TY - GEN A1 - Hoffmann, Stephanie A1 - Schulze, Susanne A1 - Löffler, Antje A1 - Becker, Juliane A1 - Gremmels, Heinz-Detlef A1 - Holmberg, Christine A1 - Rapp, Michael A. A1 - Entringer, Sonja A1 - Spallek, Jacob T1 - Did the COVID-19 pandemic affect depressive symptoms? Longitudinal analysis of health worker data T2 - European Journal of Public Health,16th European Public Health Conference 2023 Our Food, Our Health, Our Earth: A Sustainable Future for Humanity Dublin, Ireland 8–11 November 2023 N2 - Background Health workers play a vital role in response to outbreaks under pandemic circumstances, but are also highly vulnerable to stress-related mental health issues (e.g., due to pandemic workload). There are knowledge gaps regarding temporal development of the emergence of depressive symptoms among health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and their determinants. This study examined the trajectory of depressive symptoms and their association with a) stress perception, b) own COVID-19 infection and c) COVID-19 exposure at work. Methods This cohort study with 91 health workers (90% female, x⎯⎯=45 years) from a German general hospital included (1) medical, nursing and therapeutic staff and (2) administrative staff. Data were collected longitudinally every month from July to December 2020. Linear multilevel models were used to evaluate associations between trajectories of depression scores (German ‘General Depression Scale’) with perceived stress (‘Perceived Stress Scale’). Laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infection was tested as a moderator of depressive symptom development. Trajectoires of depressive symptom modalities (e.g., somatic, emotional) were analysed stratified by COVID-19 exposure at work. Results Depression scores increased across the study period (b=.03, .02-.05). Perceived stress was associated with depression scores (b=.12, .10-.14). The presence of health workers’ own COVID-19 infection was associated with a higher increase (b=.06, .01-.10). Somatic symptoms of depression increased over time only among health workers directly exposed to COVID-19 patients at work (b=.25, .13-.38). Conclusions The increase in depressive symptomatology among health workers exposed to COVID-19 in the workplace points to the need for further research. Since the infection with COVID-19 is associated with an increase of depressive symptoms across time, awareness should be raised about measures to protect against virus transmission, especially during a pandemic. Exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace is associated with increased somatic depressive symptoms. Y1 - 2023 UR - https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-UBICO/frontdoor/index/index/docId/31536 SN - 1101-1262 SN - 1464-360X VL - 33 IS - 2 ER -