The Mental Well-Being of Health Care Workers during the Peak of the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Nationwide Study in Poland

Introduction: The current epidemiological situation has quickly led to several changes in the daily functioning of people around the world, especially among medical personnel, who in this difficult period were burdened with new professional duties, which significantly affects their mental health. Materials: This study aims to assess the mental health of health professionals at a critical point in their workload, to compare the results with those the general population, and to explore the potential determinants affecting it. The CAWI survey includes a sociodemographic section, work experience and a standardised psychometric tool (GHQ-28). Data were collected during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland (3–29 November 2020), which had the highest mortality rates and SARS-CoV-2 morbidity rates, as well as during the period of a significant increase in deaths, compared to the corresponding pre-pandemic period. Results: A total of 2150 surveys were eligible for analysis. Among them, 848 (39.4%) were active health professionals. In the analysis of the scores of the GHQ-28 scale and its sub-scales, evaluating anxiety/insomnia and somatic symptoms, medical workers scored significantly higher scores than non-medical professions (p < 0.001). Frontline medical workers (p < 0.001) and those who were forcibly seconded to work with COVID-19-infected patients (p = 0.011) achieved significantly higher GHQ-28 scores. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on mental deterioration among health professionals, especially among those directly working with SARS-CoV-2-infected patients and those who were forcibly seconded to work with such patients. To mitigate the effects of the pandemic, appropriate psychological care for medical personnel needs to be implemented.

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COVID-19 is having a destructive impact on health-care workers’ mental well-being

International Journal for Quality in Health Care ◽

10.1093/intqhc/mzaa158 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Kris Vanhaecht ◽

Deborah Seys ◽

Luk Bruyneel ◽

Bianca Cox ◽

Gorik Kaesemans ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Residential Care ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Well Being ◽

Mental Health Symptoms ◽

Health Symptoms ◽

Care Workers ◽

Sources Of Support ◽

Mental Well Being

Abstract Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may aggravate workplace conditions that impact health-care workers’ mental health. However, it can also place other stresses on workers outside of their work. This study determines the effect of COVID-19 on symptoms of negative and positive mental health and the workforce’s experience with various sources of support. Effect modification by demographic variables was also studied. Methods A cross-sectional survey study, conducted between 2 April and 4 May 2020 (two waves), led to a convenience sample of 4509 health-care workers in Flanders (Belgium), including paramedics (40.6%), nurses (33.4%), doctors (13.4%) and management staff (12.2%). About three in four were employed in university and acute hospitals (29.6%), primary care practices (25.7%), residential care centers (21.3%) or care sites for disabled and mental health care. In each of the two waves, participants were asked how frequently (on a scale of 0–10) they experienced positive and negative mental health symptoms during normal circumstances and during last week, referred to as before and during COVID-19, respectively. These symptoms were stress, hypervigilance, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, unable to relax, fear, irregular lifestyle, flashback, difficulty concentrating, feeling unhappy and dejected, failing to recognize their own emotional response, doubting knowledge and skills and feeling uncomfortable within the team. Associations between COVID-19 and mental health symptoms were estimated by cumulative logit models and reported as odds ratios. The needed support was our secondary outcome and was reported as the degree to which health-care workers relied on sources of support and how they experienced them. Results All symptoms were significantly more pronounced during versus before COVID-19. For hypervigilance, there was a 12-fold odds (odds ratio 12.24, 95% confidence interval 11.11–13.49) during versus before COVID-19. Positive professional symptoms such as the feeling that one can make a difference were less frequently experienced. The association between COVID-19 and mental health was generally strongest for the age group 30–49 years, females, nurses and residential care centers. Health-care workers reported to rely on support from relatives and peers. A considerable proportion, respectively, 18 and 27%, reported the need for professional guidance from psychologists and more support from their leadership. Conclusions The toll of the crisis has been heavy on health-care workers. Those who carry leadership positions at an organizational or system level should take this opportunity to develop targeted strategies to mitigate key stressors of health-care workers’ mental well-being.

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Telephone Emergency Service 142 (TelefonSeelsorge) during the COVID-19 Pandemic–Cross-Sectional Survey among Counselors in Austria

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18052228 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (5) ◽

pp. 2228

Author(s):

Elke Humer ◽

Christoph Pieh ◽

Thomas Probst ◽

Ida-Maria Kisler ◽

Wolfgang Schimböck ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Stress Level ◽

Crisis Intervention ◽

Reference Group ◽

Well Being ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

The Impact ◽

Mental Well Being ◽

Second Wave

Telephone emergency services play an important role in providing low-threshold, anonymous crisis intervention free of cost. The current study aims to examine the mental well-being and perceived stress level of counselors as well as the main topics of helpline callers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Austria. In the current study, 374 counselors were recruited within the Austrian nationwide organization TelefonSeelsorge during the second wave of COVID-19 infection in Austria. The mental well-being (WHO-5) and perceived stress-level (PSS-10) were assessed and counselors were asked about the frequency of different topics thematized by callers and changes compared to pre-pandemic times. Compared to a reference group of the Austrian general population, counselors experienced less stress (13.22 vs. 16.42) and higher mental well-being (66.26 vs. 57.36; p < 0.001). The most frequent topics during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Austria were loneliness and mental health. More calls were registered in 2020 compared to 2019 and especially the topics loneliness, mental health, professional activities and relationships were reported to be thematized more often during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the time before (p < 0.001). The results contribute to an understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on telephone crisis intervention.

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Yoga for children in the new normal – experience sharing

Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine ◽

10.1515/jcim-2020-0404 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Maheshkumar Kuppusamy ◽

Veni Ramaswamy ◽

Poonguzhali Shanmugam ◽

Padmavathi Ramaswamy

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Health ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Depressive Disorders ◽

Preventive Measures ◽

Scientific Evidence ◽

Well Being ◽

Combat Stress ◽

Scientific Methods ◽

Mental Well Being

Abstract Objectives Covid-19 Pandemic has affected everyone’s mental health. In addition to several preventive measures such as wearing a mask, using sanitizer, measures also need to be taken to prevent anxiety and depressive disorders due to this unexpected crisis situation. Practicing yoga is one of the simple, scientific methods to combat stress and prevent anxiety among children. Methods The scientific evidence and anecdotal experiences on benefits of yoga is described in this paper, highlighting the importance of yoga in nurturing the mental well-being in children. Results Scientifically designed and conducted studies as part of the research programs by health professionals objectively conclude that mental health parameters improve significantly with yoga as an intervention. In addition to mental health, yoga will also improve the physical health and boost immunity among children which will also help in reducing the infection rate in children. Conclusions As a way forward, authors strongly recommend establishing yoga as a curriculum at scale to cover the vast vulnerable population of young children who are the future of the nation.

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Experiences of mental health professionals supporting front-line health and social care workers during COVID-19: qualitative study

BJPsych Open ◽

10.1192/bjo.2021.29 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Jo Billings ◽

Camilla Biggs ◽

Brian Chi Fung Ching ◽

Vasiliki Gkofa ◽

David Singleton ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Professional Growth ◽

Social Care ◽

Clinical Pathways ◽

Well Being ◽

Front Line ◽

Care Workers ◽

Health And Social Care

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is having a well-documented impact on the mental health of front-line health and social care workers (HSCWs). However, little attention has been paid to the experiences of, and impact on, the mental health professionals who were rapidly tasked with supporting them. Aims We set out to redress this gap by qualitatively exploring UK mental health professionals’ experiences, views and needs while working to support the well-being of front-line HSCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method Mental health professionals working in roles supporting front-line HSCWs were recruited purposively and interviewed remotely. Transcripts of the interviews were analysed by the research team following the principles of reflexive thematic analysis. Results We completed interviews with 28 mental health professionals from varied professional backgrounds, career stages and settings across the UK. Mental health professionals were motivated and driven to develop new clinical pathways to support HSCWs they perceived as colleagues and many experienced professional growth. However, this also came at some costs, as they took on additional responsibilities and increased workloads, were anxious and uncertain about how best to support this workforce and tended to neglect their own health and well-being. Many were professionally isolated and were affected vicariously by the traumas and moral injuries that healthcare workers talked about in sessions. Conclusions This research highlights the urgent need to consider the mental well-being, training and support of mental health professionals who are supporting front-line workers.

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Furloughs, Teleworking and Other Work Situations during the COVID-19 Lockdown: Impact on Mental Well-Being

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18062898 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (6) ◽

pp. 2898

Author(s):

Israel Escudero-Castillo ◽

Fco. Javier Mato-Díaz ◽

Ana Rodriguez-Alvarez

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Ad Hoc ◽

Well Being ◽

The Self ◽

Exogenous Shock ◽

Work Location ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Market Status ◽

Mental Well Being ◽

Labour Market Status

As a consequence of the Spring 2020 lockdown that occurred in Spain due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many people lost their jobs or had to be furloughed. The objective of this study is to analyse the influence of the latter changes in labour market status on psychological well-being. For this purpose, an ad-hoc questionnaire featuring socio-demographic and mental health criteria was created. Granted that the pandemic can be viewed as an exogenous shock, the bias caused by the bidirectional problems between the work situation and mental well-being can be tackled. Results indicate that the lockdown exerted a greater negative effect on the self-perceived well-being of unemployed and furloughed persons than on those in employment. Moreover, among those in continuous employment, teleworkers experienced a lesser degree of self-perceived well-being post lockdown as compared to those people remaining in the same work location throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Finally, the lockdown provoked worse effects on the self-perceived well-being of women as compared to men, a result that appears to be related to gender differences in household production. In conclusion, these results could be especially relevant given that the evolution of the pandemic is having ongoing effects on employment and, therefore, on the mental health of workers.

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Efficacy of ‘Foundations’, a Digital Mental Health App to Improve Mental Well-Being, during COVID-19: A Proof-of-Principle Randomised Controlled Trial (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.30976 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Silvina Catuara-Solarz ◽

Bartlomiej Skorulski ◽

Inaki Estella ◽

Claudia Avella-Garcia ◽

Sarah Shepherd ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Report ◽

World Health ◽

Randomised Control Trial ◽

Control Group ◽

Mental Well Being ◽

Proof Of Principle

BACKGROUND Against a long-term trend of increasing demand, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a global rise in common mental disorders. Now more than ever, there is an urgent need for scalable, evidence-based interventions to support mental well-being. OBJECTIVE The aim of this proof-of-principle study was to evaluate the efficacy of a mobile-based app in adults with self-reported symptoms of anxiety and stress in a randomised control trial that took place during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. METHODS Adults with mild to severe anxiety and moderate to high levels of perceived stress were randomised to either the intervention or control arm. Participants in the intervention arm were given access to the app, Foundations, for the duration of the 4-week study. All participants were required to self-report a range of validated measures of mental well-being (10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience scale [CD-RISC-10]; 7-item Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale [GAD-7]; Office of National Statistics Four Subjective Well-being Questions [ONS-4]; World Health Organisation-5 Well-Being Index [WHO-5]) and sleep (Minimal Insomnia Scale [MISS]) at baseline and weeks 2 and 4; and, in addition, on perceived stress weekly (10-item Perceived Stress Score [PSS]). RESULTS 136 participants completed the study and were included in the final analysis. The intervention group (n=62) showed significant improvements compared to the control group (n=74) on measures of anxiety (GAD-7 score, delta from baseline to week 2 in the intervention group: -1.35 [SD 4.43]; control group: -0.23 [SD 3.24]; t134= 1.71 , P=.04), resilience (CD-RISC score, delta from baseline to week 2 in the intervention group: 1.79 [± SD 4.08]; control group: -0.31 [± SD 3.16]; t134 -3.37, P<.001), sleep (MISS score, delta from baseline to week 2 in the intervention group: -1.16 [± SD 2.67]; control group: -0.26 [± SD 2.29]; t134= 2.13, P=.01), and mental well-being (WHO-5 score, delta from baseline to week 2 in the intervention group: 1.53 [5.30]; control group: -0.23 [± SD 4.20]; t134= -2.16, P=.02) within 2 weeks of using Foundations, with further improvements emerging at week 4. Perceived stress was also reduced within the intervention group, although the results did not reach statistical significance relative to the control group (PSS score, delta from baseline to week 2 in the intervention group: -2.94 [± SD 6.84]; control group: -2.05 [± SD 5.34]; t134= 0.84, P=.20). CONCLUSIONS This study provides proof-of-principle that the digital mental health app, Foundations, can improve measures of mental well-being, anxiety, resilience, and sleep within 2 weeks of use, with greater effects after 4 weeks. It therefore offers potential as a scalable, cost-effective, and accessible solution to enhance mental well-being, even during times of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Identifying key targets for interventions to improve psychological wellbeing: replicable results from four UK cohorts

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291718003288 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 49 (14) ◽

pp. 2389-2396 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

J. Stochl ◽

E. Soneson ◽

A.P. Wagner ◽

G.M. Khandaker ◽

I. Goodyer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Public Mental Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Psychological Wellbeing ◽

Self Perception ◽

Health And Wellbeing ◽

Self Confidence ◽

Mental Health Interventions ◽

Mental Well Being ◽

Signal Improvement

AbstractBackgroundAn increasing importance is being placed on mental health and wellbeing at individual and population levels. While there are several interventions that have been proposed to improve wellbeing, more evidence is needed to understand which aspects of wellbeing are most influential. This study aimed to identify key items that signal improvement of mental health and wellbeing.MethodsUsing network analysis, we identified the most central items in the graph network estimated from the well-established Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS). Results were compared across four major UK cohorts comprising a total of 47,578 individuals: the Neuroscience in Psychiatry Network, the Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey, the Northern Ireland Health Survey, and the National Child Development Study.ResultsRegardless of gender, the three items most central in the network were related to positive self-perception and mood: ‘I have been feeling good about myself’; ‘I have been feeling confident’; and ‘I have been feeling cheerful’. Results were consistent across all four cohorts.ConclusionsPositive self-perception and positive mood are central to psychological wellbeing. Psychotherapeutic and public mental health interventions might best promote psychological wellbeing by prioritising the improvement of self-esteem, self-confidence and cheerfulness. However, empirical testing of interventions using these key targets is needed.

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Microdosing Psychedelics: Personality, mental health, and creativity differences in microdosers

10.31234/osf.io/gk4jd ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Thomas Anderson ◽

Rotem Petranker ◽

Daniel Rosenbaum ◽

Cory Weissman ◽

Le-Anh Dinh-Williams ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Dysfunctional Attitudes ◽

Online Forums ◽

New Paradigm ◽

Full Dose ◽

Regular Consumption ◽

Exciting Potential ◽

Clinical Benefits ◽

Mental Well Being

Microdosing psychedelics - the regular consumption of small amounts of psychedelic substances such as LSD or psilocybin - is a growing trend in popular culture. Recent studies on full-dose psychedelic psychotherapy reveal promising benefits for mental well-being, especially for depression and end-of-life anxiety. While full-dose therapies include perception-distorting properties, microdosing may provide complementary clinical benefits using lower-risk, non-hallucinogenic doses. No experimental study has evaluated psychedelic microdosing, however; this pre-registered study is the first to investigate microdosing psychedelics and mental health. Recruited from online forums, current and former microdosers scored lower on measures of dysfunctional attitudes and negative emotionality and higher on wisdom, open-mindedness, and creativity when compared to non-microdosing controls. These findings provide promising initial evidence that warrants controlled experimental research to directly test safety and clinical efficacy. As microdoses are easier to administer than full-doses, this new paradigm has the exciting potential to shape future psychedelic research.

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Self-Reported Well-Being Indicators and Case Identification of Common Mental Health Disorders in Routinely Collected Health Data

International Journal for Population Data Science ◽

10.23889/ijpds.v5i5.1618 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (5) ◽

Author(s):

Daniel Thompson ◽

Ann John ◽

Richard Fry ◽

Alan Watkins

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Satisfaction With Life ◽

Well Being ◽

Mental Health Disorders ◽

Resource Utilisation ◽

Individual Response ◽

Individual Level ◽

Case Identification ◽

Health Disorders ◽

Mental Well Being

IntroductionCommon mental health disorders (CMD) are significant contributors to impaired health and well-being, and drive greater health resource utilisation. Electronic health records (EHR) are increasingly used for case identification of CMD when ascertaining social determinants of mental health. We seek to compare self-reported well-being indicators in groups identified using EHR-based CMD methods. Objectives and ApproachThe National Survey for Wales (NSW) contains self-reported well-being indicators (Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, WEMWBS) recorded annually on ~7,000 individuals. We combined data from two NSWs and linked well-being indicators with Welsh Longitudinal General Practice (WLGP) data within the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage (SAIL) Databank, using individual response dates. We then used WGLP data to algorithmically derive identifiers of CMD cases within survey respondents. This individual-level linkage enables a comparison of NSW responses in CMD and non-CMD cases, and to assess sensitivity and specificity of the current CMD algorithm. ResultsSurvey participants comprised 18,450 adults aged 16+ and living in Wales during 16/17 or 18/19. WEMWBS responses indicate 2,338 (12.6%) participants could be considered possibly depressed, and 2,268 (12.3%) probably depressed with low mental well-being (LMW). For participants with LMW, a 42/58 percentage split is observed between male/female respondents, compared to a 45/55 respective split of those not identified with LMW. Participants with LMW recorded low measures for overall satisfaction with life, 998 (44%) reported a value of 5 or less (/10) compared to 1123 (7%) participants not identified with LMW. Similarly, 828 (37%) participants identified with LMW reported 5 or less (/10) on the life worthwhile index, compared to 800 (5%) of non-LMW participants. Conclusion / ImplicationsLinkage to the NSW provides a rich data source to compare objective well-being to algorithmically derived CMD cases from routinely collected primary care data. The individual-level linkage involved will allow for the wider determinants of mental health disorders to be examined.

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Health Care Workers’ Mental Health During the First Weeks of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Switzerland – A Cross-Sectional Study

10.1101/2020.05.04.20088625 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Sonja Weilenmann ◽

Jutta Ernst ◽

Heidi Petry ◽

Monique C. Pfaltz ◽

Onur Sazpinar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Network Analysis ◽

Health Care Workers ◽

Well Being ◽

Perceived Support ◽

Independent Effect ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Care Workers ◽

Anxiety Depression

AbstractBackgroundThe current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic poses various challenges for health care workers (HCWs), which may impair their mental health. First evidence from China suggests that HCWs are at risk for anxiety and depression. However, generalizability to western countries is limited. The current study aimed at exploring HCWs’ mental health during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Switzerland. In addition, we conducted a network analysis to investigate the independent effect of risk and protective factors on HCWs’ mental health and their interplay.MethodsIn an exploratory, cross-sectional, nation-wide online survey, we assessed demographics, work characteristics, COVID-19 exposure, and anxiety, depression, and burnout in 857 physicians and 553 nurses during the pandemic in Switzerland. At the time of data collection, Switzerland had among the highest per capita rate of COVID-19 cases in the world.ResultsOverall symptom levels of anxiety, depression, and burnout were elevated. Women, nurses, frontline staff and HCWs exposed to COVID-19 patients reported more symptoms than their peers. However, these effects were all small and, in the network analysis, most of them did not remain significant after controlling for the other factors. Whereas COVID-19 exposure was only partially associated with mental health, perceived support by the employer independently predicted anxiety and burnout.ConclusionsOur finding that HCWs had elevated levels of anxiety, depression, and burnout underscores the importance to systematically monitor HCWs’ mental health during this ongoing pandemic. Because perceived support and mental health impairments were negatively related, we encourage the implementation of supportive measures for HCWs’ well-being during this crisis.

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