Background: Caregivers have been exposed to important stresses during the COVID-19 pandemic leading to important mental
health issues. Previous researches showed that nurses were particularly emotionally affected compared to physicians.
Aims: To study the differences in psychological symptoms between nurses and physicians during the first wave of the COVID-19
pandemic as well as three months later and to compare the predictors of these symptoms between both professions.
Method: An online survey was sent to all nurses and physicians employed by a university hospital in Belgium. It assessed symptoms
of post-traumatic stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia induced by the COVID-19 experienced during the peak and at the
moment of assessment (3 months after the peak). Sociodemographic and work-related characteristics as well as psychological factors,
i.e., emotion regulation habits, coping strategies and personality traits were also evaluated as potential predictors of psychological
symptoms.
Results: Nurses reported more pronounced psychological symptoms associated to the COVID situation compared to physicians.
In nurses, the strongest predictor of psychological symptoms was the level of neuroticism while in physicians it was the work overload.
Conclusions: Our study provided essential information which may allow to better orient interventions according to the difficulties
and specificities presented by each occupation.