LAUSR

BACKGROUND Though there is a growing body of research establishing a broad negative psychological impact of COVID-19 among healthcare workers, there are comparably fewer studies evaluating symptom presentation and clinical diagnoses among treatment-seeking healthcare workers. The present report seeks to fill this gap in the literature by establishing the prevalence of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, alcohol misuse, and well-being among treatment-seeking healthcare workers. METHOD Data were collected from 421 treatment-seeking healthcare workers in an outpatient hospital-based mental health setting. Both self-report measures and semi-structured interviews were utilized to assess symptoms severity and render psychiatric diagnosis at intake. RESULTS Adjustment disorders were the most prevalent diagnosis at 44.2%. Of the 347 who completed self-report measures, over 47% endorsed moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms, with 13% endorsing suicidal ideation. Fifty-eight percent scored in the moderate-to-severe range for anxiety, and 19% screened positive for COVID-related posttraumatic stress disorder. Further analyses revealed that those in medical assisting roles endorsed significantly greater depression symptoms relative to other groups and were more likely to report suicidal ideation. Medical trainees also endorsed suicidal ideation at higher rates. CONCLUSIONS These findings are consistent with previous research on the adverse impact of COVID-19 stressors on healthcare workers' mental health. We further identified vulnerable groups that are underrepresented in the literature. These findings highlight the need for targeted outreach and intervention among overlooked healthcare worker populations. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.