 wards at Shariati Hospital, Tehran, Iran. A total of 250 healthcare workers were selected via systematic random sampling and completed the 28-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in SPSS 24.0. Participants had a mean age of 35.5 years (SD = 8.28) and included 52.6% females and 47.4% males. Based on a GHQ score >23, 63 (53.3%) of staff in COVID-19 wards and 51 (44.7%) in non-COVID-19 wards were suspected of having some degree of mental health disorder. Independent t-test results indicated that healthcare workers in COVID-19 wards experienced significantly higher levels of general mental health problems (t = 4.20, P < 0.001), anxiety (t = 5.55, P < 0.001), and somatic symptoms (t = 4.09, P < 0.001) compared to their counterparts in non-COVID-19 wards. The study highlights a relatively high prevalence of mental health disorders among hospital staff, particularly those working in COVID-19 units. Early identification of at-risk personnel, implementation of targeted interventions, and provision of counseling and psychological support are essential to safeguard the mental well-being and performance of healthcare workers during the ongoing pandemic.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

IJPHS

Publisher

Subject

Health Professions

Description

International Journal of Public Health Science (IJPHS) is an interdisciplinary journal that publishes material on all aspects of public health science. This IJPHS provides the ideal platform for the discussion of more sophisticated public health research and practice for authors and readers world ...