Race/Skin color and psychological distress in Nursing teams during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective: to verify the relationship between mental distress and race/skin color of Nursing professionals
working in the COVID-19 context. Methodology: a cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational and quantitative study with a non-probability sampling approach, using the snowball technique with 1,737 Nursing professionals. Virtual collection with a personal/work characterization questionnaire and the Mental Symptoms Assessment Scale-40-R. The G*power software version 3.0 was used. Significance level of p<0.05. The post hoc power analysis was 100% with effect power of 0.50. Results: predominance of white-skinned nurses (51.2%) and black/brown-skinned nursing technicians (46.3%). Higher mean value in the Psychoticism domain among black/brown-skinned professionals (p=0.048), who earn lower salaries than their white-skinned peers (48.8%, p=0.001). The latter were dissatisfied with the spaces provided to relax between work and shift changes (55.3%, p=0.033), receive less psychological/emotional support from the institution where they work/study (graduate level) (19.5%, p=0.004), had more of deaths of family members, friends, neighbors and work/study peers due to COVID-19 (30.7%) than the white-skinned participants. White- and black-/brown-skinned professionals were satisfied with alcohol gel availability (p=0.001) and the conditions for washing their hands (p=0.001). Conclusion: these findings raise concerns about working conditions, neglect by health institutions and social inequality that affect the mental health of female black/brown-skinned professionals.