Establishment of a psychological intervention mechanism for healthcare workers facing public health emergencies in the context of the COVID‐19 outbreak

Background: Since the 21st century, humans have experienced five public health emergencies: the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), type A H1N1 influenza (H1N1), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), Ebola virus disease (EVD), and the new coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19). They caused a large number of casualties and a wider psychological crisis, which might cause severe consequences such as post-traumatic stress disorder and suicide. Aims: To reveal the law of formation of public psychological crisis in public health emergencies, and draw lessons from it. To provide ideas for effectively deal with these psychological crisis problems and fundamentally curbing the occurrence of public health emergencies. Method: Through the method of literature research, ‘public health incidents’, ‘psychological crisis’, ‘mental health’, ‘psychological intervention’, ‘SARS’, ‘H1N1’, ‘MERS’, ‘EVD’, and ‘COVID-19’ were used to search literatures in the databases such as PubMed, Springer, and Sciencedirect, and the literatures were summarized, sorted, and studied. Results: (1) The public health emergencies caused a universal psychological crisis. The main manifestations were depression, compulsion, despair, etc. The people involved mainly include patients, suspected isolated patients, medical staff, and the general public in the epidemic situation. (2) People’s psychological state often experienced stress stage, shock stage, acceptance, and reorganization. Only some susceptible individuals couldn’t complete effective psychological reconstruction, resulting in serious psychological disorders. Individual susceptibility is related to genetic factors, adversity, and traumatic stimuli experienced in early life. Conclusion: To reduce these psychological crisis problems, we should establish and improve the psychological crisis intervention or rescue system of public health emergencies, it was still necessary to live in harmony with nature, get rid of the inappropriate habit of preying on wild animals, in order to prevent the cross-species transmission of the virus between wild animals and humans, and to fundamentally avoid the occurrence of major infectious diseases.

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WILLINGNESS TO WORK AMONGST AUSTRALIAN FRONTLINE HEALTHCARE WORKERS DURING AUSTRALIA’S FIRST WAVE OF COVID-19 COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION: RESULTS OF AN ONLINE SURVEY

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness ◽

10.1017/dmp.2021.288 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-24

Author(s):

Michella Hill ◽

Erin Smith ◽

Brennen Mills

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Online Survey ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Public Health Emergencies ◽

Community Transmission ◽

Frontline Healthcare Workers ◽

Insight Into

Abstract Objectives The majority of research investigating healthcare workers’ (HCWs) willingness to work during public health emergencies asks participants to forecast their perceptions based on hypothetical emergencies, rather than in response to actual public health emergencies they have experienced. This research explored frontline HCWs willingness to work during Australia’s first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic among frontline HCWs. Methods Participants (n=580) completed an online questionnaire regarding their willingness to work during the pandemic. Results Forty-two percent of participants reported being less willing to work during the pandemic compared to before. Availability of personal protective equipment (PPE), concern expressed by family members, and viral exposure were significant barriers. One-third of participants disagreed that some level of occupational risk for exposure to infectious disease was acceptable. One-quarter of participants had received communications from their workplace concerning obligations to work during COVID-19. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Australian frontline HCWs’ willingness to work. Scarcity of PPE and exposure to the virus were the most cited reasons impacting on willingness to work. Appropriate policies and practices should be implemented and communicated efficiently to frontline HCW’s. This research provides insight into the lived experiences of Australian healthcare professionals’ willingness to work during a pandemic.

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Hospital Preparedness and Resilience in Public Health Emergencies at District Hospitals and Community Health Centres

Journal of Health Management ◽

10.1177/0972063420935539 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. 146-156

Author(s):

Sandesh Kumar Sharma ◽

Neeraj Sharma

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Community Health ◽

Emergency Preparedness ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Local Level ◽

Community Health Centres ◽

Public Health Emergencies ◽

District Hospitals ◽

Health Centres ◽

Hospital Preparedness

Background: Public health emergencies (PHE) caused by natural hazards spread from one particular locality to adjacent geographic areas and then encompass the entire planet in today’s fast global connectivity mode. Each country, including India, has its own set of potential disasters based on the hazards present as well as the unique vulnerabilities of the community and community’s preparedness to respond to particular disasters. Currently, human history is observing a very critical time fighting an invisible enemy—COVID-19. Therefore, in this study, we seek to understand the standardised measures of public hospital preparedness and resilience at times of health emergencies, including a pandemic, the most current one being COVID-19. Methods: We conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional study among health officials of district hospitals (DHs) and community health centres (CHCs) of Rajasthan using a semi-structured online questionnaire, with COVID-19 in mind, and sending it to those who had attended a training programme on disaster preparedness in hospitals. Results: In all, questionnaires were sent to 80 health officials of DHs and CHCs, of which 58 responded, with a response rate of 72.5 per cent. We collected responses on public health emergency preparedness, training-related issues, the capacity to deal with emergencies and prior experience in managing an emergency. Conclusion: The resilience and preparedness of DHs and CHCs in Rajasthan appear to be limited. From the studies it has been revealed that proper training and education on disasters like the current COVID-19, which is of significant importance for healthcare workers, is limited to only 37.9 per cent of healthcare workers. It also emerges that the staff members whenever required could mark and perform in the triage area, but the Isolation room haven’t got the request facilities and equipped to stabilise a critical patient despite availability of emergency stock of medicine. The stated functional status of DHs and CHCs reveals that the level of emergency preparedness is between low and medium and also varies from hospital to hospital and from CHC to CHC. Hence, it is time to reassess and upgrade emergency preparedness plans, which include mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Federal-, state- and local-level emergency management agencies’ functioning has to be effective and well-coordinated with the local level of operation.

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Prioritizing the Mental Health and Well-Being of Healthcare Workers: An Urgent Global Public Health Priority

Frontiers in Public Health ◽

10.3389/fpubh.2021.679397 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Lene E. Søvold ◽

John A. Naslund ◽

Antonis A. Kousoulis ◽

Shekhar Saxena ◽

M. Walid Qoronfleh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Mental Health ◽

Health Systems ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Well Being ◽

Health Impacts ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Public Health Emergencies ◽

Healthcare Workforce ◽

Health And Well Being

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on health systems in most countries, and in particular, on the mental health and well-being of health workers on the frontlines of pandemic response efforts. The purpose of this article is to provide an evidence-based overview of the adverse mental health impacts on healthcare workers during times of crisis and other challenging working conditions and to highlight the importance of prioritizing and protecting the mental health and well-being of the healthcare workforce, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. First, we provide a broad overview of the elevated risk of stress, burnout, moral injury, depression, trauma, and other mental health challenges among healthcare workers. Second, we consider how public health emergencies exacerbate these concerns, as reflected in emerging research on the negative mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers. Further, we consider potential approaches for overcoming these threats to mental health by exploring the value of practicing self-care strategies, and implementing evidence based interventions and organizational measures to help protect and support the mental health and well-being of the healthcare workforce. Lastly, we highlight systemic changes to empower healthcare workers and protect their mental health and well-being in the long run, and propose policy recommendations to guide healthcare leaders and health systems in this endeavor. This paper acknowledges the stressors, burdens, and psychological needs of the healthcare workforce across health systems and disciplines, and calls for renewed efforts to mitigate these challenges among those working on the frontlines during public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Emergency Healthcare Providers’ Perceptions of Preparedness and Willingness to Work during Disasters and Public Health Emergencies

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare8040442 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 442 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mohammed Ali Salem Sultan ◽

Jarle Løwe Sørensen ◽

Eric Carlström ◽

Luc Mortelmans ◽

Amir Khorram-Manesh

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Influenza Pandemic ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Family Members ◽

Safety Issues ◽

Safety Assurance ◽

Public Health Emergencies ◽

Mass Shooting ◽

Level Of Significance

This study evaluates the perceptions of preparedness and willingness to work during disasters and public health emergencies among 213 healthcare workers at hospitals in the southern region of Saudi Arabia by using a quantitative survey (Fight or Flight). The results showed that participants’ willingness to work unconditionally during disasters and emergencies varied based on the type of condition: natural disasters (61.97%), seasonal influenza pandemic (52.58%), smallpox pandemic (47.89%), SARS/COVID-19 pandemic (43.56%), special flu pandemic (36.15%), mass shooting (37.56%), chemical incident and bombing threats (31.92%), biological events (28.17%), Ebola outbreaks (27.7%), and nuclear incident (24.88%). A lack of confidence and the absence of safety assurance for healthcare workers and their family members were the most important reasons cited. The co-variation between age and education versus risk and danger by Spearman’s rho confirmed a small negative correlation between education and danger at a 95% level of significance, meaning that educated healthcare workers have less fear to work under dangerous events. Although the causes of unsuccessful management of disasters and emergencies may vary, individuals’ characteristics, such as lack of confidence and emotional distractions because of uncertainty about the safety issues, may also play a significant role. Besides educational initiatives, other measures, which guarantee the safety of healthcare providers and their family members, should be established and implemented.

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Surviving the stigma: lessons learnt for the prevention of COVID-19 stigma and its mental health impact

Mental Health and Social Inclusion ◽

10.1108/mhsi-05-2020-0030 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 24 (3) ◽

pp. 145-149

Author(s):

Shweta Singh ◽

Saniya Bhutani ◽

Huma Fatima

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Mental Health ◽

Psychological Intervention ◽

Health Impact ◽

Communicable Diseases ◽

Health Consequences ◽

Content Type ◽

Public Health Emergencies ◽

Novel Coronavirus ◽

Prevention Methods

Purpose The spread of novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) has affected more than four million lives worldwide. Unfortunately, incidents of stigmatisation associated with COVID-19 are being reported worldwide. Studies conducted during and after public health emergencies because of communicable diseases have highlighted the development of stigmatisation and associated mental health consequences. This study aims to explore the past pandemics and current incidents of stigmatisation to understand COVID-19 stigma, its mental health impact and how they can be prevented by using primary and secondary prevention methods. Design/methodology/approach Researches were shortlisted using keywords such as “infectious diseases and mental health”, “COVID 19 stigma and mental health”, “Contagious disease stigma” and “mental health of survivors”. Findings Studies conducted during and after public health emergencies because of communicable diseases have highlighted the development of stigmatisation and associated mental health consequences. The emphasis is on universal prevention of stigmatization. Early psychological intervention may reduce the long-term psychological effects of the illness and reduction of stigma may contribute to treatment. Originality/value This paper predicts the chances of stigmatisation that COVID-19 survivors may face and possible strategies to prevent it.

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Predictors of stress among a sample of Egyptian healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Middle East Current Psychiatry ◽

10.1186/s43045-021-00164-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 28 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Nermin Mahmoud Shaker ◽

Noha Sabry ◽

Muhammad Abdullatif Alkasaby ◽

Menan Rabie

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Mental Health ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Online Survey ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Well Being ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Public Health Emergencies ◽

Stress Levels

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic had a tremendous effect on people’s mental health. Healthcare workers were on the front lines in response to this crisis; therefore, they were among the most affected by the pandemic. The study aims to assess the stress perceived by healthcare workers and possible factors contributing to it, hoping that more efforts will be exerted to support the well-being of healthcare workers during public health emergencies. A cross-sectional study using an online survey was conducted. Data were collected from 118 healthcare professionals working with COVID-19 patients during the peak of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results Most of the respondents (75.2%) scored much higher stress levels than average, and 19.5% had slightly higher levels of stress. Most respondents were afraid of infecting their family and close ones (77.1 %), and about half of the respondents were afraid of getting infected (47.5%). Regression analysis revealed that the only significant independent variable predicting developing higher stress levels among the participants was assigning them to tasks outside their specialty. Conclusions Healthcare workers are at high risk of developing mental health problems during public health emergencies. Their well-being is essential for the quality of services they provide. More efforts are needed to ensure the well-being of healthcare workers and to prepare them for such emergencies. Preparing healthcare workers before redeployment through training and providing PPEs will help to reduce the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their physical and mental health.

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