scholarly journals A Qualitative Assessment of Stress Among Frontline Health Workers During COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonali Sain ◽  
Shuvankar Mukherjee
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Physical Abuse ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Formal Training ◽  
Surveillance Activity ◽  
Frontline Health Workers ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Insight Into

Introduction: Being on the frontline, health care workers are most likely to get exposed to all kinds of stress in the ongoing Coronavirus-2019 pandemic. Both physical and mental stress could influence their well-being and also affect their work efficiency. There is a need of active intervention to restore and maintain the mental health of the frontline health workers. Thus, it is essential to gain an insight into their problems so that it would enable to identify appropriate solutions. Aim: To get an insight into the stress experienced by the COVID-19 community surveillance workers and to explore the perceptions of stress related trigger factors and coping strategies. Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was based on “Focus Group Discussion (FGD)” method and was associated with Nilratan Sircar Medical College & Hospital Kolkata. The participants were COVID-19 community surveillance workers who mainly comprised of “honorary health workers” and “100 days field workers (18-55 years)”, employed in 5 different urban health centers in the Kolkata corporation area during April to June 2020. A total of 55 participants were included in the study in five sessions. Researchers took notes during the session, which was also recorded verbatim. Discussions were mainly conducted over four key areas namely positive aspects of COVID-19 surveillance activities, stress related to surveillance activities, precipitating factors related to stress and coping strategies for these stressful periods. Data was summarised and analysed qualitatively. Results: Participants felt that “they provided service to the society and understood their importance in breaking the chain of transmission”. “This job gave them pride of being a part of health system along with income generation”. However, they also expressed about the stressful situation related to the surveillance activity like social ostracisation, verbal and even physical abuse. Inadequate supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was revealed. Most of the surveillance workers were informally trained thus they sought help for formal training for surveillance activity. Conclusion: Although the frontline health care workers felt proud to be involved in the surveillance work, almost all of them expressed apprehension against social stigmatisation, verbal and physical abuse. The need for formal training in surveillance work was evident.

scholarly journals A study to evaluate behavior of society with Covid-19 Frontline health workers

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-46
Author(s):  
Mayuri Golhar ◽  
Tarun Yadav ◽  
Harsimran Singh Walia ◽  
Sanjay Johar
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Physical Exertion ◽  
Major Health ◽  
Frontline Health Workers ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Response Score ◽  
Major Health Issue

Background: Health care workers caring for Covid-19 patients go through mental stress, physical exertion, stigma from society and the fear of losing patients’ and colleagues. Aims and Objective: To evaluate frontline health care workers perspective about the society’s behavior towards them. Materials and Methods: This questionnaire-based study included a total of 648 participants and included 20 questions about demography, Covid duty, health related issues and behavioral aspect of society during Covid duty. Behavioral related responses were scaled on the basis of response score. Results: Suggested that the overall population behavior was satisfactory but behavioral biases were existent. Major health issue of concern that surfaced during duties was stress. Conclusion: Behavioral prejudices are existent due to the stigma attached to this pandemic and hence needs to be addressed with great concern. Health related issues should be dealt promptly and psychological counseling should be made mandatory.

scholarly journals Anxiety and Depression among COVID Positive Frontline Health Care Workers in Nepal

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 83-92
Author(s):  
Sushila Baral ◽  
Pawan Pandeya ◽  
Kalyan Sapkota
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Positive Health ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Frontline Health Workers ◽  
Care Workers

Background: COVID-19, an emerging contagious disease had affected all over the world and become a global health threat. Lockdown and restriction had made the life of the health care workers troublesome and psychosocial problems are exaggerated. Moreover, health care workers are the frontline workers to deal with the COVID-19 patients; they are at high risk. Due to social stigma and hectic schedule of work had made their life more stressful. The study aimed to assess anxiety and depression and its associated factors among COVID-19 positive frontline health care workers during COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 323 COVID-19 positive health care workers working in different provinces of Nepal. The Google form was made by adopting GAD-7 for anxiety and PHQ-9 for depression and made available to study population through various social media. Results: The prevalence of anxiety and depression among the COVID-19 positive frontline health care worker was 39% and 35.5% respectively. The study showed significant association between staying with friend during pandemic (p 0.015), daily meditation (p 0.020), duty in isolation ward (p 0.027), unaware of incentives provision (p 0.034), stigma (p <0.001) with anxiety and education status (p 0.023), fear of dying from COVID-19 (p 0.045) and stigma (p 0.05) with depression in multiple logistic regression analysis. Conclusions: In the pandemic, COVID-19 positive frontline health workers had developed anxiety and depression symptoms. Training and sufficient preventive practice need to be implemented to control consequences of COVID 19 pandemic. Key words: Anxiety; Coronavirus; Depression; Frontline health workers, Nepal

Occupational stresses and coping mechanisms of therapy radiographers – a qualitative approach

2004 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. C. French
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Coping Mechanisms ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Insight Into

It is believed that health care workers are particularly susceptible to developing stress-related illness because of the nature of their work. The purpose of this research was to identify occupational stresses that may or may not be unique to therapy radiographers, identify the coping mechanisms that are used to combat work-related stress and gain insight into the lived experiences of this group of therapy radiographers. A phenomenological (qualitative) approach was used to identify the radiographers' perception of occupational stresses and coping mechanisms. Data collection was through in-depth interviews that were transcribed and analysed using Colaizzi methodology. The results identified stresses within the following categories: personal performance, patient contact, working environment, communication, management, professional behaviour and departmental working. These results support the stresses identified through other research studies on health care workers. Coping mechanisms identified include Social Support, Confrontive Coping, Escape-Avoidance, Self-Controlling, Distancing and Positive Reappraisal. The most frequently used coping mechanisms were social support, confrontive coping and escape-avoidance. This research has also identified a new stress; the stress associated with the ‘potential to make errors’ i.e. the acute awareness of the damaging effects of high energy X-rays if a mistake is made.This research has attempted to provide insight into the working world of the therapy radiographer and to discover the meaning and information specific to their ‘lived experience’. It is hoped that this research provides the reader with a deeper understanding of the nature and meaning of the experience.

scholarly journals Psychological impact of COVID-19 pandemic on frontline health care workers in Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study

BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S232-S233
Author(s):  
Suman Ahmed ◽  
Mohammad Shamsul Ahsan ◽  
Rubaiya Khan ◽  
Mahbubul Hasan ◽  
Fahmida Ferdous ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
P Value ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Frontline Health Workers ◽  
Care Workers

AimsFrontline health care workers exposed to COVID-19 patients could be at increased risk of developing psychological issues. The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of mental health-related problems, specifically depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and insomnia among health care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh and to compare these between medical and allied health care professionals.MethodThis cross-sectional survey was conducted using Google Form then subsequent telephone interview between June and August 2020. Using random sampling, a total of 479 health care professionals participated in the study. We collected data on demographics. Anxiety and depression were measured using 4 items Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4), PTSD was measured using 4 items Primary Care (PC)-PTSD-Screen, and insomnia was measured by using a 7-item Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess risk factors associated with mental health symptoms.ResultOverall, 17.6% of frontline health workers had symptoms of anxiety, 15.5% had depression symptoms, 7.6% had PTSD symptoms and 5.9% had symptoms of insomnia. Compared to allied health professionals (n = 113, 24%), doctors (n = 366, 76%) had significantly higher prevalence of anxiety: 21.1% vs 06%, (OR = 4.19; 95% CI = 1.88–9.35; p-value <0.001); depression: 18% vs 6.8%, (OR = 2.99; 95% CI = 1.40–6.42; p-value 0.005); PTSD: 9.4% vs 1.7%, (OR = 5.96; 95% CI = 1.41–25.11; p-value 0.015) and insomnia: 7.4% vs 0.9%, (OR = 9.22; 95% CI = 1.24–68.4; p-value 0.03). Logistic regression analysis showed that pre-existing medical illness has significantly more risks of developing symptoms of anxiety (adjusted OR = 2.85; 95% CI = 1.71–4.76; p-value <0.001) and depression (OR = 2.29; 95% CI = 1.39–3.77; p-value 0.001). Having a postgraduate degree (adjusted OR = 6.13; 95% CI = 1.28–29.28; p-value 0.023) and working in secondary care setting (adjusted OR = 3.08; 95% CI = 1.18–8.02; p value 0.021) have significant predictors of developing anxiety symptoms among health workers. Those who had worked more than 6 weeks in COVID-19 dedicated hospitals had risk of developing symptoms of PSTD (OR = 2.83; 95% CI = 1.35–5.93; p value 0.006) and insomnia (OR = 2.63; 95% CI = 1.15–6.02; p value 0.022).ConclusionOur study demonstrated a high prevalence of symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and insomnia among Bangladeshi frontline health workers (particularly among doctors) during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is an urgent need to address the mental health needs of frontline health workers.Funding: Medical Research Council, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh.

scholarly journals NSI: A major occupational hazards among the health care workers in Nepal

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaita Mondal
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Body Fluid ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Needle Stick Injury ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
B Virus

A percutaneous piercing wound as in needle stick injury is a typically set by a needle point, but possibly also by other sharp instruments or objects. These events are of concern because of the risk to transmit blood-borne diseases through the passage of the hepatitis B virus (HBV), the hepatitis C virus (HCV), and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the virus which causes AIDS. The present study was done to determine the risk status regarding NSI among health care workers of Private Hospitals, Pokhara, Nepal. Samples were selected through purposive sampling. Self administered questionnaire & risk assessment tool were used to collect data. Study revealed that majority of health care workers were females (93%) with mean age of 22.66 years (±3.1). Sixty eight percent had got NSI, among them 41% had NSI more than 2times in life. Maximum NSI cases happened either by recapping of the needle (18%) or during disposal of sharps (16%) or while transferring a body fluid (blood) to a specimen bottle (15%). The study concludes that majority of health workers had NSI more than two times which denotes NSI is a major occupational hazard. Cases happened either by recapping of the needle or during disposal of sharps or while transferring a body fluid to a specimen bottle. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijosh.v3i1.9098   International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health, Vol 3 No 1 (2013) 22-25

scholarly journals Measuring the Quality of Rural-Based, Government Health Care Workers in Nepal

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Knoble ◽  
Anil Pandit ◽  
Bibek Koirala ◽  
Laxmi Ghimire
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Clinical Training ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Clinical Skills ◽  
Clinical Teacher ◽  
Government Health ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Key Skills ◽  
Significant Difference

A representative, cross-sectional clinical skills assessment of 163 mid-level, rural-based, government health care workers was conducted in four districts of Nepal in June 2007. All Health Assistants and Auxiliary Healthcare Workers within the target districts were scored using checklists of standardized key skills in clinical encounters with model patients or clinical models. Participant scores were reported as a mean percentage in adult medicine 28(%), pediatric medicine 56(%), maternity medicine 35(%), orthopedic medicine 45(%), clinical procedures 59(%), and management 46(%). This was measured against the government’s 60(%) standard on clinical skills. There was little significant difference between categories of health workers by district of posting or years of experience. There was a minor difference in skills by level of facility - workers in higher level facilities scored better across the domains. Reasons for poor performance in clinical skills were attributed to a lack of clinical in-service training programs, training only focusing on prevention and public health, and poor on-sight supervision. Poor pre-service schooling factors included heavy theory concentration in pathophysiology and inadequate clinical exposure opportunities. Recommendations for the improvement of clinical skills and decision-making include the institution of in-service competency-based training with a high emphasis on real patient exposure. Pre-service recommendations include implementation of a national certification program and an expansion of the current government clinical training sites and clinical teacher development programs.

scholarly journals Closing delivery gaps in the treatment of tuberculosis infection: Lessons from implementation research in Peru

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. e0247411
Author(s):  
Courtney M. Yuen ◽  
Ana Karina Millones ◽  
Daniela Puma ◽  
Judith Jimenez ◽  
Jerome T. Galea ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Implementation Research ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Preventive Treatment ◽  
Interferon Gamma Release Assay ◽  
Household Contacts ◽  
Care Cascade ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Treatment Support

Background Targeted testing and treatment of TB infection to prevent disease is a pillar of TB elimination. Despite recent global commitments to greatly expand access to preventive treatment for TB infection, there remains a lack of research on how best to expand preventive treatment programs in settings with high TB burdens. Methods We conducted implementation research in Lima, Peru, around a multifaceted intervention to deliver TB preventive treatment to close contacts of all ages, health care workers, and people in congregate settings. Key interventions included use of the interferon gamma release assay (IGRA), specialist support for generalist physicians at primary-level health facilities, and treatment support by community health workers. We applied a convergent mixed methods approach to evaluate feasibility and acceptability based on a care cascade framework. Findings During April 2019-January 2020, we enrolled 1,002 household contacts, 148 non-household contacts, 107 residents and staff of congregate settings, and 357 health care workers. Cumulative completion of the TB preventive care cascade was 34% for contacts <5 years old, 28% for contacts 5–19 years old, 18% for contacts ≥20 years old, 0% for people in congregate settings, and 4% of health care workers. IGRA testing was acceptable to adults exposed to TB. Preventive treatment was acceptable to contacts, but less acceptable to physicians, who frequently had doubts about prescribing preventive treatment for adults. Community-based treatment support was both acceptable and feasible, and periodic home-visits or calls were identified as facilitators of adherence. Conclusions We attempted to close the gap in TB preventive treatment in Peru by expanding preventive services to adult contacts and other risk groups. While suboptimal, care cascade completion for adult contacts was consistent with what has been observed in high-income settings. The major losses in the care cascade occurred in completing evaluations and having doctors prescribe preventive treatment.

scholarly journals Stressors and Coping Strategies During the Outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Among Hospital Staff: A Case Study in Iran

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 148-163
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Mohammadzadeh ◽  
◽  
Ali Delshad Noghabi ◽  
Javad Bazeli ◽  
Hamidreza Karimi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Stress Intensity ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Coping Styles ◽  
Hospital Staff ◽  
Maladaptive Coping ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
High Level ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Sports Activities

Aims: The emergence of COVID-19 disease has created significant stress and anxiety for health care workers. This study aimed to investigate the stressors and coping strategies in the staff of Allameh Bohlool Hospital in Gonabad City, Iran, during the outbreak of the COVID-19 disease. Methods & Materials: This cross-sectional study was performed on 252 employees of Allameh Bohlool Hospital in Gonabad from March 2020 to April 2020. Study tools included a brief form of coping styles (Brief-COPE) and a researcher-made questionnaire of stressors due to the emergence of COVID-19 among health care workers. The obtained data were analyzed using linear regression and ordinal regression models at the significance level of 0.05. Findings: About 74.2%, 69.4%, 52.7%, 52.7%, and 99.2% of the hospital staff had moderate to high stress in the domains of internal, family-social, workplace-related, infection control, and government measures, respectively. The degree of using adaptive and maladaptive coping styles used by staff were 52.0% and 23.8% at the moderate to the high level, respectively. Maladaptive coping styles had a positive and significant relationship with stress intensity so that for each unit increase in maladaptive coping score, the odds of experiencing higher levels of stress increased 1.24 to 1.45 times (P<0.001). Also, the odds of experiencing higher levels of stress in those who had sports activities was 24% to 76% lower (P=0.003). Conclusion: The findings of the present study indicated a high level of stress among hospital staff. Also, the use of maladaptive coping styles and sports activities had a significant positive and negative relationship with stress intensity, respectively. Therefore, designing effective interventions focusing on reducing maladaptive coping patterns among hospital staff and encouraging people to engage in sports activities can help manage stress as much as possible due to the outbreak of COVID-19 disease.

scholarly journals Causes of Staff Abuse in Health Care Facilities

AAOHN Journal ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 46 (10) ◽  
pp. 484-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annalee Yassi ◽  
Robert Tate ◽  
Juliette Cooper ◽  
Joan Jenkins ◽  
June Trottier
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Inner City ◽  
Physical Abuse ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Verbal Abuse ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
City Hospital ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Abuse In Health Care

Verbal and physical abuse of health care workers (HCWs) is prevalent and costly. A 3 month prospective study was conducted to characterize precipitating conditions and the perpetrators of abusive incidents reported by HCWs at a large inner city hospital. Sixty-six HCWs reporting 102 incidents were interviewed by a research nurse within 48 hours of the incident. Abusive incidents resulted from 55 different patients and 11 visitors. Verbal abuse accounted for 42 incidents (41%) and 60 (59%) involved physical abuse. Two thirds of the abuse occurred on psychiatric wards, 20% on inpatient wards, and 13% in other settings. Overall, twice as many abusive incidents were inflicted by males as females. Cognitive impairment accounted for 19% of the incidents and one abuser was intoxicated at the time. Rule enforcement precipitated abuse in 70% of incidents. Researchers concluded that reviewing rules that apply to patients, how HCWs are trained to enforce rules, how to respond when service requested cannot be provided promptly, and how HCWs can protect themselves when performing a service were important elements in the prevention of staff abuse.

Prevalence and causes of unreported needle stick injuries among health care workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Razieh Behzadmehr ◽  
Abbas Balouchi ◽  
Mehran Hesaraki ◽  
Farshid Alazmani Noodeh ◽  
Hosein Rafiemanesh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Random Effect ◽  
Random Effect Model ◽  
Needle Stick ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Needle Stick Injuries

Abstract Objectives Health care workers (HCWs) are exposed to needle needles daily. Despite individual studies, there is no statistics on the prevalence of unreported needle stick injuries (NSIs) have been reported. This study was performed to determine the prevalence and causes of unreported NSIs among HCWs. Content In present systematic review and meta-analysis study, three international databases (Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed) were searched from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2018. The random model was used to determine the prevalence of unreported needle stick among HCWs. Summary and outlook Forty-one studies performed on 19,635 health care workers entered the final stage. Based-on random effect model, pooled prevalence of unreported needle stick injuries was 59.9% (95% CI: 52.0, 67.7; I2=98.9%). The most common cause of unreported NSIs was: They were not worried about NSIs (n=12). The high prevalence of unreported needle sticks injuries indicates the urgency and necessity of paying attention to strategies to improve reporting among health workers.

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