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 The Rapid Implementation of a Psychological Support Model for Frontline Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study and Process Evaluation

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophia Appelbom ◽  
Aleksandra Bujacz ◽  
Anna Finnes ◽  
Karsten Ahlbeck ◽  
Filip Bromberg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Process Evaluation ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Psychological Support ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Current Case ◽  
Group Sessions ◽  
Frontline Healthcare Workers ◽  
Support Model

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for psychological support initiatives directed toward frontline healthcare workers, which can be rapidly and sustainably implemented during an infectious disease outbreak. The current case study presents a comprehensive model of psychological support that was implemented at an intensive care unit (ICU) during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The psychological support model aimed at promoting a resilient stress reaction among frontline staff by protecting physical, social, and psychological resources. The initiatives, targeting different groups of workers, included education and training, peer support, psychologist-supervised and unsupervised group sessions, on-boarding for transferred staff, manager support, and individual sessions for workers experiencing strong stress reactions. The results of the process evaluation of this rapid implementation suggest that peer support initiatives as well as daily group sessions were the most appreciated forms of psychological support. Psychologists involved in organizing and providing the support highlighted several aspects of a successful implementation of the support model: offering support during work hours (preferably after shift), positive attitude of line managers that framed support initiatives as a team effort, and involvement of experienced psychologists able to quickly adjust the content of the support according to the current needs. The study also identified two main problems of the current implementation: the lack of efficient planning due to the use of volunteer work and the need for more structural resources on the organizational level to ensure long-term sustainability of the support model and its implementation among all groups of healthcare staff. The current case study highlights the importance of establishing permanent structural resources and routines for psychological support integrated in clinical practice by healthcare organizations to improve both rapid and sustainable response to future crises.

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 Sources of Resilience in Frontline Health Professionals during COVID-19

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1699
Author(s):  
Lydia Brown ◽  
Simon Haines ◽  
Hermioni L. Amonoo ◽  
Cathy Jones ◽  
Jeffrey Woods ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Phenomenological Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Support Teams ◽  
Personal Support ◽  
Relational Resilience ◽  
Personal Resilience ◽  
Frontline Healthcare Workers

Background: While the challenges for psychological well-being for Australian healthcare workers have been documented, there has been a dearth of qualitative research on the sources of resilience that sustained workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study identified sources of resilience that clinicians used to cope with frontline challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 frontline health professionals, across five Australian hospitals, between October 2020 and April 2021. The interviews were recorded and transcribed, and the results were analysed using thematic analysis based on a phenomenological approach. Results: Three sources of resilience were identified by respondents: personal, relational, and organisational. A positive mindset, sense of purpose, and self-care behaviours emerged as key sources of personal resilience. Teamwork, altruism, and social support from family and friends contributed to relational resilience. Leadership, effective communication, and effective implementation of COVID-19 policies were associated with resilience at the organisational level. Frontline healthcare workers also voiced the need for the implementation of further strategies to support personal resilience whilst nurturing resilience within clinical teams and across entire healthcare organisations. Conclusions: Trust in healthcare systems, organisation leaders, colleagues, and personal support teams was an overarching theme supporting resilience.

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 Addressing Mental Health Needs of Health Care Workers through Peer Support Groups During the COVID-19 Crisis

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanner Thornsberry ◽  
Jill Nault Connors ◽  
Julie Welch ◽  
Julie Hayden ◽  
Jennifer Hartwell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Psychological Resources ◽  
Psychological Burden ◽  
Mental Health Support ◽  
Health Support ◽  
Frontline Healthcare Workers ◽  
The Impact

Background:  The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a high psychological burden on frontline healthcare workers. Often quarantined away from their families and with little downtime to process their experiences, those on the frontlines of the pandemic are experiencing pronounced levels of distress and significantly elevated rates of burnout. Although many wellness and psychological resources are available to providers, there is low uptake and little is known about their effectiveness. In this study, we assess the impact of group-based peer support sessions on symptoms of acute distress, anxiety and depression, and provider burn out.    Methods:  An established peer support model is adapted for use with groups of frontline healthcare workers that will participate in 6 to 8 weekly group sessions using videoconferences. The study approach is a phased feasibility to research design. During the feasibility phase, we will initially test the intervention in 3 groups of 8 providers using a quasi-experimental, pre- post analysis of change. If preliminary results are positive, we will scale the intervention and progress to a more rigorous study design using a differences-in-differences approach to assess change over time between exposure and non-exposure groups. Outcomes will be measured at baseline, intervention completion, and 3- and 6- month follow ups. During the feasibility phase we will assess intervention fidelity and conduct qualitative analysis to assess the effects of the pandemic on work, family and social life.     Results:  This is a work in progress. At present we have recruited 28 emergency medicine physicians and residents with a target start date of August 1, 2020.    Potential Impact:  We anticipate the results of this study will provide evidence in support of a recent call for “the use of non-clinical mental health support, such as social or peer support” from the American College of Emergency Physicians in conjunction with 42 leading professional organizations in medicine. In addition, results may lead to advocacy for improved policies that mitigate against “fear of resultant loss of licensure, loss of income, or other career setbacks” for seeking mental health support. 

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.

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.

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