Cross-sectional assessment of anxiety and insomnia of Spanish veterinarians following African swine fever wild boar detection in Spain

In November 2025, African swine fever (ASF) was detected in wild boar in the Catalonia region of Spain. The primary objective of this cross-sectional survey study was to descriptively explore the mental health impacts of the emergence of ASF in Spain on Spanish practicing veterinarians working with swine and to provide a baseline for future comparison if conditions of the ASF epidemic in Spain significantly change. A questionnaire with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and Insomnia Severity Index was distributed via convenience sampling to Spanish pig veterinarians from April to May 2026. Working in an ASF control zone, and working in Catalonia, were primary exposures of interest for anxiety and insomnia score. Data were analyzed using univariate analyses. Fifty-three veterinarians responded to the survey. Median anxiety score was 6.00 (interquartile range [IQR]: 2.00–10.0) and median insomnia score was 8.00 (IQR: 4.00–13.0). Some veterinarians reported new feelings of uneasiness or sadness (54.7%), extreme changes in their feelings of happiness and sadness (41.5%), and less confidence in their abilities or their value (41.5%) since the ASF outbreak. Working in an ASF control zone or working in Catalonia were not significantly associated with insomnia or anxiety score (p > 0.05). These findings help to describe the current status of anxiety and insomnia amongst Spanish pig veterinarians following the ASF detection in wild boar, and provide a baseline for future comparisons if the ASF epidemic worsens in the country.