scholarly journals Peritraumatic Distress of COVID-19 on Physicians in Bangladesh: Implications and Policy Recommendations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zafar Ahmad ◽  
Abdullah al Kium ◽  
Md Ripon Ahammed ◽  
Md Montaser Hamid ◽  
Sarmina Tarannum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Resource Management ◽  
Psychological Stress ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
User Study ◽  
Policy Recommendations ◽  
Survey Analysis ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Frontline Workers ◽  
Peritraumatic Distress ◽  
Frontline Healthcare Workers

COVID-19 pandemic has been an ultimate test of resource management for any governance, especially in the healthcare system. Bangladesh, being a developing country and with very limited resources, is fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. The frontline workers, especially the physicians and nurses are going through immense physical and psychological stress during the pandemic. Social unawareness, the absence of strict preventive policies, increasing workload, and the lack of resource management are making the frontline healthcare workers extremely vulnerable to COVID-19. In this paper, we present the outcome of our study on peritraumatic distress of COVID-19 among physicians in Bangladesh. Based on the user study, we have identified a number of key factors behind the peritraumatic distress and psychological stress caused by COVID-19. Our study shows, more than 78% respondents are suffering from peritraumatic psychological distress. We also recommended some very important and yet easy to implement policies to reduce the peritraumatic stress of the physicians of Bangladesh. These policy recommendations were a result of the survey analysis and the suggestions from the COVID-19 designated physicians.

scholarly journals Comparison of Psychological Stress Levels and Associated Factors Among Healthcare Workers, Frontline Workers, and the General Public During the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rongrong Luan ◽  
Weidan Pu ◽  
Lilei Dai ◽  
Rui Yang ◽  
Peng Wang
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Stress ◽  
General Public ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Impact Of Event Scale ◽  
Event Scale ◽  
Frontline Workers ◽  
Occupation Group ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

Objective: We aimed to conduct a comparative analysis of the psychological stress experienced by healthcare workers, frontline workers, and the general public and to assess the factors associated with psychological stress in each of these groups.Methods: We conducted an online survey targeting healthcare workers, frontline workers, and the general public. Psychological stress was assessed with the revised impact of event scale (IES-R). Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted.Results: We surveyed 1,336 participants (64.6% female; mean age, 36.6). The occupation group distribution of respondents was 50.7% healthcare workers, 27.2% frontline workers, and 22.1% general public. The healthcare (23.6 ± 15.8) and frontline (23.6 ± 17.8) workers had higher IES-R scores than the general public (15.3 ± 10.6; p < 0.01). Poor health perception and perception of infection avoidance were associated with psychological stress in the healthcare and frontline workers, but not in the general public.Conclusion: Both healthcare and frontline workers are suffering elevated psychological stress, compared to the general public, and this elevated stress may be related especially to their perceptions of their own health and infection risk. Interventions addressing these factors should be developed to alleviate psychological stress in these populations, and thus reduce their risk of mental illness pathogenesis.

scholarly journals Experiences of frontline healthcare workers and their views about support during COVID-19 and previous pandemics: a systematic review and qualitative meta-synthesis

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Billings ◽  
Brian Chi Fung Ching ◽  
Vasiliki Gkofa ◽  
Talya Greene ◽  
Michael Bloomfield
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Opportunity To Learn ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Frontline Workers ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Frontline Healthcare Workers ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Healthcare workers across the world have risen to the demands of treating COVID-19 patients, potentially at significant cost to their own health and wellbeing. There has been increasing recognition of the potential mental health impact of COVID-19 on frontline workers and calls to provide psychosocial support for them. However, little attention has so far been paid to understanding the impact of working on a pandemic from healthcare workers’ own perspectives or what their views are about support. Methods We searched key healthcare databases (Medline, PsychINFO and PubMed) from inception to September 28, 2020. We also reviewed relevant grey literature, screened pre-print servers and hand searched reference lists of key texts for all published accounts of healthcare workers’ experiences of working on the frontline and views about support during COVID-19 and previous pandemics/epidemics. We conducted a meta-synthesis of all qualitative results to synthesise findings and develop an overarching set of themes and sub-themes which captured the experiences and views of frontline healthcare workers across the studies. Results This review identified 46 qualitative studies which explored healthcare workers’ experiences and views from pandemics or epidemics including and prior to COVID-19. Meta-synthesis derived eight key themes which largely transcended temporal and geographical boundaries. Participants across all the studies were deeply concerned about their own and/or others’ physical safety. This was greatest in the early phases of pandemics and exacerbated by inadequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), insufficient resources, and inconsistent information. Workers struggled with high workloads and long shifts and desired adequate rest and recovery. Many experienced stigma. Healthcare workers’ relationships with families, colleagues, organisations, media and the wider public were complicated and could be experienced concomitantly as sources of support but also sources of stress. Conclusions The experiences of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic are not unprecedented; the themes that arose from previous pandemics and epidemics were remarkably resonant with what we are hearing about the impact of COVID-19 globally today. We have an opportunity to learn from the lessons of previous crises, mitigate the negative mental health impact of COVID-19 and support the longer-term wellbeing of the healthcare workforce worldwide.

scholarly journals Perceptions of mHealth applications and features to support psychosocial wellbeing among frontline healthcare workers involved in the COVID-19 pandemic response (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sungwon Yoon ◽  
Hendra Goh ◽  
Gayathri Devi Nadarajan ◽  
Sharon Sung ◽  
Irene Teo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Peer Support ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Peer Interactions ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Frontline Workers ◽  
Psychosocial Wellbeing ◽  
Tangible Rewards ◽  
Visual Materials ◽  
Frontline Healthcare Workers ◽  
Future Work

BACKGROUND Frontline healthcare workers are experiencing a myriad of physical and psychosocial challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic. There is growing recognition that digital technologies have the potential for improving wellbeing of frontline workers. However, there is limited development of wellness interventions using mHealth technology. More importantly, little research has been conducted on how frontline workers perceive mHealth-based support to promote their wellbeing. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to explore frontline workers’ experience of conventional psychological wellness programs and their perceptions of the usefulness of mHealth apps and features for promoting wellbeing. It also sought to identify factors that influence uptake and retention of a mHealth-based wellness program. METHODS We conducted semi-structured interviews using purposive sampling with frontline workers involved in the COVID-19 response. Various visual materials, collated from existing mHealth app features, were presented to facilitate discussion. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis based on grounded theory was undertaken. Themes were subsequently mapped to key nudge strategies, commonly used for mHealth development, to assess participants’ preferences for particular features and their reasoning. RESULTS A total of 42 frontline workers participated in twelve one-to-one interviews or focus group discussions. Frontline workers generally had limited mental health literacy to identify their own psychological problems and liked the reminders functionality to track their mood over time. A personalised goal-setting feature (tailoring) and in-app resources were generally valued while frequent coaching and messages (framing) were seen as a distraction. The majority desired a built-in chat with a counsellor (guidance) for reasons of accessibility and protection of privacy. Very few participants appreciated a gamification function. Frontline workers commonly reported the need for ongoing social support and desired access to in-app peer support community (social influence). There were concerns regarding potential risks from virtual peer interactions. Intrinsic motivational factors, mHealth app technicality and tangible rewards were identified as critical for uptake and retention. CONCLUSIONS Our study highlights the potential of mHealth with relevant features to safeguard the wellbeing of frontline workers. Future work should focus on developing a non-intrusive and personalised mHealth app with in-app counselling, peer support to improve wellbeing, and tangible and extrinsic rewards to foster continued use.

scholarly journals Practical strategies to reduce nosocomial transmission to healthcare professionals providing respiratory care to patients with COVID-19

Critical Care ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramandeep Kaur ◽  
Tyler T. Weiss ◽  
Andrew Perez ◽  
James B. Fink ◽  
Rongchang Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Nosocomial Transmission ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Medical Procedures ◽  
Respiratory Illnesses ◽  
Frontline Workers ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Extensive Literature Search ◽  
Frontline Healthcare Workers

Abstract Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an emerging viral infection that is rapidly spreading across the globe. SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the same coronavirus class that caused respiratory illnesses such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). During the SARS and MERS outbreaks, many frontline healthcare workers were infected when performing high-risk aerosol-generating medical procedures as well as when providing basic patient care. Similarly, COVID-19 disease has been reported to infect healthcare workers at a rate of ~ 3% of cases treated in the USA. In this review, we conducted an extensive literature search to develop practical strategies that can be implemented when providing respiratory treatments to COVID-19 patients, with the aim to help prevent nosocomial transmission to the frontline workers.

scholarly journals The Silent Pandemic: The Psychological Burden on Frontline Healthcare Workers during COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Luise J. Froessl ◽  
Yazan Abdeen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Psychological Burden ◽  
Additional Risk ◽  
Frontline Workers ◽  
Preventative Measures ◽  
Frontline Healthcare Workers

This narrative review explores the full scope of harmful psychological effects of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease of 2019) pandemic on FLHCWs (Frontline healthcare workers). Additionally, we highlight the risk factors for worse outcomes. A literature review identified 24 relevant papers included in this synthesis. The majority of studies reported a high number of mental health conditions in HCWs (Healthcare workers) overall. Working in the frontline setting was repeatedly identified as an independent risk factor for poorer mental health. Additional risk factors, such as gender, occupational pressure, and low level of support from hospital administration, family, and the community, were also commonly identified. In the past, defined interventions have been shown to mitigate the psychological impact of high-stress situations on frontline workers. This review is aimed at identifying individuals at higher risk to help effectively target preventative measures in future stress situations in our healthcare system.

scholarly journals Healthcare Workers’ Experiences of Working on the Frontline and Views About Support During COVID-19 and Previous Pandemics: A Systematic Review and Qualitative Meta-Synthesis 

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Billings ◽  
Brian Chi Fung Ching ◽  
Vasiliki Gkofa ◽  
Talya Greene ◽  
Michael Bloomfield
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Opportunity To Learn ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Frontline Workers ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Frontline Healthcare Workers ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: Healthcare workers across the world have risen to the demands of treating COVID-19 patients, potentially at significant cost to their own health and wellbeing. There has been increasing recognition of the potential mental health impact of COVID-19 on frontline workers and calls to provide psychosocial support for them. However, little attention has so far been paid to understanding the impact of working on a pandemic from healthcare workers’ own perspectives or what their views are about support. Methods: We searched key healthcare databases (Medline, PsychINFO and PubMed), reviewed relevant grey literature, screened pre-print servers and hand searched reference lists of key texts for all published accounts of healthcare workers’ experiences of working on the frontline and views about support during COVID-19 and previous pandemics/epidemics. Final searches took place on September 28, 2020. We conducted a meta-synthesis of all qualitative results to synthesise findings and develop an overarching set of themes and sub-themes which captured the experiences and views of frontline healthcare workers across the studies. Results: This review identified 46 qualitative studies which explored healthcare workers’ experiences and views from pandemics or epidemics including and prior to COVID-19. Meta-synthesis derived eight key themes which largely transcended temporal and geographical boundaries. Participants across all the studies were deeply concerned about their own and/or others’ physical safety. This was greatest in the early phases of pandemics and exacerbated by inadequate PPE, insufficient resources, and inconsistent information. Workers struggled with high workloads and long shifts and desired adequate rest and recovery. Many experienced stigma. Healthcare workers’ relationships with families, colleagues, organisations, media and the wider public were complicated and nuanced and could be experienced concomitantly as sources of support but also sources of stress. Conclusions: The experiences of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic are not unprecedented; the themes that arose from previous pandemics and epidemics were remarkably resonant with what we are hearing about the impact of COVID-19 globally today. We have an opportunity to learn from the lessons of these previous crises, mitigate the negative mental health impact of COVID-19 and support the longer-term wellbeing of the healthcare workforce worldwide.

scholarly journals SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Formation Among Healthcare Workers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Birch ◽  
Ravit Barkama ◽  
Joanna Tyszkiewicz Georgescu ◽  
Emma Yamada ◽  
Drew Olsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New York City ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Community Hospital ◽  
Support Staff ◽  
Care Community ◽  
Frontline Workers ◽  
The Us ◽  
The World ◽  
Frontline Healthcare Workers

Many frontline healthcare workers throughout the world have been exposed to COVID-19 infection in the workplace and the community. We describe the nature of infection and the durability of antibodies among various types of healthcare workers at an acute care community hospital in northern New Jersey adjacent to New York City, part of the epicenter of the first wave of the US epidemic. Exposure was concentrated among frontline workers and in clusters among support staff. The antibody response correlated with symptoms and job type.

Listening and learning from the COVID-19 frontline in one US healthcare system

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise M. Cumberland ◽  
Andrea D. Ellinger ◽  
Tyra G. Deckard
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare System ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Professional Lives ◽  
Frontline Employees ◽  
Healthcare Staff ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Frontline Workers ◽  
Administrative Functions ◽  
Frontline Healthcare Workers

PurposeThe on-going COVID-19 pandemic has drastically impacted healthcare systems worldwide. Understanding the perspectives and insights of frontline healthcare workers caring for and interacting with patients with COVID-19 represents a timely, topical, and important area of research. The purpose of this qualitative action research study was to assist one US healthcare system that has an expansive footprint with the implementation of a needs assessment among its frontline healthcare workers. The leadership within this healthcare system wanted to obtain a deeper understanding of how the COVID-19 pandemic was impacting the personal and professional lives of its workers. Further, the organisation wanted to solicit employees’ feedback about what they needed, understand the issues they were facing, and solicit their ideas to help the organisation know where to take action.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative research employed 45 focus groups, referred to as virtual listening calls (LCs) in this organisation, which were held over a four-week period. A total of 241 nursing staff, representing healthcare facilities across the country, attended 26 of the LCs. A total of 19 LCs were held with 116 healthcare workers who are employed in other clinical roles (e.g. therapists) or administrative functions.FindingsExtending beyond the available research at the time, this study was initiated from within a US healthcare system and informed by the frontline healthcare employees who participated in the LCs, the findings of this study include the perspectives of both nursing and other healthcare workers, the latter of which have not received considerable attention. The findings underscore that the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the personal and professional lives of all of these healthcare workers and has exacted an emotional toll as noted in other studies. However, this study also highlights the importance of listening to employees’ concerns, but more importantly, their recommendations for improving their experiences. Notably, the organisation is in the midst of making changes to address these frontline workers’ needs.Originality/valueThe study, inclusive of nursing and other healthcare staff, demonstrates how an organisation can adapt to a crisis by listening and learning from its frontline employees.

Psychosocial Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic on Frontline Healthcare Workers in Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Quratul-Ain Zafar
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Emotional Distress ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Psychosocial Impact ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Study Group ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Frontline Healthcare Workers

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on frontline healthcare workers in Pakistan in terms of psychological factors emotional distress, insomnia, and burnout. Study Design: Observational cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at different hospitals across Pakistan and data collection was carried out from 15th June 2020 till 15th August 2020. Material and Methods: This was a questionnaire-based study aiming to compare the levels of burnout and emotional distress between frontline COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 healthcare workers. Any physician, nurse, and other healthcare workers were recruited from emergency care units and Covid-19 care units (target group), and non-COVID-19 care units (control group). Participation was voluntary and participants had to complete self-reported questionnaires and scales. A mixed-mode data collection was carried out, either in paper or web-based form to ensure maximum participation. Results: The independent t-test showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding depression, stress, and insomnia. The study group showed higher scores for these factors than the control group. Chi-square test of association revealed significant scores of burnout and professional fulfillment in both groups. There was a higher prevalence of burnout in the study group than in the control group. Conclusion: This study concludes that there was a significant psychosocial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in the frontline healthcare workers measured in terms of emotional distress, insomnia, and burnout.

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