Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers

Healthcare Workers ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Mainland China ◽

Well Being ◽

Working Environment ◽

Mental Condition ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Personal Protection Equipment ◽

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has heavily burdened, and in many cases overwhelmed, healthcare systems including healthcare workers. The novel COVID-19 started from Wuhan in mainland China. Since then it has affected most of the nations and continents because of its rapid spread. Most commonly affected are the healthcare professionals who are working on the frontline. The COVID-19 epidemic has mushroomed globally, disrupting the existence of millions It is a generalized mental condition occurring without any trigger or stimulus. Various symptoms of depression are: anxious, sad and empty feelings, hopelessness, guilt and may be sense of helplessness, restless attitude, irritation, and lack of interest in various hobbies and activities and were once considered relax able and which are used to provide pleasure. Furthermore, healthcare workers reported mental health problems putatively associated with healthcare workers’ occupational activities during and up until years after epidemics, including symptoms of post-traumatic stress, burnout, depression and anxiety. As for lack of material, a high percentage of professionals are getting infected for not having adequate personal protection equipment (PPE) and not using it properly, having to re-use in many occasions equipment which is only recommended for one-time utilization. During work performed by healthcare workers, several pressure elements from different sources may impact on keeping optimal conditions for a healthy working environment, and because of the saturation of the sanitary facilities due to the high level of virus infection, the health of these professionals has been obviously affected. While the main focus is concentrated on laboratory testing, finding the disease cure and prevention of transmission, all individuals are undergoing a plethora of psychological problems while adjusting to current lifestyles and disease fear. In current study, an attempt has been made to find out the impact of this pandemic situation on psychological well-being of healthcare and non-healthcare workers. Our study has reported identical findings to those reported by numerous investigators working across the globe. The present paper has outlined the stressors which the frontline health care professionals have faced including fear of spreading disease to co-workers and members of the family, irregular sleep patterns, abrupt work cycles, and lack of adequate training skills in dealing with such a novel situation.

Death and Mourning Process in Frontline Health Care Professionals and Their Families During COVID-19

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.624428 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Sreeja Das ◽

Tushar Singh ◽

Rahul Varma ◽

Yogesh Kumar Arya

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Well Being ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Personal Protection Equipment ◽

Care Workers ◽

The Impact ◽

Mourning Process

The COVID-19 epidemic has mushroomed globally, disrupting the existence of millions. Under this current pandemic situation, the frontline health care professionals are looped in the clutch of the virus and are relatively more exposed to the patients infected with the disease. In this precarious situation, the frontline health care professionals have contributed their best to provide utmost care to the patients infected with the ailment. The direct involvement of these professionals, however, has taken a toll on their physical health as well as on their mental well-being. Several studies conducted recently have reported that frontline health care workers engaged in direct diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients with COVID-19 are associated with a higher risk of symptoms of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues. Lack of personal protection equipment, unreasonable amounts of work, improper medicines, fear of contracting the disease, and lack of skilled training have interposed the frontline health care workers with unimaginable stress. Due to the widespread outbreak, the death count of the frontline health care professionals has also surged. However, studies exploring the physical and mental welfare of the frontline health care professionals and their families are very few and far behind. To address this aperture, the present paper attempts to highlight the psychological and physical impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the frontline health care professions and to understand the impact of the death of these frontline health care professionals on the psychological well-being, mourning process, and complicated grief among the family members of healthcare professionals. The paper also presents some recommendations for providing psychological support to healthcare professionals and their bereaved families.

Frontline Healthcare workers suffering from psychosomatic disorders during COVID-19 (a pandemic): A Systematic review

10.1101/2021.11.09.21266105 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Rhythm Joshi ◽

Nidhi B. Agarwal ◽

Dinesh Bhurani ◽

Mohd. Ashif Khan

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Organizational Support ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Well Being ◽

Mental Condition ◽

Psychosomatic Disorders ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Newcastle Ottawa Scale ◽

Frontline Healthcare Workers ◽

Purpose: The emergence of SARS CoV-2, has imposed high pressure on the healthcare system worldwide. As a consequence, frontline healthcare workers were impacted widely. The aim of this systematic review is to examine the impact of COVID-19 on mental status of FHW during pandemic. Methods: Databases such as PubMed, Scopus, google scholar were searched extensively from the date of inception till April 2021. All cross-sectional studies published in English assessing the mental condition and well-being of frontline caregivers during COVID-19 were included in the study. The quality assessment was done by Newcastle Ottawa scale. Results: Ten thousand eight hundred sixty-nine articles were found. After conscientious literature search, total 78 articles were included satisfying the objective of the review. The highest and lowest values for the rates of depression, anxiety and insomnia was found to be 99.51% & 6.07%, 85.7% & 73.6%, and 5.3% & 11.4%, respectively. Conclusion: It has been found that FHW were psychologically impacted by the pandemic. This could be due to lack of resources such as PPE, organizational support, inefficient relevant knowledge regarding the novel virus, its extremely indelible transmission rates, fear of contamination, stigmatization, and/or due to prevalence of ignorance by government and health policy makers. Prospero registration no- CRD42021244612 Key words; Mental disorders, Frontline healthcare workers, Psychosomatic disorders, psychological morbidities, COVID-19.

A pre/post analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychosocial work environment and recovery among healthcare workers in a large university hospital in Sweden

Journal of Public Health Research ◽

10.4081/jphr.2021.2329 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ingibjörg H. Jonsdottir ◽

Alessio Degl’Innocenti ◽

Linda Åhlström ◽

Caterina Finizia ◽

Helle Wijk ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Work Environment ◽

Working Conditions ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Well Being ◽

Working Environment ◽

University Hospital ◽

Contributing Factors ◽

Employee Survey ◽

Hospital Employees ◽

Background. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on workload, mental health, and well-being of healthcare workers, and particularly those on the front-line, has received considerable attention.Design and methods. We surveyed hospital employees about their working environment during the pandemic and identified departments which were negatively affected in comparison to the pre-pandemic situation, as well as factors contributing to this.Setting and participants We surveyed all hospital employees at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden in September 2020 and compared results across departments and to the results of a large employee survey from October 2019.Results. The overall impact of the pandemic on perceived working conditions and possibility for recovery differed among departments. During the pandemic, healthcare workers working with COVID-19 patients reported poorer working environments than other employees. Factors significantly related to perception of work environment and recovery during the pandemic included worries of being infected, departmental transfer, and having insufficient access to personal protective equipment. Men reported better working conditions than women in all, but one item and higher age was related to better perceived working environment.Conclusions. Our results indicate that the pandemic differentially affects hospital departments and underscores the multifactorial nature of this topic. Contributing factors to poor perceived working environment could be addressed at times of high workload, such as during the pandemic, including providing appropriate support to managers, ensuring possibility for recovery during working hours, and acknowledging worries about infection. Young healthcare workers and staff who are relocated due to the pandemic warrant special attention.

Criminal Orders of Protection for Domestic Violence: Associated Revictimization, Mental Health, and Well-being Among Victims

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/0886260519883865 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 088626051988386

Author(s):

Tami P. Sullivan ◽

Nicole H. Weiss ◽

Jacqueline Woerner ◽

Janan Wyatt ◽

Camille Carey

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Domestic Violence ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Well Being ◽

Depression Symptom ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Criminal Protection ◽

The Impact ◽

Health And Well Being

All states issue criminal protection orders (POs) with the intention of improving the lives of victims of domestic violence (DV); however, there is a dearth of research examining their impact. This study aims to examine the impact of criminal POs with different levels of restrictions on victims’ revictimization, mental health, and well-being. A cross-sectional design was used to collect data regarding two time points during one interview among a sample of 298 victims in a criminal DV case. Across the three levels of PO restrictions (limited, residential stay-away, and full no-contact), participants reported significantly reduced physical, sexual, and psychological DV; unwanted pursuit behavior; post-traumatic stress and depression symptom severity; and perceived stress and fear of revictimization. The amount of change varied between groups for revictimization variables. Full no-contact restrictions were associated with the greatest decreases in revictimization. However, findings must be interpreted with caution given the heterogeneity in victims’ experiences; some victims experienced an increase in revictimization and mental health problems and a decrease in well-being. Findings suggest that the court, through criminal POs, may be a system through which to reach victims who might not otherwise connect with services to promote safety and resilience.

Pandemic heroes or victims? Healthcare professionals’ well-being during Covid-19 pandemic

Current Problems of Psychiatry ◽

10.2478/cpp-2021-0012 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Ewelina Soroka

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Direct Contact ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Well Being ◽

Daily Basis ◽

Psychological Help ◽

Mental Condition ◽

Patient Health

Abstract Introduction and aim: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic had a significant impact on the mental condition of the society, increasing anxiety and fear for the future. High levels of anxiety, stress and depression have been observed in the general population. Nurses and doctors, who are in direct contact with patients and their body fluids, are at the highest risk of infection. The aim of this study was to look at the psychiatric health aspects of health care professionals in general during the pandemic. State of knowledge: Work overload and stress-related symptoms make healthcare workers particularly vulnerable to mental distress, increasing the risk of developing mental disorders. Among them, women, students and nurses were most affected. A German study found that nurses working with COVID-19 patients in particular are mentally affected by the consequences of the pandemic. This may be due to the higher workload and the longer time spent in direct contact with COVID-19 patients compared to doctors. The available literature confirmed the construct of coronaphobia in health care workers. The issue of insufficient personalization of protective equipment and the associated feelings of fear and stigma as well as the need for psychological help are addressed and psychiatric services for healthcare professionals. Material and methods: At the beginning of this year, 30 people from the clinical hospital in Lublin were surveyed using a questionnaire containing several questions concerning, among others, comfort of work in the current epidemiological situation, The Patient Health Questionnaire-9, The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and Mini-COPE. Conclusions: The work shows the mental health problems faced by health service representatives on a daily basis in connection with the pandemic that has been going on for many months. The features of depression-anxiety disorders affect the medical staff. The attitude of solidarity and cooperation of all members of society during the pandemic is important.

Hopelessness and Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms among Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Any Role for Mediating Variables?

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18126579 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (12) ◽

pp. 6579

Author(s):

Andrea Aguglia ◽

Andrea Amerio ◽

Alessandra Costanza ◽

Nicolò Parodi ◽

Francesco Copello ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Workers ◽

Death Anxiety ◽

Well Being ◽

Psychological Consequences ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Psychometric Scales ◽

Stress Symptoms ◽

Post Traumatic ◽

Frontline Healthcare Workers ◽

The Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has many psychological consequences for the population, ranging from anxious-depressive symptoms and insomnia to complex post-traumatic syndromes. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the mental well-being of healthcare workers, focusing on the association between hopelessness, death anxiety, and post-traumatic symptomatology. Eight hundred forty-two healthcare workers were recruited between 21 March 2020 and 15 May 2020. A specific questionnaire was administered to assess socio-demographic and clinical characteristics, together with psychometric scales: Beck Hopelessness Scale, Death Anxiety Scale (DAS), and Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS). Respondents with hopelessness scored higher in the DAS and DTS than respondents without hopelessness. Furthermore, death anxiety was identified as a potential mediator of the significant association between hopelessness and post-traumatic symptomatology. The impact of death anxiety should be recognized in vulnerable populations, such as frontline healthcare workers. Therefore, pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies could be useful to attenuate the negative psychological consequences and reduce the burden worldwide.

Psychological Distress and Post-Traumatic Symptomatology among Dental Healthcare Workers in Russia: Results of a Pilot Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18020708 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 708 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Maria Sarapultseva ◽

Alena Zolotareva ◽

Igor Kritsky ◽

Natal’ya Nasretdinova ◽

Alexey Sarapultsev

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Healthcare Workers ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Stress Disorders ◽

Self Report ◽

Ptsd Symptoms ◽

Event Scale ◽

Post Traumatic ◽

The spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection has increased the risk of mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), and healthcare workers (HCWs) are at greater risk than other occupational groups. This observational cross-sectional study aimed to explore the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD among dental HCWs in Russia during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The survey was carried out among 128 dental HCWs from three dental clinics of Ekaterinburg, Russia. The mean age of the sample was 38.6 years. Depression, anxiety, and stress were assessed using the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21); PTSD was assessed using the PTSD Symptom Scale-Self-Report (PSS-SR); subjective distress was assessed using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). The results indicated that 20.3–24.2% HCWs had mild to extremely severe symptoms of psychological distress, and 7.1–29.7% had clinical symptoms of PTSD. No differences between females and males were revealed. HCWs working directly with patients had significantly higher levels of PTSD symptoms and the risk of PTSD development compared to those working indirectly, whereas older HCWs had significantly higher levels of both psychological distress and PTSD symptoms compared to younger HCWs. Thus, dental HCWs are at high risk for psychological distress and PTSD symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Does the Type of Exposure to Workplace Violence Matter to Nurses’ Mental Health?

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9010041 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 41

Author(s):

Farinaz Havaei

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Workplace Violence ◽

Violence Exposure ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Survey Methods ◽

Health Problems ◽

Cumulative Exposure ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Indirect Exposure ◽

Workplace violence is a prevalent phenomenon in healthcare, particularly among nursing professionals. Exposure to workplace violence may be direct through firsthand involvement, indirect through secondhand witnessing, or both. Even though implications for victims of workplace violence have been well-studied, less is known about the various types of exposure and their effects on nurse mental health. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of workplace-violence exposure types on the mental health of nurses, while accounting for the intensity of the incident/s. This study employs an exploratory correlational design with survey methods. Nurses from British Columbia (BC), Canada, were invited by the provincial nurses’ union to complete an electronic survey in Fall 2019. A total of 2958 responses from direct-care nurses in acute-care settings were analyzed using logistic regression. The results showed that mental-health problems increased with cumulative exposure; even though nurses with solely indirect exposure to workplace violence did not report greater mental-health problems, those experiencing solely direct exposure, or both direct and indirect exposure, were two to four times more likely to report high levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression and burnout compared to their counterparts with no exposure. There is an urgent need for better mental-health support, prevention policies and practices that take into account the type of workplace-violence exposure.

The Psychosocial and Somatic Effects of Relocation from Remote Canadian First Nation Communities to Urban Centres on Indigenous Peoples with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18073838 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (7) ◽

pp. 3838

Author(s):

Denise Genereux ◽

Lida Fan ◽

Keith Brownlee

Keyword(s):

Chronic Kidney Disease ◽

Kidney Disease ◽

Indigenous Peoples ◽

Medical Condition ◽

Geographical Location ◽

Well Being ◽

First Nation ◽

Urban Centre ◽

Chronic kidney disease, also referred to as end-stage renal disease (ESRD), is a prevalent and chronic condition for which treatment is necessary as a means of survival once affected individuals reach the fifth and final stage of the disease. Dialysis is a form of maintenance treatment that aids with kidney functioning once a normal kidney is damaged. There are two main types of dialysis: hemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD). Each form of treatment is discussed between the patient and nephrologist and is largely dependent upon the following factors: medical condition, ability to administer treatment, supports, geographical location, access to necessary equipment/supplies, personal wishes, etc. For Indigenous Peoples who reside on remote Canadian First Nation communities, relocation is often recommended due to geographical location and limited access to both health care professionals and necessary equipment/supplies (i.e., quality of water, access to electricity/plumbing, etc). Consequently, the objective of this paper is to determine the psychosocial and somatic effects for Indigenous Peoples with ESRD if they have to relocate from remote First Nation communities to an urban centre. A review of the literature suggests that relocation to urban centres has negative implications that are worth noting: cultural isolation, alienation from family and friends, somatic issues, psychosocial issues, loss of independence and role adjustment. As a result of relocation, it is evident that the impact is profound in terms of an individuals’ mental, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being. Ensuring that adequate social support and education are available to patients and families would aid in alleviating stressors associated with managing chronic kidney disease.

Stress, Burnout, and Resilience among Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Emergency: The Role of Defense Mechanisms

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18105258 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (10) ◽

pp. 5258

Author(s):

Mariagrazia Di Giuseppe ◽

Gianni Nepa ◽

Tracy A. Prout ◽

Fabrizio Albertini ◽

Stefano Marcelli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Workers ◽

Defense Mechanisms ◽

Online Survey ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Well Being ◽

Personal Accomplishment ◽

Traumatic Experience ◽

Psychological Resources ◽

Defensive Functioning ◽

The experience of working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 healthcare crisis has presented a cumulative traumatic experience that affects healthcare professionals’ well-being. Psychological resources such as resilience and adaptive defense mechanisms are essential in protecting individuals from severe stress and burnout. During September 2020, 233 healthcare workers responded to an online survey to test the impact of demographic variables, COVID-19 exposure, and psychological resources in determining stress and burnout during the COVID-19 emergency. Frontline workers reported higher scores for stress, emotional exhaustion, and depersonalization (p < 0.001) as compared to colleagues working in units not directly serving patients with COVID-19. Mature defensive functioning was associated with resilience and personal accomplishment (r = 0.320; p < 0.001), while neurotic and immature defenses were related to perceived stress and burnout. Stress and burnout were predicted by lower age, female gender, greater exposure to COVID-19, lower resilience, and immature defensive functioning among healthcare professionals (R2 = 463; p < 0.001). Working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic appears to provoke greater stress and burnout. On the other hand, resilience and adaptive defense mechanisms predicted better adjustment. Future reaction plans should promote effective programs offering support for healthcare workers who provide direct care to patients with COVID-19.