scholarly journals A psychological health support scheme for medical teams in COVID-19 outbreak and its effectiveness

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. e100288
Author(s):  
Wenhong Cheng ◽  
Fang Zhang ◽  
Zhen Liu ◽  
Hao Zhang ◽  
Yifan Lyu ◽  
...  

BackgroundMedical staff fighting the COVID-19 pandemic are experiencing stress from high occupational risk, panic in the community and the extreme workload. Maintaining the psychological health of a medical team is essential for efficient functioning, but psychological intervention models for emergency medical teams are rare.AimsTo design a systematic, full-coverage psychological health support scheme for medical teams serving large-scale emergent situations, and demonstrate its effectiveness in a real-world study in Leishenshan Hospital during the COVID-19 epidemic in Wuhan, China.MethodsThe scheme integrates onsite and online mental health resources and features team-based psychosocial support and evidence-based interventions. It contained five modules, including a daily measurement of mood, a daily mood broadcast that promotes positive affirmation, a daily online peer-group activity with themes based on the challenges reported by the team, Balint groups and an after-work support team. The daily mood measurement provides information to the other modules. The scheme also respects the special psychological characteristics of medical staff by promoting their strengths.ResultsThe scheme economically supported a special medical team of 156 members with only one onsite psychiatrist. Our data reflected that the entire medical team maintained an overall positive outlook (7–9 out of 10 in a Daily Mood Index, DMI) for nearly 6 weeks of continuous working. Since the scheme promoted self-strengths and positive self-affirmation, the number of self-reports of life-related gains were high and played a significant effect on the DMI. Our follow-up investigations also revealed that multiple modules of the scheme received high attention and evaluation levels.ConclusionOur quantitative data from Leishenshan hospital, Wuhan, China, show that the programme is adequate to support the continuous high workload of medical teams. This scheme could be applied to medical teams dealing with emergent situations.

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yumeng Ju ◽  
Yan Zhang ◽  
Xiaoping Wang ◽  
Weihui Li ◽  
Roger M. K. Ng ◽  
...  

Abstract The continued spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a serious impact on everyone across the globe, both physically and psychologically. In addition to proactive measures addressing physical survival needs and health protection, China has launched a mental health support system to cope with the widespread psychological stress during the pandemic and its aftermath. In this debate, the authors attempted to depict and reflect upon the overall framework of China’s mental health support, with particular reference to the psychological intervention in response to COVID-19 over the last few months. Although a lot of effort has been made to meet the mental health needs, the accessibility, acceptability and effectiveness of the support system still have much room for improvement. Therefore, it is very important to re-think the predicament and challenge on ways of enhancing public mental health emergency responses in China. The concepts of universality, timeliness and scientific rigour were proposed as a possible reform in preparation for large-scale natural or man-made disasters in the coming future.


2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S1) ◽  
pp. s84-s84
Author(s):  
G.V. Kipor ◽  
N.K. Pichugina ◽  
B.V. Bobi

Training special medical teams to be prepared for delivering emergency relief to the injured requires a special psychological conformity of individuals and mutual inter-understanding based on professional qualifications. The psycho-physiological approach comprises a set of methods of computerized tools for medical staff education, training, and preparedness, keeping in mind the aim of the necessity of mutual activities in triage process, medical care, and decision-making for evacuating injured victims from the emergency site. The goal of this presentation is to expose the battery of new original methods and technologies of staff preparedness in order to realize the maximum conformity of personal composed together in one unique mobile team sent into the situations of emergency accompanied by psychological tension, insufficient volume of info sharing, field conditions, etc. Methods are based on the measurements of the functional asymmetry of brain hemispheres tested by computer-loaded, original software. Several levels of evaluation of functional asymmetry status have been proposed for discussion and for choosing of criteria for the conformity matrix study. These include: (1) a primary table of digital variables characterizing the first level of comparison of psycho-physiological individual regulation obtained for everyone of the emergency medical team permitting to propose the primary team composition; (2) co-efficients of psycho-physiological regulation for the determination of conformity between the individualities of medical staff team and the dynamics of psychological resistance in emergency environment; and (3) integrative profiles of functional asymmetry, giving the objective fundamentals for team composition and its training, to the ideal sophisticated model of psycho-physiological conformity. Quantitative, objective data give the arguments to prepare the criteria for the composition of field medical team. The individual programs issued from examination are proposed for the improvement of permanent psycho physiological staff conformity.


Author(s):  
Galina N. Edelman ◽  

The article presents a small part of the results of a large-scale study of the psychological health of modern society. On the basis of regression analysis, the necessity of including the subjective picture of the world in the system of psychological health resources is substantiated. The author presents a structural model of the influence of subjective factors on the psychological health of the young generation during the period of life self-determination. The unevenness and multidirectionality of the influence of various subjective factors on psychological health at a young age is noted. Depending on the field of psychological health, it is proposed to consider various sets of subjective factors as resources. Attention is drawn to the insufficient influence of subjective characteristics on psychological health at a young age and the limited use of subjectivity as a resource. It is proposed to consider social comparisons at the stage of life self-determination as a resource of psychological health. At the same time, the gap between ideas about oneself and the ideal of no more than 30% of the total range of assessment is optimal for maintaining psychological health.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (s1) ◽  
pp. s39-s40
Author(s):  
Christopher Callaghan ◽  
Sheila Turris ◽  
Haddon Rabb ◽  
Brendan Munn ◽  
Adam Lund

Introduction:Music festivals are globally attended events that bring together performers and fans for a defined period of time. These festivals often have onsite medical care to help reduce the impact on local healthcare systems. Historically, the literature suggests that patient transfers offsite are frequently related to complications of substance use. However, there is a gap in understanding as to why patients are transferred to a hospital when an onsite medical team, providing a higher level of care (HLC), is present.Aim:To better understand the causes that necessitate patient transportation to the hospital during festivals that have onsite physician-led coverage.Methods:De-identified patient data from a convenience sample of four, large-scale Canadian festivals (over two years) were extracted. Patient encounters that resulted in transfers to hospital, by ambulance, non-emergency transport vehicle (NETV), or self-transportation were analyzed for this study.Results:Each festival had an onsite medical team that included physicians, nurses, and paramedics. During 34 event days, there were 10,406 patient encounters, resulting in 156 patients requiring transfer to a hospital. A patient presentation rate of 16.5/1,000 was observed. The ambulance transfer rate was 0.12/1,000 of attendees. The most common reason for transport was musculoskeletal injuries (54%) that required imaging.Discussion:The presence of onsite teams capable of treating and releasing patients impacted the case mix of patients transferred to a hospital, and may reduce the number of transfers for intoxication. Confounding preconceptions, patients in the present study were transferred largely for injuries that required imaging. Results suggest that a better understanding of the specific effects onsite medical teams have on avoiding off-site transfers will aid in improving planning for music festivals. Findings also identify areas for further improvement in care, such as onsite radiology, which could potentially further reduce the impact of music festivals on local health services.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lijuan Huo ◽  
Yongjie Zhou ◽  
Shen Li ◽  
Yuping Ning ◽  
Lingyun Zeng ◽  
...  

ObjectiveThe large-scale epidemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has triggered unprecedented physical and psychological stress on health professionals. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of burnout syndrome, and the relationship between burnout and depressive symptoms among frontline medical staff during the COVID-19 epidemic in China.MethodsA total of 606 frontline medical staff were recruited from 133 cities in China using a cross-sectional survey. The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was used to assess the level of burnout. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire Depression (PHQ-9).ResultsDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, 36.5% of the medical staff experienced burnout. Personal and work-related factors were independently associated with burnout, including age (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.52–0.89, p = 0.004), family income (OR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.53–0.99, p = 0.045), having physical diseases (OR = 2.16, 95% CI: 1.42–3.28, p < 0.001), daily working hours (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.03–1.77, p = 0.033), and profession of nurse (OR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.12–4.10, p = 0.022). The correlation coefficients between the scores of each burnout subscale and the scores of depressive symptoms were 0.57 for emotional exhaustion, 0.37 for cynicism, and −0.41 for professional efficacy (all p < 0.001).ConclusionsOur findings suggest that the prevalence rate of burnout is extremely high among medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is associated with other psychological disorders, such as depression. Psychological intervention for medical staff is urgently needed. Young and less experienced medical staff, especially nurses, should receive more attention when providing psychological assistance.


2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 883-887 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agustina Zaka ◽  
Soraya E Shamloo ◽  
Pasquale Fiorente ◽  
Alessandro Tafuri

The COVID-19 pandemic is producing a huge health care burden with millions of cases and thousands of deaths. The coronavirus’ high virulence and contagiousness and the frequent sudden onset of illness is overwhelming critical care and frontline healthcare staff. Frontline professionals are exposed to unprecedented levels of intensive existential threat requiring systematic, specialized psychological intervention and support. New psychological services need to be urgently implemented to manage the mental healthcare needs of frontline medical staff working with patients with COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic is a watershed moment: health care systems universally require a step-change to improve our preparedness for future pandemics.


2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Marie Stock ◽  
Bruna Costa ◽  
Paul White ◽  
Nichola Rumsey

Objectives: Despite the potential psychological impact of a diagnosis of cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) on parents, few large-scale studies currently exist. Utilizing data extracted from The Cleft Collective Birth Cohort Study, the current study aimed to examine the psychological impact of the diagnosis on parent and family functioning and to identify risk and/or protective factors contributing to parental adjustment in order to inform future psychological intervention. Methods: Parent-reported questionnaire data were extracted for 1163 parents (644 mothers and 519 fathers). Outcome measures included the PedsQL-Family Impact Module, the Perceived Stress Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and a condition-specific tool designed by the Psychology Clinical Excellence Network. Results: Overall, findings suggest that parents adjust well to the diagnosis. Factors found to be protective against psychological distress for both mothers and fathers included a positive life orientation, satisfaction with health care, and relationship satisfaction. Close friendships were also protective against depression in mothers. Risk factors for mothers included the presence of a prior mental health condition, and stressful life events during pregnancy. Risk factors for fathers included being older at the time of conception, and recently being absent from work. Conclusions: Findings suggest a need for appropriate psychological screening of both parents following a diagnosis of CL/P and emphasize the importance of coordinated multidisciplinary care for psychological health. Preventative models of intervention to strengthen familial relationships and build resilience require further investigation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 313-320
Author(s):  
Phillip A. Jacobson ◽  
Paul N. Severin ◽  
Dino P. Rumoro ◽  
Shital Shah

AbstractPurpose:Training emergency department (ED) personnel in the care of victims of mass-casualty incidents (MCIs) is a highly challenging task requiring unique and innovative approaches. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively explore the value of high-fidelity simulators in an exercise that incorporates time and resource limitation as an optimal method of training health care personnel in mass-casualty care.Methods:Mass-casualty injury patterns from an explosive blast event were simulated for 12 victims using high-fidelity computerized simulators (HFCS). Programmed outcomes, based on the nature of injuries and conduct of participants, ranged from successful resuscitation and survival to death. The training exercise was conducted five times with different teams of health care personnel (n = 42). The exercise involved limited time and resources such as blood, ventilators, and imaging capability. Medical team performance was observed and recorded. Following the exercise, participants completed a survey regarding their training satisfaction, quality of the exercise, and their prior experiences with MCI simulations. The Likert scale responses from the survey were evaluated using mean with 95% confidence interval, as well as median and inter-quartile range. For the categorical responses, the frequency, proportions, and associated 95% confidence interval were calculated.Results:The mean rating on the quality of experiences related trainee survey questions (n = 42) was between 4.1 and 4.6 on a scale of 5.0. The mean ratings on a scale of 10.0 for quality, usefulness, and pertinence of the program were 9.2, 9.5, and 9.5, respectfully. One hundred percent of respondents believed that this type of exercise should be required for MCI training and would recommend this exercise to colleagues. The five medical team (n = 5) performances resulted in the number of deaths ranging from two (including the expectant victims) to six. Eighty percent of medical teams attempted to resuscitate the “expectant” infant and exhausted the O- blood supply. Sixty percent of medical teams depleted the supply of ventilators. Forty percent of medical teams treated “delayed” victims too early.Conclusion:A training exercise using HFCS for mass casualties and employing limited time and resources is described. This exercise is a preferred method of training among participating health care personnel.


Author(s):  
Li Xu ◽  
Dingyun You ◽  
Chengyu Li ◽  
Xiyu Zhang ◽  
Runxu Yang ◽  
...  

AbstractFacing with COVID-19 epidemic such a catastrophic health emergency, the mental health status of medical staff deserves attention. We conducted a two-stage of psychological status monitoring after the end of the assistance and 14 days of isolation, further targeted the vulnerable groups in need of intervention. The study is a cross-sectional survey on 1156 Yunnan medical staff aid to Hubei. Used Cluster sampling method to collect data at 2 time points (at the end of returning from Wuhan and the 14th day of isolation), from March 18, 2020 to April 6, 2020. Female and nurse had higher rates of depressive symptoms than male and doctors and other occupations. The proportion of female with mild and above moderate anxiety levels (22.91%, 2.61%) was higher than male (17.35%, 1.03%) (p < 0.05). Female had a better impaired sleep quality (45.06%, 17.49%) more than male (28.57%, 7.94%). Medical staff supported in Wuhan and with junior professional titles reported a higher proportion of sleep quality impairment. At the 14th isolation day stage, the proportion of nurses changed from depression to health (9.15%) and from health to depression (6.1%) better than doctors. The front-line medical staffs had suffered greater psychological pressure in the treatment process of major public health emergency. Researches on the dynamic monitor for the change of psychological status after aiding epidemic areas were still in relatively blank stage. Targeting the vulnerable characteristics of aiding medical staff is significant for effective psychological intervention and sustainable operation of health system.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yue Li ◽  
Jun Peng

Abstract Background The provision of public adaptive coping strategies to reduce psychological tension during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is critical. We sought to provide evidence-based guidance for psychological intervention, exploring the potential mediating roles of three sources of social support (i.e., subjective support, family support and counselor support) between coping strategies (i.e., cognitive coping, emotional coping and behavioral coping), and anxiety among college students at the height of the pandemic in China. Methods Using the Coping Strategy Questionnaire, Social Support Questionnaire, and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, this large-scale online study analyzed the levels of social support, coping, and anxiety among 2640 college students in China from February 21st to 24th, 2020, when the students had been isolated at home for 1 month since the lockdown of Wuhan city. Results Students reported high levels of cognitive coping, behavioral coping, and social support. They also experienced low levels of anxiety and emotional coping. Anxiety was significantly and negatively related to coping and social support. The mediating roles of three sources of social support were found between cognitive coping, behavioral coping, and anxiety, respectively. However, the effect of emotional coping on anxiety was not found to be mediated by social support. Conclusions Adopting positive coping strategies may enhance social support that in turn relieves anxiety. The effect of social support, especially family and counselor support, should arouse greater awareness in coping with the pandemic cognitively and behaviorally.


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