Depression and anxiety symptoms and perceived stress in health professionals in the context of COVID-19: Do adverse childhood experiences have a modulating effect?

Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) have a great impact on mental health outcomes of adults. However, little is known whether ACE may act as modulators of the mental health of health professionals caring for patients with COVID-19.

Methods: Data were collected through an online cross-sectional survey administered to health professionals in Lima (Peru) between May and July 2020. The survey included standardized self-assessment instruments for anxiety, depression, acute stress (AS) and history of ACE.

Results: A total of 542 health professionals completed the survey. Caring for patients with COVID-19 was significantly associated with depression and anxiety and when caring for patients with COVID-19 was combined with a history of early sexual abuse, its effect on the risk of anxiety increased (OR = 7.71, p = .010). Mental health problems were associated with female gender in almost all the analyses and with the majority of ACEs.

Conclusions: Health workers in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic presented a high risk of mental health disorders. Antecedents of sexual abuse acted as a potentiating factor of anxiety in professionals providing COVID-19 care. These findings suggest that the burden of ACE modulates mental health problems in health professionals during the pandemic.