Fear of COVID-19 and Depression Among Italian Dentists: The Mediating Role of Perceived Job Insecurity

Background: The recent outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has produced fear and psychological distress throughout the population, as well as a general perception of job insecurity. Healthcare professionals, and in particular dentists, are exposed to a higher risk of getting infected due to their close contact with infected patients. As perceived job insecurity is associated with psychological distress and dentists have been subjected to very restrictive measures to avoid the widespread of the COVID-19, this study aimed at assessing whether perceived job insecurity mediated the relationship between fear of COVID-19 and depression in Italian dentists. Methods: This cross-sectional online study included 735 Italian dentists recruited during the lockdown of the country (i.e., between 17th April and 3rd May 2020) and ranged in age from 27 to 70 years old (495 men and 240 women). Eligible participants were Doctors of Dental Science with at least 2 years of dental practice, working in Italy and not being retired. Participants answered questions on socio-demographic characteristics, fear of COVID-19, perceived job insecurity, and depression. The mediation analysis was performed using a structural equation modelling approach. Findings: Results supported the mediation effect, showing that fear of COVID-19 affected depression through the action of perceived job insecurity, a*b = 0·05, p = 0·003, 95% CI [0·02, 0·08]. Interpretation: Findings highlighted psycho-social paths leading fear of COVID-19 to increase the risk of developing depressive symptoms in Italian dentists and informing public health policies. Funding: None. Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: The study was designed according to the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethical Committee of the University of Blinded for Review (protocol number: 159/20; date: 23/04/2020).