Acute Stress Exposure in Healthy Oil and Gas Field Workers and Early Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms: A Lesson from the COVID-19 Crisis

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the oil and gas industry had to adopt coping strategies. These changes might contribute to early increased mental health issues among workers. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors to early post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among healthy Indonesian oil and gas field workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2020 to January 2021. We investigated healthy field employees working during the pandemic. Data on the subjects' PTSD symptoms were collected using the PTSD Checklist-Civilian (PCL-C) Version.

Results: A total of 1542 completed forms were analyzed. The prevalence of PTSD symptoms was 44.8%, with 9.1% of very severe forms. Independent factors associated with PTSD symptoms were female gender ( = .013, OR 1.72 [95% CI 1.12-2.63]), change in work system ( = .006, OR 1.37 [95% CI 1.09-1.71]), increased workload ( < .001, OR 2.10 [95% CI 1.63-2.71]), and decreased income ( = .041, OR 1.44 [95% CI 1.02-2.05]).

Conclusion: The COVID-19 crisis and its impact on working conditions were significant stressors that contributed to a high prevalence of PTSD symptoms among oil and gas company workers. Therefore, implementing well-being programs is essential during acute challenges that lead to changes in work systems.