The relationship between workplace violence, anxiety, and depression in nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION

Workplace violence severely affects nurses, and the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified this issue, resulting in physical and mental illness, which seriously affects their work and lives.

OBJECTIVES

To analyze the relationship between workplace violence, anxiety, and depression among front line nurses in the fight against COVID-19.

METHODS

This mixed-methods study simultaneously collected qualitative and quantitative data in three municipalities in Alagoas, Brazil, between January and June 2022. The qualitative data were derived from interviews with six nurses, using the thematic oral history technique. The quantitative data were derived from a questionnaire administered to 131 clinical and practical nurses.

RESULTS

The oral histories indicated anxiety-related feelings, such as fear, nervousness, worry, and panic, which made the workers vulnerable to violence. According to the quantitative data, 53.4% (n = 70) of nurses experienced violence, primarily psychological (n = 69; 52.7%). Anxiety and depression symptoms were present in 21.4% (n = 28) and 30.5% (n = 40) of the nurses, respectively, and violence was significantly associated with both anxiety (p = 0.003) and depression (p = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

The results show that nurses suffer a high prevalence of violence. The association between violence, anxiety, and depression reinforces the need for structural initiatives to combat violence and protect the lives of those who care for the health of the population.