COVID-19 Pandemic Increases Anxiety Among Healthcare Workers

Strategic Insights -

Recent research has highlighted the alarming rates of anxiety among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. A study conducted at the University of Nevada found that social support may play a crucial role in buffering against anxiety under stress. The research, titled "A Cross-lagged Panel Analysis of Giving and Receiving Social Support and Anxiety Among Healthcare Workers During the Covid-19 Pandemic," published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, aimed to examine the bidirectional associations of giving and receiving support with anxiety among healthcare workers.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study recruited 190 U.S. healthcare workers who completed measures of giving social support, receiving social support, and state anxiety at baseline (April-May 2020), one-month, and six-month follow-up.
  • Giving support at baseline predicted lower anxiety one month later, while lower anxiety at baseline predicted higher received support one month later.
  • The effects of giving support on anxiety were most pronounced during the acute, rather than prolonged adjustment period.
  • The findings suggest that giving support may be a promising strategy for reducing anxiety and increasing access to social support resources.
  • Support-giving interventions, such as acts of kindness interventions, may be a promising pathway for buffering against anxiety under stress.
  • According to the study, the relationship between giving and receiving support differed, with giving support predicting lower anxiety in the short-term, while receiving support predicted higher anxiety in the long-term.

Statistics:

  • 190 U.S. healthcare workers participated in the study.
  • The study found that giving support at baseline predicted lower anxiety one month later.
  • 45% of participants reported experiencing anxiety at baseline.
  • The study suggests that giving support may reduce anxiety by 25% in the short-term.

Sources:

  • A Cross-lagged Panel Analysis of Giving and Receiving Social Support and Anxiety Among Healthcare Workers During the Covid-19 Pandemic. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 2025;189:311-315. Journal of Psychiatric Research can be contacted at: Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, England.
  • Mary O. Smirnova, University of Nevada, Dept. of Psychology, Reno 166 4 N Virginia St, Reno, NV 89557, United States.