Gender Differences in Anger Among Hospital Medical Staff Exposed to Patients with COVID-19

Ulrich Wesemann; Nino Hadjamu; Reza Wakili; Gerd Willmund; Julia Vogel; Tienush Rassaf; Johannes Siebermair

doi:10.1089/heq.2020.0119

Gender Differences in Anger Among Hospital Medical Staff Exposed to Patients with COVID-19

Health Equity. 2021 Apr 19;5(1):181-184. doi: 10.1089/heq.2020.0119. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Ulrich Wesemann¹, Nino Hadjamu², Reza Wakili², Gerd Willmund¹, Julia Vogel², Tienush Rassaf², Johannes Siebermair²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychotraumatology, Bundeswehr Hospital, Berlin, Germany.
² Department of Cardiology and Vascular Medicine, West German Heart and Vascular Center Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.

Abstract

Purpose: Occupational exposure to patients with COVID-19 is a stress factor. The aim of this study was to assess gender differences in anger among medical hospital staff. Methods: N=78 hospital employees with direct or indirect contact to patients with COVID-19 completed State-Trait Inventory-2. Results: Female personnel showed higher scores in the main "trait anger" scale and its subscale "anger temperament," whereas "anger control-out" was significant lower. Direct patient contact had no influence. Conclusion: More specific training for female hospital staff could achieve health-related equity. Focusing on anger as a leading indicator could lead to better prevention and self-monitoring. Registered at Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04368312).

Keywords: COVID-19; PTSD; anger; gender; hospital; medical staff; mental health.

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04368312