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Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Workers

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Mental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 26734

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Esperanza L. Gómez-Durán

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Guest Editor

Department of Medicine, International University of Catalonia, 08195 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: forensic psychiatry; clinical psychiatry; legal medicine; occupational medicine

Dr. María Dolores Braquehais

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Guest Editor

Integral Care programs for Sick Healthcare Professionals, Clínica Galatea, Fundació Galatea, Collegi Oficial de Metges de Barcelona, 08017 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: clinical psychiatry; occupational medicine; addictions

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health will be devoted to the Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Workers.

Since December 2019, the world has been facing the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), described as the worst public health crisis in a generation. It has caused an unprecedented situation for citizens, policymakers, politicians and healthcare professionals. More specifically, healthcare professionals dealing with COVID-19 have been under increased psychological pressure and are likely to experience high rates of psychiatric morbidity.

In light of these unprecedented pandemic circumstances, it is highly important to acknowledge the psychological impact of this experience on healthcare professionals (acute and longer term) and to increase scientific knowledge about this topic.

We aim to publish a series of high-quality articles on mental health issues related to the pandemic experience on healthcare workers. We encourage you to submit original and empirical studies as well as reviews.

Dr. Esperanza L. Gómez-Durán
Dr. María Dolores Braquehais
Guest Editors

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Keywords

COVID-19
healthcare workers
mental health
mental disorders
occupational health

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 596 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Immersive Therapy for Improving Anxiety in Health Professionals of a Regional Hospital during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Quasi-Experimental Pilot Study

by Marta Linares-Chamorro, Neus Domènech-Oller, Javier Jerez-Roig and Joel Piqué-Buisan

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(16), 9793; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19169793 - 9 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3494

Abstract

Background: Immersive therapy through virtual reality represents a novel strategy used in psychological interventions, but there is still a need to strengthen the evidence on its effects on health professionals’ mental health. Objective: To analyze the results of immersive therapy through virtual reality on the levels of anxiety and well-being of the health professionals working in a regional hospital in Olot (Spain). Methods: Pilot quasi-experimental study including a group of 35 female (mean age = 45.7, SD = 8.43) health professionals who undertook immersive therapy for 8 weeks. The intervention was implemented through virtual reality, and its effect on anxiety levels and well-being was evaluated through the Hamilton and Eudemon scales, respectively. Data on age, gender, active pharmacological or psychological treatment, mental health disorders and number of sessions were also collected. Results: A statistically significant (p < 0.001) improvement in anxiety and well-being was found, with large and moderate effect sizes (0.90 and 0.63 respectively). In addition, these changes were clinically significant. No significant associations were found between the improvements and the different variables, but a greater trend was identified among the group of professionals with untreated or unidentified levels of anxiety. Conclusion: This group of health professionals showed a statistically and clinically significant improvement in anxiety and well-being after the application of immersive therapy using virtual reality. Further studies with a control group are necessary to further analyze this novel intervention. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Workers)

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12 pages, 375 KiB

Open AccessArticle

COVID-19 Pandemic Psychological Impact and Volunteering Experience Perceptions of Medical Students after 2 Years

by Esperanza L. Gómez-Durán, Carles Martin Fumadó, Aina M. Gassó, Sandra Díaz, Andrea Miranda-Mendizabal, Carlos G. Forero and Montserrat Virumbrales

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(12), 7532; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127532 - 20 Jun 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2414

Abstract

Undergraduate healthcare students were mobilized to support healthcare systems during the COVID-19 pandemic, but we have scarce information regarding their experience and its impact on their wellbeing. An anonymous online survey was conducted among undergraduate students and recently graduated physicians of a medical university in Spain, regarding their symptoms and volunteering experience during the initial months of the Spanish COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents showed a high prevalence of perceived stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, measured by the PHQ-9 and GAD-7. 14.5% reported healthcare-related volunteering tasks. Volunteering was a satisfactory experience for most of the respondents and the majority felt ready to do volunteering tasks (66.6%). Yet, 16.6% acknowledged not getting appropriate specific-task education before starting, 20.8% reported not having appropriate supervision, and 33.3% feel they did not have proper protective equipment. More than half of volunteers feared getting infected, more than 70% feared infecting their relatives or friends, and 54.2% reported stigmatization. Volunteers showed significantly higher stress, anxiety, and depression scores than the rest of the respondents, and 32% reported a highly traumatic event during volunteering, with high scores on the IES-R in the 16% of volunteers. Our results should help guide future potential volunteering processes in emergencies, enhance academic programs at medical schools and provide valuable data for psychological support services. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Workers)

9 pages, 334 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Predictors of Vaccine Hesitancy among Health Care Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Timothy R. Elliott, Paul B. Perrin, Mark B. Powers, Katelin S. Jacobi and Ann Marie Warren

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(12), 7123; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127123 - 10 Jun 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2499

Abstract

Most studies of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among health care workers (HCWs) have been descriptive, few have tested models to predict hesitancy, and none have examined the possible relationship between HCWs’ distress and vaccine hesitancy. This study examined predictors of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, including HCWs’ distress after taking into account HCW sex, doctoral-level status, race, age, and exposure to COVID-19. Further, it examined specific reasons HCWs endorsed for their hesitancy. 266 HCWs in the United States (U.S.). completed an online survey administered in January 2021, following the availability of the vaccine for HCWs in the U.S. The survey assessed demographics, depression, anxiety, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, and reasons for hesitancy. A comprehensive linear regression model explained 72.2% of the variance in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. HCWs were more hesitant if they did not know someone personally who had tested positive. Distress had no effect. The reasons most predicting vaccine hesitancy included safety, potential side effects, believing the risks from COVID-19 were lower than from the vaccine, not feeling at risk for getting COVID-19, and current pregnancy. Rather than rely on providing information about the COVID-19 vaccines to HCWs, strategies that address their concerns are required to promote vaccine acceptance. Contemporary issues of political polarization, misinformation and mistrust are likely to contribute to the concerns HCWs have about the COVID-19 vaccines. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Workers)

14 pages, 365 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Factor Structure of the Korean Version of the Occupational Socialization of Beginning Physical Education Teachers Scale in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Relationship with Health Perception Education

by Seung-Man Lee, Eui-Jae Lee, Wi-Young So and Jong-Hyuck Kim

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(12), 7069; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127069 - 9 Jun 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1643

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the factor structure of the Korean version of the occupational socialization of beginning physical education teachers scale, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to verify its relationship with health perception education. In October 2021, 257 Korean beginning physical education teachers were enrolled in this study. Data were analyzed using frequency analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, and multiple regression analysis. Regarding the findings, first, the occupational socialization of beginning physical education teachers scale showed a six-factor structure: role recognition, past physical education class experience, pre-service teacher education, organizational atmosphere, fellow physical education teachers, and sports facility. Second, occupational socialization of beginning physical education teachers showed a partial positive effect on health perception education. These results suggest that the Korean Metropolitan and Provincial Offices of Education and Korean schools should develop various methods to support and ensure the occupational socialization of beginning physical education teachers. Such efforts may enable these new professionals to effectively adapt to their schools, teaching roles, and provide effective health education to students under the difficult context of the COVID-19 pandemic, wherein normal educational activities are hindered. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Workers)

12 pages, 337 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Workplace Violence against Hospital Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Israel: Implications for Public Health

by Keren Dopelt, Nadav Davidovitch, Anna Stupak, Rachel Ben Ayun, Anna Lev Eltsufin and Chezy Levy

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(8), 4659; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19084659 - 12 Apr 2022

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3575

Abstract

Workplace violence (WPV) against healthcare workers, a serious public health problem with profound implications, has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examined the incidence of different types of WPV in a public hospital in Israel during the pandemic and analyzes the factors associated with its occurrence. A cross-sectional study was performed via an online questionnaire with 486 workers at a government hospital in Israel. Data were collected about sociodemographic and occupational characteristics, exposure to different forms of WPV over the preceding six months, and the responsibility and reasons for WPV from the workers’ perspective. Approximately 71% of respondents were exposed to WPV and 64% perceived that WPV escalated during the pandemic. The prevalence of verbal/psychological and physical WPV were 69 and 11%, respectively. The main reason for WPV was frustration over long wait times (70%). The escalation during the pandemic can be attributed to patients’ or relatives’ anxiety and mental states following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (72%), an increase in waiting time since the pandemic began (54%), lack of hospital resources to care for everyone (45%), and the inability to visit critically ill relatives with COVID-19 (44%). Increased exposure to WPV was attributed to lower seniority, working in emergency or internal departments, and being a nurse or a doctor. The findings raise an urgent need to develop strategies to reduce WPV in hospitals at all levels: national, organizational, and individual. Further research could focus on the effectiveness of innovative strategies and interventions to prevent violence against healthcare workers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Workers)

10 pages, 355 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Help Seeking of Highly Specialized Mental Health Treatment before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Health Professionals

by María Dolores Braquehais, Esperanza L. Gómez-Duran, Gemma Nieva, Sergi Valero, Josep Antoni Ramos-Quiroga and Eugeni Bruguera

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(6), 3665; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19063665 - 19 Mar 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2433

Abstract

(1) Background: Ongoing specialized programs for health professionals (HPs) adapted their treatment services during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of medical e-records of HPs with mental disorders working in Catalonia that were consecutively admitted to the Galatea Care Program Clinical Unit. The sample (N = 1461) was divided into two periods: 21.5 months before (n = 637) and after (n = 824) 14 March 2020. (3) Results: There was a significant increase (29.4%) in the number of referrals to the specialized Clinical Unit during the pandemic, especially with respect to physicians compared to nurses. The percentage of HP women at admission and the clinical severity of the first treatment episode remained without changes before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The most prevalent main diagnoses also remained similar: adjustment disorders (41.5%), mood disorders (24.9%), anxiety disorders (14.4%), and substance use disorders (11.8%). (4) Conclusions: HPs, particularly physicians, more frequently sought voluntary help from specialized mental health programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future studies are needed to analyze the reasons behind this finding and the evolution of referrals to these types of programs after the COVID-19 outbreak. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Workers)

9 pages, 582 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Longitudinal Study on Mental Well-Being, Perceived Stress Level and Job-Related Meaningfulness of Austrian Telephone Emergency Service Counselors during the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Elke Humer, Christoph Pieh, Ida-Maria Kisler, Wolfgang Schimböck and Petra Schadenhofer

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(6), 3166; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19063166 - 8 Mar 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2416

Abstract

Telephone emergency service (TES) consultants have been challenged even more since the beginning of the pandemic. How the COVID-19 situation and the associated increasing demand for TES services affect the well-being and stress of TES counselors has not been assessed so far. This longitudinal study examined mental well-being (WHO-5), perceived stress level (PSS-10), and experienced job-related meaningfulness (CERES) of TES counselors at two measurement points during the pandemic. From December 2020 to January 2021 (t1), N = 374 counselors were recruited within the Austrian nationwide organization “TelefonSeelsorge”. From those, N = 108 also participated one year later at t2. Neither well-being nor perceived stress differed significantly between t1 and t2. There was a decrease in job-related meaningfulness (from 5.46 at t1 to 5.34 at t2; p < 0.001). The consultants identified loneliness and mental health as the most common problems of helpline callers at both measurement points. The results confirm a stable level of stress and well-being during the pandemic in TES consultants. However, they also show a slight decrease in perceived job-related meaningfulness. Well-being of counselors should be watched closely, as they are an important part of the psychosocial healthcare system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Workers)

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22 pages, 2889 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study Assessing the Psycho-Emotional State of Intensive Care Units’ Physicians and Nurses of COVID-19 Hospitals of a Russian Metropolis

by Artem Kashtanov, Ekaterina Molotok, Andrey Yavorovskiy, Alexander Boyarkov, Yuriy Vasil’ev, Ali Alsaegh, Sergey Dydykin, Olesya Kytko, Renata Meylanova, Yulianna Enina, Vasiliy Troitskiy, Marina Kapitonova, Sergey Vaits, Tat’yana Vaits, Rinat Saleev, Gulshat Saleeva and Nail Saleev

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(3), 1828; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031828 - 6 Feb 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3624

Abstract

Working in intensive care units (ICUs) is stressful and potentially leads to various psycho-emotional disorders. Today, this issue represents a serious concern to the healthcare sector and affects the quality of healthcare provided. This study aimed to assess and compare the psycho-emotional state in COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 hospitals’ ICU healthcare workers (HCWs). From January to July 2021, we conducted an anonymous cross-sectional web survey of ICU physicians and nurses (N = 1259) of various hospitals in a metropolis with a population of over 10 million people. The statistical distributions of non-COVID-19 ICU HCWs showed the following results: emotional exhaustion levels (low 14.6%, average 30.8%, and high 54.6%); depersonalization levels (low 11.6%, average 16.5%, and high 71.9%); and reduced personal accomplishment levels (low 23.5%, average 40.3%, and high 36.2%). The statistical distributions of COVID-19 ICU HCWs showed the following results: emotional exhaustion levels (low 16.5%, average 31.5%, and high 52%); depersonalization levels (low 7.4%, average 9.4%, and high 83.1%); and reduced personal accomplishment levels (low 25.4%, average 45.4%, and high 29.1%). This study found a strong correlation between emotional exhaustion, aggression, and depersonalization in non-COVID-19 ICU HCWs and also found a correlation between their age, aggression, emotional exhaustion, and occupational stress. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Workers)

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11 pages, 651 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Prevalence, Incidence, and Factors Associated with Posttraumatic Stress at Three-Month Follow-Up among New York City Healthcare Workers after the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Ari Shechter, Codruta Chiuzan, Yimeng Shang, Gavin Ko, Franchesca Diaz, Hadiah K. Venner, Kaitlin Shaw, Diane E. Cannone, Cara L. McMurry, Alexandra M. Sullivan, Reynaldo R. Rivera, Courtney Vose, Peter A. Shapiro and Marwah Abdalla

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(1), 262; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19010262 - 27 Dec 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3338

Abstract

Background: Prevalence, incidence, and factors associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms at follow-up among healthcare workers after the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic are unknown. Methods: A web survey invitation was sent to healthcare worker listservs at a NYC medical center (April, 2020). The Primary Care (PC)-PTSD questionnaire was used to screen for PTSD symptoms at baseline and then every 2 weeks for 10 weeks. Incidence and prevalence of PTSD symptoms were determined at each time point. Multivariable generalized estimating equation models were performed to investigate the factors associated with a positive PC-PTSD screen at follow-up. Results: Median age (interquartile range) of N = 230 participants was 36 (31–48) years; 79.6% were women; 82.6% worked in COVID-19-focused settings. The prevalence of PTSD symptoms decreased from 55.2% at baseline to 25.0% at 10 weeks (p < 0.001). Among participants who had a baseline negative screen for PTSD symptoms, the incidence of PTSD at 10 weeks was 12.2% (p-trend 0.034). In multivariable-adjusted analyses, being a nurse (odds ratio [OR]: 1.70, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06–2.71), female (OR: 3.00, 95% CI: 1.59, 5.72), and working in a COVID-19-focused location (OR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.02, 2.21) were associated with increased odds of PTSD symptoms at 10-weeks. Conclusions: PTSD symptoms improved over 3 months following the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, one out of four NYC healthcare workers still had an increased risk for PTSD at 10-weeks. Screening healthcare workers for PTSD symptoms should be considered during the COVID-19 pandemic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Workers)

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