Impact of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress on Mental Health Among Peruvian Healthcare Professionals

Valencia-Pecho D.I.; Varela-Guevara S.; Basauri-Delgado M.; Saintila J. · Healthcare (Switzerland) (2026) · DOI: 10.3390/healthcare14040490

Resumen

Background: Mental health among healthcare professionals is a critical aspect of clinical practice, as they are exposed to demanding working conditions that frequently lead to symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Objective: We aimed to examine the influence of depression-, anxiety-, and stress-related symptoms on mental health in healthcare professionals. Methods: A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 123 healthcare professionals from a Peruvian hospital. Two instruments were administered: the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and the Mental Health Inventory–5 (MHI-5). Results: More than 75% of healthcare professionals presented mild levels of depression (82.1%) and stress (89.4%), whereas over half reported mild levels of anxiety (63.4%). Significant differences were observed according to age and years of service (p < 0.05). Mental health was significantly and inversely correlated with depression (r = −0.706), anxiety (r = −0.742), and stress (r = −0.698). Moreover, the predictive model explained 59.2% of the variance, with a moderate effect size. Conclusions: Among healthcare professionals, higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress were associated with significantly lower mental health. The strength of these correlations highlights the need to better understand and address the negative emotional impact experienced by healthcare personnel.

Instituciones: Universidad Autónoma del Perú; Universidad Señor de Sipán