Predictors of major depression and generation of a screening score in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: subanalysis of the survey ImPPaCTS-SAC.20

Luciano Battioni, Consejo de Insuficiencia Cardiaca e Hipertensión Pulmonar, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Cristhian E. Scatularo, Sanatorio de la Trinidad, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Sebastián Bellia, Consejo de Aspectos Psicosociales. Sociedad Argentina de Cardiología. Buenos Aires, Argentina
Sara Costa-de Robert, Consejo de Aspectos Psicosociales. Sociedad Argentina de Cardiología, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Ma. de las Nieves Gatti, Consejo de Aspectos Psicosociales. Sociedad Argentina de Cardiología, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Mario Racki, Consejo de Aspectos Psicosociales. Sociedad Argentina de Cardiología, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Guillermina Soracio, Consejo de Insuficiencia Cardiaca e Hipertensión Pulmonar, Sociedad Argentina de Cardiología, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Adrián Lescano, Consejo de Insuficiencia Cardiaca e Hipertensión Pulmonar, Sociedad Argentina de Cardiología, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Julio Giorgini, Consejo de Aspectos Psicosociales. Sociedad Argentina de Cardiología. Buenos Aires, Argentina
Stella M. Pereiro, Consejo de Insuficiencia Cardiaca e Hipertensión Pulmonar, Sociedad Argentina de Cardiología, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina

Background and Objectives: to describe predictors of depression in health workers in Argentina during SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and to generate a score for their screening. Methods: Subanalysis of the Argentine ImPPaCTS-SAC.20 Survey, including health workers with major depression according to PHQ 9 (Patient Health Questionnaire 9). Predictors were evaluated by multivariate analysis; a new score was constructed in the referral cohort and its cut-off point was determined. whose quality was evaluated in the total cohort and in the validation cohort. Results: 270 workers (22.1%) had major depression. Predictors of major depression were female gender (p = 0.002), feeling discriminated against (p = 0.001), use of anxiolytics (p = 0.001) and smoking (p = 0.025). A score was prepared with these variables (female gender 2 points, feeling discriminated against 1.5 points, use of anxiolytics 2.5 points and smoking 3 points), with an area under the curve of 0.65 and a cut-off point of 2. In the validation cohort the area under the curve was 0.66. Compared with PHQ 9, the negative predictive value was 84%. Conclusions: Health workers in Argentina had a high prevalence of major depression during the pandemic, associated with predictive factors. A test was developed to detect those who are at low risk for it.

Keywords: Depression. Healthcare workers. SARS-CoV-2.