The mental health burden of COVID-19 on cardiac healthcare workers and their patients

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (10) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Barbara M Murphy ◽  
Rosemary O Higgins ◽  
Alun C Jackson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Cardiac Patients ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Early Recovery ◽  
Stress Symptoms ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Mental Health Effects

The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a toll on the healthcare workforce across the world and, with many health professionals experiencing high levels of exposure to the coronavirus, the rate of infection among healthcare workers is high. Documented mental health effects on these workers are also concerning, with higher-than-usual levels of acute stress, post-traumatic stress symptoms, anxiety, depression and sleep disorders, particularly insomnia. Cardiac patients are particularly vulnerable, and health professionals caring for this group face additional stresses. This article provides an overview of the mental health impacts of the pandemic on healthcare workers, with an emphasis on those working in hospital settings and in cardiac care, as well as on the patients for whom they care. The specific impacts of COVID-19 are also discussed, as well as associated social restrictions on cardiac patients, both during hospitalisation and early recovery, and in terms of long-term risks. Strategies are proposed that healthcare workers can adopt to help preserve and improve their coping and enhance their resilience as they work through this unprecedented and unpredictable pandemic.

scholarly journals Victimes d’actes criminels : une intervention professionnelle

Criminologie ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 5-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frema Engel
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Crime Victims ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Syndrome ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Victims Of Crime

Victims of crime suffer tremendous psychological damage as a result of the trauma that they experience. The effects can be totally debilitating and can destroy their lives. The author discusses the reactions, symptoms of acute stress and stages of recovery of crime victims. She also discusses post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), and the kind of help victims need to recover from their injuries. Finally, she suggests how mental health professionals in particular and society in general could better respond to crime victims.

scholarly journals The Mental Health Impact of 2019-nCOVID on Healthcare Workers From North-Eastern Piedmont, Italy. Focus on Burnout

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carla Gramaglia ◽  
Debora Marangon ◽  
Danila Azzolina ◽  
Chiara Guerriero ◽  
Luca Lorenzini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Personal Accomplishment ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Symptoms ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Post Traumatic

The 2019-nCOVID pandemic as a public health emergency has faced healthcare systems with unprecedented challenges. Our study aimed to focus on the mental health impact of the 2019-nCOVID pandemic on healthcare workers (HCWs) from North-Eastern Piedmont, Italy. For this purpose, we performed an online survey which was e-mailed to HCWs at the end of the first peak of the pandemic. We involved both frontline and not-frontline HCWs, employed in the hospital or in healthcare services outside the hospital. The primary outcome of our research was the assessment of burnout, while secondary outcomes included the investigation of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress symptoms. We observed higher levels of burnout (especially in the Depersonalization and Personal Accomplishment dimensions), in females, in HCWs aged <30 years, in those exposed to changes in their daily and family habits, in those who had to change their duties at work and in residents in training. In our HCWs sample we found lower levels of anxiety and depression than those reported in the literature. The problematic levels of burnout and adverse psychological outcomes observed during the pandemic cannot be underestimated. Given the recurrence in autumn 2020 of a new pandemic peak, which has once again put a strain on the health system and HCWs, it is supported the importance of a careful assessment of HCWs' mental health, and of the possible risk and protective factors both in the work environment and in the extra-work one.

scholarly journals Mental Health Burden of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Healthcare Workers in Four Latin American Countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 58 ◽  
pp. 004695802110610
Author(s):  
Roberto Ariel Abeldaño Zuñiga ◽  
Hugo Juanillo-Maluenda ◽  
María Alejandra Sánchez-Bandala ◽  
Graciela Verónica Burgos ◽  
Silvina Andrea Müller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Spanish Version ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Symptoms ◽  
Health Burden ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Latin American Countries

The aim of the study was to assess the mental health burden of the COVID-19 pandemic in healthcare workers in four Latin American countries in 2020. An online survey was carried out with 1721 participants from Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Mexico in 2020. A non-probabilistic convenience sampling method was used to recruit voluntary participants. Post-traumatic stress symptoms were assessed with the SPRINT-E scale, Perceived Discrimination was assessed with a Spanish version of the scale developed by Molero, and anxiety toward death was assessed with the Spanish version of the Templer scale. All instruments were assessed for internal consistency. The overall frequency of post-traumatic stress symptoms was 23.9%. The frequency by countries was 26.4% in Argentina, 29.8% in Chile, 19.9 in Colombia, and 23.8% in Mexico. Post-traumatic stress symptoms were associated with individual subtle discrimination, anxiety toward the death of the elderly, lack of Personal Protective Equipment, and exposition to the death. The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed a mental health burden on health workers in the countries included in the study, not only due to the implications of the disease in the face of exposure to death, but also due to institutional conditions and in which they carry out their work.

scholarly journals Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress, and Burnout in Health Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Comparing Mental Health Professionals and Other Healthcare Workers

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 635
Author(s):  
Isabella Giulia Franzoi ◽  
Antonella Granieri ◽  
Maria Domenica Sauta ◽  
Monica Agnesone ◽  
Marco Gonella ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Personal Accomplishment ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Post Traumatic

The psychological impact of the pandemic on healthcare workers has been assessed worldwide, but there are limited data on how mental health professionals (MHPs) have been affected. Thus, this paper aims to investigate anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and burnout in a sample of MHPs. We conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional study on 167 participants: 56 MHPs, 57 physicians working closely with COVID-19 patients, and 54 physicians not working closely with such patients. MHPs reported good overall mental health. Most MHPs reported no post-traumatic stress, and their scores were significantly lower compared to HPs working closely with COVID-19 patients. MHPs’ hyperarousal scores were also significantly lower compared to HPs working closely with COVID-19 patients, while their intrusion scores were statistically significantly lower than those of all other professionals. Multivariable logistic regressions showed that MHPs had lower odds of exhibiting state anxiety and low personal accomplishment compared to HPs not working closely with COVID-19 patients. In sum, MHPs seem to show almost preserved mental health. Thus, given the high mental healthcare demand during a pandemic, it would be useful to rely on these professionals, especially for structuring interventions to improve and support the mental health of the general population and other healthcare workers.

scholarly journals Physiological parameters of mental health predict the emergence of post-traumatic stress symptoms in physicians treating COVID-19 patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Dolev ◽  
S. Zubedat ◽  
Z. Brand ◽  
B. Bloch ◽  
E. Mader ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Physiological Measures ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Symptoms ◽  
Post Traumatic

AbstractLack of established knowledge and treatment strategies, and change in work environment, may altogether critically affect the mental health and functioning of physicians treating COVID-19 patients. Thus, we examined whether treating COVID-19 patients affect the physicians’ mental health differently compared with physicians treating non-COVID-19 patients. In this cohort study, an association was blindly computed between physiologically measured anxiety and attention vigilance (collected from 1 May 2014 to 31 May 31 2016) and self-reports of anxiety, mental health aspects, and sleep quality (collected from 20 April to 30 June 2020, and analyzed from 1 July to 1 September 2020), of 91 physicians treating COVID-19 or non-COVID-19 patients. As a priori hypothesized, physicians treating COVID-19 patients showed a relative elevation in both physiological measures of anxiety (95% CI: 2317.69–2453.44 versus 1982.32–2068.46; P < 0.001) and attention vigilance (95% CI: 29.85–34.97 versus 22.84–26.61; P < 0.001), compared with their colleagues treating non-COVID-19 patients. At least 3 months into the pandemic, physicians treating COVID-19 patients reported high anxiety and low quality of sleep. Machine learning showed clustering to the COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 subgroups with a high correlation mainly between physiological and self-reported anxiety, and between physiologically measured anxiety and sleep duration. To conclude, the pattern of attention vigilance, heightened anxiety, and reduced sleep quality findings point the need for mental intervention aimed at those physicians susceptible to develop post-traumatic stress symptoms, owing to the consequences of fighting at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Traumatized Syrian Refugees with Ambiguous Loss: Predictors of Mental Distress

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 3865
Author(s):  
Anna Renner ◽  
David Jäckle ◽  
Michaela Nagl ◽  
Anna Plexnies ◽  
Susanne Röhr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Ambiguous Loss ◽  
Treatment Seeking ◽  
Syrian Refugees ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Prolonged Grief ◽  
Boundary Ambiguity ◽  
Stress Symptoms ◽  
Post Traumatic

Refugees from war zones often have missing significant others. A loss without confirmation is described as an ambiguous loss. This physical absence with simultaneous mental persistence can be accompanied by economic, social or legal problems, boundary ambiguity (i.e., uncertainty about who belongs to the family system), and can have a negative impact on mental health. The aim of this study was to identify sociodemographic and loss-related predictors for prolonged grief, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and somatization in treatment-seeking Syrian refugees with post-traumatic stress symptoms in Germany experiencing ambiguous loss. For the present study, data were based on the treatment-seeking baseline sample of the “Sanadak” randomized-controlled trial, analyzing a subsample of 47 Syrian refugees with post-traumatic stress symptoms in Germany experiencing ambiguous loss. Sociodemographic and loss-related questions were applied, along with standardized instruments for symptoms of prolonged grief (ICG), anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-9), PTSD (PDS-5) and somatization (PHQ-15). Linear regression models were used to predict mental health outcomes. Having lost a close family member and higher boundary ambiguity showed a statistically significant association with higher severity in prolonged grief. The overall model for somatization reached statistical significance, while no predictor independently did. Boundary ambiguity showed a statistically significant positive association with depression, while the overall model showed no statistically significant associations. Boundary ambiguity and missing family members seemed to be important predictors for prolonged grief. These findings support the importance of reunification programs and suggest an inclusion of the topic into psychosocial support structures, e.g., including psychoeducational elements on boundary ambiguity in support groups for traumatized individuals and families experiencing ambiguous loss. Further research is needed for a more detailed understanding of the impact of ambiguous loss on refugee populations.

scholarly journals Abusive experiences and psychiatric morbidity in women primary care attenders

2003 ◽  
Vol 183 (4) ◽  
pp. 332-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremy Coid ◽  
Ann Petruckevitch ◽  
Wai-Shan Chung ◽  
Jo Richardson ◽  
Stirling Moorey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Substance Misuse ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Mental Health Effects

BackgroundAbusive experiences in childhood and adulthood increase risks of psychiatric morbidity in women and independently increase risks of further abuse over the lifetime. It is unclear which experiences are most damaging.AimsTo measure lifetime prevalence of abusive experiences and psychiatric morbidity, and to analyse associations in women primary care attenders.MethodA cross-sectional, self-report survey of 1207 women attending 13 surgeries in the London borough of Hackney, UK. Independent associations between demographic measures, abusive experiences and psychiatric outcome were established using logistic regression.ResultsChildhood sexual abuse had few associations with adult mental health measures, in contrast to physical abuse. Sexual assault in adulthood was associated with substance misuse; rape with anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder but not substance misuse. Domestic violence showed strongest associations with most mental health measures, increased for experiences in the past year.ConclusionsAbuse in childhood and adulthood have differential effects on mental health; effects are increased by recency and severity. Women should be routinely questioned about ongoing and recent experiences as well as childhood.

scholarly journals Mental health in the general population and in health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
General Population ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Stress Disorders ◽  
Virus Infections ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Traumatic Stress Disorders ◽  
Post Traumatic ◽  
Nursing Professionals

Objective: Map the literature on mental illness in the general population and in health professionals during the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods: Research carried out within the VHL with the descriptors: covid AND mental health AND nursing professionals, in the database BDENF AND MEDLINE, filtering with the main subjects: Corona virus infections, nursing professionals, health personnel and mental health, using as exclusion criteria articles that were not in the Portuguese language and that were not within the theme of the study, including only articles published in the year 2020. Results: A total of 10 articles were found, all of them were analyzed. Among them, 9 (100%) dealt with the prevalence of mental illness in the general population, 5 (45%) in nurses, two (18%) in other health professionals and one (0.9%) in the general population and nurses. 15 symptoms of mental illness were identified. Conclusion: the Covid-19 pandemic triggered anxiety, depression, stress and post-traumatic stress disorders more frequently in the general population and health professionals. Women, students and nurses are among the most affected.

scholarly journals The psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on 4,378 UK healthcare workers and ancillary staff: initial baseline data from a cohort study collected during the first wave of the pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle Lamb ◽  
Sam Gnanapragasam ◽  
Neil Greenberg ◽  
Rupa Bhundia ◽  
Ewan Carr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Traumatic Stress ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Alcohol Misuse ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Moral Injury ◽  
List Type ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Post Traumatic

AbstractObjectivesThis study reports preliminary findings on the prevalence of, and factors associated with, mental health and wellbeing outcomes of healthcare workers during the early months (April-June) of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK.MethodsPreliminary cross-sectional data were analysed from a cohort study (n=4,378). Clinical and non-clinical staff of three London-based NHS Trusts (UK), including acute and mental health Trusts, took part in an online baseline survey. The primary outcome measure used is the presence of probable common mental disorders (CMDs), measured by the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Secondary outcomes are probable anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-9), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (PCL-6), suicidal ideation (CIS-R), and alcohol use (AUDIT). Moral injury is measured using the Moray Injury Event Scale (MIES).ResultsAnalyses showed substantial levels of CMDs (58.9%, 95%CI 58.1 to 60.8), and of PTSD (30.2%, 95%CI 28.1 to 32.5) with lower levels of depression (27.3%, 95%CI 25.3 to 29.4), anxiety (23.2%, 95%CI 21.3 to 25.3), and alcohol misuse (10.5%, 95%CI, 9.2 to 11.9). Women, younger staff, and nurses tended to have poorer outcomes than other staff, except for alcohol misuse. Higher reported exposure to moral injury (distress resulting from violation of one’s moral code) was strongly associated with increased levels of CMDs, anxiety, depression, PTSD symptoms, and alcohol misuse.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that mental health support for healthcare workers should consider those demographics and occupations at highest risk. Rigorous longitudinal data are needed in order to respond to the potential long-term mental health impacts of the pandemic.HighlightsWhat is already known about this subject?Large-scale population studies report increased prevalence of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic.Evidence from previous epidemics indicates a high and persistent burden of adverse mental health outcomes among healthcare workers.What are the new findings?Substantial levels of probable common mental disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder were found among healthcare workers.Groups at increased risk of adverse mental health outcomes included women, nurses, and younger staff, as well as those who reported higher levels of moral injury.How might this impact on policy or clinical practice in the foreseeable future?The mental health offering to healthcare workers must consider the interplay of demographic, social, and occupational factors.Additional longitudinal research that emphasises methodological rigor, namely with use of standardised diagnostic interviews to establish mental health diagnoses, is necessary to better understand the mental health burden, identify those most at risk, and provide appropriate support without pathologizing ordinary distress responses.

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