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McEvoy M, Caccaviello G, Crombie A, Skinner T, Begg SJ, Faulkner P, McEvoy A, Masman K, Bamforth L, Parker C, Stanyer E, Collings A, Li X. Health and Wellbeing of Regional and Rural Australian Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Baseline Cross-Sectional Findings from the Loddon Mallee Healthcare Worker COVID-19 Study-A Prospective Cohort Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 21:649. [PMID: 38791863 PMCID: PMC11120829 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21050649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) has created complex pressures and challenges for healthcare systems worldwide; however, little is known about the impacts COVID-19 has had on regional/rural healthcare workers. The Loddon Mallee Healthcare Worker COVID-19 Study (LMHCWCS) cohort was established to explore and describe the immediate and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on regional and rural healthcare workers. METHODS Eligible healthcare workers employed within 23 different healthcare organisations located in the Loddon Mallee region of Victoria, Australia, were included. In this cohort study, a total of 1313 participants were recruited from November 2020-May 2021. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and burnout were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Impact of Events Scale-6 (IES-6), and Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), respectively. Resilience and optimism were measured using the Brief Resilience Scale and Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R), respectively. Subjective fear of COVID-19 was measured using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. RESULTS These cross-sectional baseline findings demonstrate that regional/rural healthcare workers were experiencing moderate/severe depressive symptoms (n = 211, 16.1%), moderate to severe anxiety symptoms (n = 193, 14.7%), and high personal or patient/client burnout with median total scores of 46.4 (IQR = 28.6) and 25.0 (IQR = 29.2), respectively. There was a moderate degree of COVID-19-related fear. However, most participants demonstrated a normal/high degree of resilience (n = 854, 65.0%). Based on self-reporting, 15.4% had a BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 kgm2 and 37.0% have a BMI of 25 kgm2 or over. Overall, 7.3% of participants reported they were current smokers and 20.6% reported alcohol consumption that is considered moderate/high-risk drinking. Only 21.2% of the sample reported consuming four or more serves of vegetables daily and 37.8% reported consuming two or more serves of fruit daily. There were 48.0% the sample who reported having poor sleep quality measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). CONCLUSION Regional/rural healthcare workers in Victoria, Australia, were experiencing a moderate to high degree of psychological distress during the early stages of the pandemic. However, most participants demonstrated a normal/high degree of resilience. Findings will be used to inform policy options to support healthcare workers in responding to future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark McEvoy
- La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia;
| | | | - Angela Crombie
- Bendigo Health, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia; (A.C.); (P.F.); (K.M.); (L.B.); (C.P.); (E.S.); (A.C.)
| | - Timothy Skinner
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia;
| | - Stephen J. Begg
- La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia;
| | - Peter Faulkner
- Bendigo Health, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia; (A.C.); (P.F.); (K.M.); (L.B.); (C.P.); (E.S.); (A.C.)
| | - Anne McEvoy
- Kyabram District Health Service, Kyabram, VIC 3620, Australia;
| | - Kevin Masman
- Bendigo Health, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia; (A.C.); (P.F.); (K.M.); (L.B.); (C.P.); (E.S.); (A.C.)
| | - Laura Bamforth
- Bendigo Health, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia; (A.C.); (P.F.); (K.M.); (L.B.); (C.P.); (E.S.); (A.C.)
| | - Carol Parker
- Bendigo Health, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia; (A.C.); (P.F.); (K.M.); (L.B.); (C.P.); (E.S.); (A.C.)
| | - Evan Stanyer
- Bendigo Health, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia; (A.C.); (P.F.); (K.M.); (L.B.); (C.P.); (E.S.); (A.C.)
| | - Amanda Collings
- Bendigo Health, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia; (A.C.); (P.F.); (K.M.); (L.B.); (C.P.); (E.S.); (A.C.)
| | - Xia Li
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3550, Australia;
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Vitorino C, Canavarro MC, Carona C. Six-month psychopathological symptom trajectories following the COVID-19 outbreak: Contrasting mental health outcomes between nurses and the general population. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301527. [PMID: 38626159 PMCID: PMC11020497 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a social, economic and health crisis that had a major impact on the mental health of the global community, particularly nurses. The objective of the current study is to conduct a longitudinal evaluation of the trajectory of depressive, anxiety, trauma, and fear of COVID-19 symptoms, comparing self-reports of nurses and the general population over a six-month period. Self-report questionnaires were administered online to a sample of 180 nurses and 158 individuals from the general population for the baseline assessment (T1) and follow-up at 6 months (T2). Levels of symptoms reported by nurses were generally greater and tended to worsen over time, as opposed to the levels of symptoms reported by the general population that tended to improve. Levels of depressive, anxiety, and trauma symptoms were significantly different between nurses and the general population over time. Levels of fear of COVID-19 declined significantly from T1 to T2 in both groups. These results suggest that it is crucial to monitor the longer-term effects of COVID-19 and to develop resilience-promoting interventions tailored to the unique needs of this vulnerable group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catarina Vitorino
- Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Maria Cristina Canavarro
- Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Carlos Carona
- Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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Menon V, Cherian AV, Gnanadas J, Kar SK, Vijayakumar L. NCRB Indian suicide data 2021: The key trends and their implications. Asian J Psychiatr 2023; 84:103568. [PMID: 36996676 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajp.2023.103568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Vikas Menon
- Dept of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry 605006, India.
| | - Anish V Cherian
- Dept of Psychiatric Social Work, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru 560029, India
| | - Jilisha Gnanadas
- Dept of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry 605006, India
| | - Sujita Kumar Kar
- Dept of Psychiatry, King George's Medical University, Lucknow 226003, India
| | - Lakshmi Vijayakumar
- Founder SNEHA, Chennai-600028, Head, Dept of Psychiatry, Voluntary Health Services, Chennai-600113, Honorary Associate Professor, University of Melbourne, Australia, Honorary Adjunct Professor, University of Griffith, Australia
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Zulla RT, Nicholas DB, West LJ, Chan S, McCoy M, Urschel S. The experiences of children with a cardiac transplant, their families and health care providers in the COVID-19 pandemic. Pediatr Transplant 2022; 26:e14388. [PMID: 36101008 DOI: 10.1111/petr.14388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has had deleterious impacts on pediatric patients and families, as well as the healthcare providers who have attended to their care needs. METHODS In this qualitative study, children with a cardiac transplant, as well as their families and healthcare providers were interviewed to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric care, as well as on patients' and their families' daily lives. Participants were recruited from a children's hospital in western Canada. Fifteen caregiving parents of transplanted children, 2 young patients, and 8 healthcare providers participated in interviews. RESULTS Findings highlighted how families and their healthcare providers experienced pandemic-related shifts. Themes highlighted experiences, which entailed (1) initially hearing about the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) learning about their new reality; (3) adjusting to the pandemic; (4) adjusting to shifts in pediatric services; (5) evolving a view on the future, and (6) offering recommendations for cardiac care in a pandemic. CONCLUSIONS Study implications emphasize the need to critically reflect on, and advance, methods of helping young patients and their families in pandemic circumstances, and supporting healthcare providers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosslynn T Zulla
- University of Calgary, Central and Northern Alberta Region, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - David B Nicholas
- University of Calgary, Central and Northern Alberta Region, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Lori J West
- University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Stollery Children's Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Sarah Chan
- Stollery Children's Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Marie McCoy
- Stollery Children's Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Simon Urschel
- University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.,Stollery Children's Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Tachikawa H, Kubo T, Gomei S, Takahashi S, Kawashima Y, Manaka K, Mori A, Kondo H, Koido Y, Ishikawa H, Otsuru T, Nogi W. Mental health needs associated with COVID-19 on the diamond princess cruise ship: A case series recorded by the disaster psychiatric assistance team. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION : IJDRR 2022; 81:103250. [PMID: 36032696 PMCID: PMC9391089 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2022.103250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection prevention measures have led to a variety of mental health issues. Although several self-care methods have been recommended for those quarantined, evidence regarding how best to support quarantined people experiencing a mental health crisis is limited. In February 2020, the Diamond Princess cruise ship was quarantined in Yokohama port, Japan following a passenger testing positive for COVID-19. We were sent to address the mental health issues as the Disaster Psychiatric Assistance Team (DPAT). In the present study, we examined the acute mental health needs of the passengers and crew collected by the DPAT using the standard Emergency Medical Team daily reporting system. We assessed 206 cases (99 men and 107 women) with generic health issues and 127 cases (39 men and 88 women) with mental health issues. Mental health issues including disaster stress-related symptoms were as frequent as physical health events associated with COVID-19. The most significant mental health issue was anxiety, as an acute psychological reaction to the quarantine situation. Women and crews most frequently needed mental health support. Mental health improved in most clients after brief counseling. Although several passengers experienced suicidal ideation, there were no cases of actual suicide attempts during the quarantine period. This case has been regarded as a well-known public health event at the beginning of the COVID-19 era. In addition to physical health support, disaster mental health support was essential to save lives. Our findings may facilitate responses to future quarantines, accidents, and mental health crises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirokazu Tachikawa
- Department of Disaster and Community Psychiatry, University of Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Tatsuhiko Kubo
- Department of Public Health and Health Policy, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Sayaka Gomei
- Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University Saitama Medical Center, Japan
- DPAT Secretariat, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Sho Takahashi
- Department of Disaster and Community Psychiatry, University of Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Yuzuru Kawashima
- DPAT Secretariat, Tokyo, Japan
- National Hospital Organization Headquarter DMAT Secretariat, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazunori Manaka
- Ibaraki Prefectural Medical Center of Psychiatry, Ibaraki, Japan
| | | | - Hisayoshi Kondo
- National Hospital Organization Headquarter DMAT Secretariat, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuichi Koido
- National Hospital Organization Headquarter DMAT Secretariat, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Taku Otsuru
- National Hospital Organization, Ryukyu Hospital, Japan
| | - Wataru Nogi
- DPAT Secretariat, Tokyo, Japan
- Bifukai Hamadera Hospital, Osaka, Japan
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