8287745 Reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms among occupational health physicians during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil

<h3>Objective</h3> To assess changes in depression and anxiety symptom scores among physicians working in occupational health services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. <h3>Methods</h3> This prospective cohort study collected data from 2020 to 2022. Participants completed the Brazilian short version of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). The first wave included 435 participants and the second wave included 265, with 184 completing both assessments. The second data collection occurred approximately 365 days after the first participation. Due to the non-parametric distribution of the data, a generalized linear model was used to test the influence of age, gender, and collection phase on psychological symptom scores. <h3>Results</h3> In the first wave, 57.9% of participants were women; in the second, 56.2%. The mean age was 44.1 years in the first wave and 44.6 in the second. In the final statistical model, depression scores decreased by −5.2547 (95% CI: −5.8815 to −4.62788) in the second wave compared to the first. Gender, alone or in interaction with the phase, was not statistically significant. However, increasing age was associated with a decrease in depression scores of −0.0293 (95% CI: −0.0576 to −0.00101). In the anxiety model, there was a significant reduction over time of −3.3120 (95% CI: −3.7985 to −2.8256), with no effect of gender or age. <h3>Conclusion</h3> There was a significant reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms between the two data collection points, suggesting improved psychological well-being over time. Older participants reported fewer symptoms, but this effect was significant only in the depression model. No gender differences were observed either in isolation or over time. These findings highlight the importance of considering time and context in mental health assessments, especially among high-stress populations such as healthcare professionals.