Evaluation of the mental health of health professionals in the COVID-19 era. What mental health conditions are our health care workers facing in the new wave of coronavirus?

Mental health status and related factors influencing healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The mental health of healthcare workers during the coronavirus-2019 pandemic was seriously affected, and the risk of mental health problems was high. The present study sought to systematically evaluate the mental health problems of healthcare workers worldwide during the pandemic and to determine the latest global frequency of COVID-19 associated mental health problems.

METHODS

Data in the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), EMBASE, Elsevier, MEDLINE, PubMed, PsycINFO and the Web of Science before November 11, 2022, were systematically searched. Cohort, case-control and cross-sectional studies were included. The meta-analysis used a random effects model to synthesize the comprehensive prevalence rate of mental health problems. Subgroup analyses were performed based on time of data collection; whether the country was or was not developed; continent; doctors and nurses; doctors/nurses vs. other healthcare workers; and psychological evaluation scale.

RESULTS

A total of 161 studies were included, including 341,014 healthcare workers worldwide, with women accounting for 82.8%. Occupationally, 16.2% of the healthcare workers were doctors, 63.6% were nurses and 13.3% were other medical staff. During the pandemic, 47% (95% confidence interval [CI], 35-60%) of healthcare workers reported job burnout, 38% (95% CI, 35-41%) experienced anxiety, 34% (95% CI 30-38%) reported depression, 30% (95% CI, 29-31%) had acute stress disorder, and 26% (95% CI, 21-31%) had post-traumatic stress disorder.

CONCLUSIONS

The study found that there were common mental health problems among health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most common was job burnout, followed by anxiety, depression, acute stress and post-traumatic stress disorder. Although the global pandemic has been brought under control, its long-term impact on the mental health of healthcare workers cannot be ignored. Additional research is required to develop measures to prevent, monitor and treat psychological disorders among healthcare workers.

Factors associated with satisfaction and depressed mood among nursing home workers during the covid-19 pandemic

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

This paper aims to examine the satisfaction and depressed mood experienced by nursing home workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and associated variables. Specifically, to analyse the factors that may contribute to nursing home workers developing adaptive behaviours that promote satisfaction or, on the contrary, show characteristics associated with a negative mood.

BACKGROUND

Nursing homes have faced unprecedented pressures to provide appropriately skills to meet the demands of the coronavirus outbreak.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional survey design using the STROBE checklist.

METHODS

Professionals working in nursing homes (n = 165) completed an online survey measuring sociodemographic and professional characteristics, burnout, resilience, experiential avoidance, satisfaction with life and depression. Data were collected online from April to July 2021, the time in which Spain was experiencing its fifth wave of COVID-19. Two multiple linear regression models were performed to identify salient variables associated with depressive mood and satisfaction.

RESULTS

Resilience, personal accomplishment and satisfaction had a significant and negative relationship with depression and emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and experiential avoidance had a positive relationship with depression. However, emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and experiential avoidance had a negative and significant relationship with satisfaction and personal accomplishment, and resilience had a positive and significant relationship with satisfaction. In addition, it was found that accepting thoughts and emotions when they occur is beneficial for developing positive outcomes such as satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

Experiential avoidance was an important predictor of the effects that the COVID-19 pandemic can have on nursing home workers.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Interventions focusing on resources that represent personal strengths, such as acceptance, resilience and personal accomplishment, should be developed.

NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

The complex and unpredictable circumstances of COVID's strict confinement in the nursing home prohibited access to the centres for external personnel and family members. Contact with the professionals involved could not be made in person but exclusively through online systems. However, professionals related to the work environment have subsequently valued this research positively as it analyses 'How they felt during this complicated process'.

Association between ethnicity and migration status with the prevalence of single and multiple long-term conditions in UK healthcare workers

BACKGROUND

Healthcare workers' (HCW) well-being has a direct effect on patient care. However, little is known about the prevalence and patterns of long-term medical conditions in HCWs, especially those from ethnic minorities. This study evaluated the burden of multiple long-term conditions (MLTCs), i.e. the presence of two or more single long-term conditions (LTCs), among HCWs in the United Kingdom (UK) and variation by ethnicity and migration status.

METHODS

We used baseline data from the UK-REACH cohort study collected December 2020-March 2021. We used multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for demographic, occupational and lifestyle factors to examine the relationship between self-reported LTCs/MLTCs and ethnicity, migration status and time since migration to the UK.

RESULTS

Of 12,100 included HCWs, with a median age of 45 years (IQR: 34-54), 27% were overseas-born, and 30% were from non-White ethnic groups (19% Asian, 4% Black, 4% Mixed, 2% Other). The most common self-reported LTCs were anxiety (14.9%), asthma (12.2%), depression (10.7%), hypertension (8.7%) and diabetes (4.0%). Mental health conditions were more prevalent among UK-born than overseas-born HCWs for all ethnic groups (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) using White UK-born as the reference group each time: White overseas-born 0.77, 95%CI 0.66-0.95 for anxiety). Diabetes and hypertension were more common among Asian (e.g. Asian overseas, diabetes aOR 2.97, 95%CI 2.30-3.83) and Black (e.g. Black UK-born, hypertension aOR 1.77, 95%CI 1.05-2.99) groups than White UK-born. After adjustment for age, sex and deprivation, the odds of reporting MLTCs were lower in most ethnic minority groups and lowest for those born overseas, compared to White UK-born (e.g. White overseas-born, aOR 0.68, 95%CI 0.55-0.83; Asian overseas-born aOR 0.75, 95%CI 0.62-0.90; Black overseas-born aOR 0.52, 95%CI 0.36-0.74). The odds of MLTCs in overseas-born HCWs were equivalent to the UK-born population in those who had settled in the UK for ≥ 20 years (aOR 1.14, 95%CI 0.94-1.37).

CONCLUSIONS

Among UK HCWs, the prevalence of common LTCs and odds of reporting MLTCs varied by ethnicity and migrant status. The lower odds of MLTCs in migrant HCWs reverted to the odds of MLTCs in UK-born HCWs over time. Further research on this population should include longitudinal studies with linkage to healthcare records. Interventions should be co-developed with HCWs from different ethnic and migrant groups focussed upon patterns of conditions prevalent in specific HCW subgroups to reduce the overall burden of LTCs/MLTCs.

Scoping review of the methodology of large health surveys conducted in Spain early on in the COVID-19 pandemic

Background

The use of health surveys has been key in the scientific community to promptly communicate results about the health impact of COVID-19. But what information was collected, where, when and how, and who was the study population?

Objective

To describe the methodological characteristics used in large health surveys conducted in Spain early on in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Scoping review. Inclusion criteria: observational studies published between January 2020 and December 2021, with sample sizes of over 2,000 persons resident in Spain. Databases consulted: PubMed, CINAHL, Literatura Latinoamericana y del Caribe en CC de la Salud, Scopus, PsycINFO, Embase, Sociological Abstracts, Dialnet and Web of Science Core Collection. We analyzed the characteristics of the literature references, methodologies and information gathered in the surveys selected. Fifty five studies were included.

Results

Sixty percentage of the studies included had mental health as their main topic and 75% were conducted on the general adult population. Thirteen percentage had a longitudinal design, 93% used the internet to gather information and the same percentage used non-probability sampling. Thirty percentage made some type of sampling correction to reduce coverage or non-response biases, but not selection biases. Sixty seven percentage did not state the availability of their data.

Conclusions

Consistent with the extensive use of non-probability sampling without any bias correction in the extraordinary setting created by COVID-19, quality population frameworks are required so that probability and representative samples can be extracted quickly to promptly address other health crises, as well as to reduce potential coverage, non-response and particularly selection biases by utilizing reweighting techniques. The low data accessibility despite the huge opportunity that COVID-19 provided for Open Science-based research is striking.

High stress related to COVID-19 among health workers in the Plateau Central healthcare region (BURKINA FASO): a cross-sectional study

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic challenged the mental wellbeing of health workers. The objective of this study was to assess health workers' perceived stress during the response to COVID-19 in the Central Plateau region (Burkina Faso).

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study of health workers in the Central Plateau health region from September 20 to October 20, 2021. Agents' perceived stress was assessed by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Factors associated with high stress (PSS-10 score ≥ 27) were identified by logistic regression.

Results

A total of 272 officers participated in the survey. The mean PSS-10 score was 29.3 points (standard deviation: 6.2). Three out of ten agents (68%) had a high level of stress. The main sources of stress were the risk of being exposed to contamination (70%) and being the source of contamination (78%). Working at the referral health center [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 2.29; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.19-4.41], the hospital as the main source of COVID-19 information (aOR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.01-3.04), fear of COVID-19 patients being managed at one's center (aOR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.06-3.07) were factors associated with high health worker stress levels during the first wave of COVID-19.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 pandemic caused high stress among health care workers in Burkina Faso. Psychological support for health center workers in responding to future epidemics would improve their mental health.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Health, Well-being, and Quality of Work-Life Outcomes Among Direct Care Nursing Staff Working in Nursing Home Settings: Protocol for a Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Increased workload, lack of resources, fear of infection, and the suffering and loss of residents have placed a significant emotional burden on regulated and unregulated direct care nursing staff (eg, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and care aides) in nursing homes (residential long-term care homes). Psychological distress and burnout related to COVID-19 have been cited among direct care staff within nursing homes. Studies have also emphasized the resilience of direct care staff, who, despite the significant challenges created by the pandemic, remained committed to providing quality care. To date, only one nursing home-specific review has synthesized evidence from 15 studies conducted early in the pandemic, which reported anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression among direct care staff.

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of this systematic review are to (1) synthesize all empirical evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on direct care staffs' mental health, physical health, and work-life outcomes; (2) identify specific risks and protective factors; and (3) examine the effect of strategies or interventions that have been developed to improve these outcomes.

METHODS

We will include all study designs reporting objective or subjective measurements of direct care staffs' mental health, physical health, and quality of work-life in nursing home settings during the COVID-19 pandemic (January 2020 onward). We will search multiple databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus, and PsycINFO) and gray literature sources with no language restrictions. Two authors will independently screen, assess data quality, and extract data for synthesis. Given the heterogeneity in research designs, we will use multiple data synthesis methods that are suitable for quantitative and qualitative studies.

RESULTS

As of December 2022, full text screening has been completed and data extraction is underway. The expected completion date is June 30, 2023.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review will uncover gaps in current knowledge, increase our understanding of the disparate findings to date, identify risks and factors that protect against the sustained effects of the pandemic, and elucidate the feasibility and effects of interventions to support the mental health, physical health, and quality of work-life of frontline nursing staff. This study will inform future research exploring how the health care system can be more proactive in improving quality of work-life and supporting the health and psychological needs of frontline staff amid extreme stressors such as the pandemic and within the wider context of prepandemic conditions.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42021248420; https://tinyurl.com/4djk7rpm.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/40390.

Nurses' perceptions about patient safety culture in public hospital in Vietnam

AIM

This paper is aimed to assess nurses' perceptions of patient safety culture in four public general hospitals in Hanoi, Vietnam.

BACKGROUND

Patient safety culture is a vital component in ensuring high quality and safe patient care. Assessment of nurses' perceptions on existing hospital patient safety culture (PSC) is the first step to promote PSC.

METHODS

The cross-sectional study surveyed 705 nurses utilizing the validated Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) in an online format.

RESULTS

The average positive response rate was high at 72.8 % and varied from 52.9 % to 93.4 %. The strongest areas are teamwork within units (93.7 %) and supervisor/manager expectations and actions promoting patient safety (85.0 %). The areas for improvement are staffing (52.9 %) and non-punitive response to error (57.6 %). The communication openness, staffing, frequency of events reported, lengths of services in hospital and unit are significant factors that predict the overall patient safety grade.

CONCLUSIONS

Initiatives are necessary to improve response to errors, staffing, and error reporting. Nurse managers could develop and implement interventions and program to improve patient safety, including providing education related to patient safety culture, encouraging staff to notify incidents and avoiding punitive responses.

Subjective sleep alterations in healthy subjects worldwide during COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression

OBJECTIVE

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide an update on sleep quality in different world areas and better characterize subjective sleep alterations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering gender distribution and specific pandemic-related parameters, we also intend to identify significant predictors of sleep problems.

METHODS

Six electronic databases were searched from December 2019 to November 2021 for studies investigating sleep during COVID-19 employing the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Medical Outcomes Study Sleep, the Insomnia Severity Index or the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Random-effects models were implemented to estimate the pooled raw means of subjective sleep alterations. Also, we considered the role of several pandemic-related parameters (i.e., days from the first COVID-19 case, government stringency index, new cases for a million people, new deaths for a million people) by means of meta-regression analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 139 studies were selected. The pooled mean of the global Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score (PSQI_gen) was 6.73 (95% CI, 6.61-6.85). The insomnia severity index score was reported from 50 studies with a pooled mean of 8.44 (95% CI, 7.53-9.26). Subgroup analyses confirmed that most subcategories had poor sleep quality and subclinical insomnia. Meta-regressions showed that PSQI_gen was predicted by days from the first COVID-19 case and government restrictions with a negative slope and by female gender with a positive slope. The government stringency index was positively correlated with the direct subjective evaluation of sleep quality.

CONCLUSIONS

We found an overall impaired sleep and widespread subthreshold insomnia during the COVID-19 pandemic. The female percentage seems to be the best predictor of impaired sleep quality, consistently to the available literature. Noteworthy, sleep alterations were inversely associated with governmental restrictions and decreased during the pandemic. Our results give a contribution to critically orienting further studies on sleep since COVID-19 pandemic.

Post-traumatic stress in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has increased healthcare worker (HCW) susceptibility to mental illness. We conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the prevalence and possible factors associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among HCW during the COVID-19 pandemic. We searched PubMed, SCOPUS and EMBASE databases up to May 4th, 2022. We performed random effects meta-analysis and moderator analyses for the prevalence of PTSD-relevant symptoms and severe PTSD symptoms. We identified 1276 studies, reviewed 209 full-text articles, and included 119 studies (117,143 participants) with a total of 121 data points in our final analysis. 34 studies (24,541 participants) reported prevalence of severe PTSD symptoms. Approximately 25.2% of participants were physicians, 42.8% nurses, 12.4% allied health professionals, 8.9% auxiliary health professionals, and 10.8% "other". The pooled prevalence of PTSD symptoms among HCWs was 34% (95% CI, 0.30-0.39, I² >90%), and 14% for severe PTSD (95% CI, 0.11 - 0.17, I² >90%). The introduction of COVID vaccines was associated with a sharp decline in the prevalence of PTSD, and new virus variants were associated with small increases in PTSD rates. It is important that policies work towards allocating adequate resources towards protecting the well-being of healthcare workers to minimize adverse consequences of PTSD.

Mental health and fatigue status of the medical workforce during the COVID-19 outbreak in the Yangzhou city, China

Background

When the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) erupted in Yangzhou, China, at the end of July 2021, medical workers in Yangzhou immediately joined the frontline for the fight against the pandemic. This study aimed to identify the mental health and fatigue experienced by the medical workers in Yangzhou during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Methods

We included 233 medical workers who participated in the front-line work for more than 1 month through the questionnaire, including doctors, nurses, medical technicians and medical students. The generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7), patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Fatigue self-assessment scale (FSAS) were administered to the participants and their responses were evaluated.

Results

A total of 233 eligible questionnaires were received. Among them, 130 people (57.08%) were probably anxious and 141 (60.52%) people were clinically depressed. Poor sleep was considered an independent risk factor for anxiety (OR = 7.164, 95% CI: 3.365 15.251, p = 0.000) and depression (OR = 6.899, 95% CI: 3.392 14.030, p = 0.000). A high PHQ-9 score was considered an independent risk factor for general fatigue (OR = 1.697, 95% CI: 1.481 1.944, p = 0.000). Mental fatigue (OR = 1.092, 95% CI: 1.027 1.161, p = 0.005) and fatigue response to sleep/rest (OR = 1.043, 95% CI: 1.011 1.076 p = 0.008) were considered independent risk factors for general fatigue.

Conclusion

Poor quality of sleep led to probable anxiety, depression, and general fatigue. Mental fatigue and fatigue response to sleep/rest were independent risk factors for depression, which merits attention for battling COVID-19.

Initial Psychometric Development of the Fear and Anxiety to COVID-19 Scale in Nursing Professionals: An Occupational Health Assessment Tool

Objective

The effects caused by COVID-19 on the physical and mental health show the need to renew and create tools that specifically measure the fear and anxiety caused by the pandemic in healthcare professionals. The aim of the study was to measure fear and anxiety of COVID-19 in the nursing population group using a specific assessment scale.

Methods

A descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out in Spain based on questionnaires. The sample was selected by non-probabilistic snowball sampling. Univariate and bivariate descriptive analyses were performed. For qualitative variables, a categorical regression analysis was performed.

Results

The sample consisted of 1012 nurses residing in Spain, 86.6% of whom were women, with a mean age of 40.84 years (SD = 11.51). The bivariate analysis revealed statistically significant differences in the mean score of the scale and the variables sex, level of education, m² of the dwelling, and work area.

Conclusion

The validation of this scale provides a new management tool that should enable managers to assess anxiety and fear among their nurses, whether in the current COVID-19 pandemic or in other possible epidemiological situations to come.

Quality of work-life and turnover intentions among the Ghanaian nursing workforce: A multicentre study

Introduction

Attrition of the Nursing Workforce from low-and middle-income countries to high-resourced settings is a reality that has escalated in the current Coronavirus pandemic due to varied reasons. With increased job stress resulting from the pandemic, the Quality of Work-Life of the Nursing Workforce is affected, with its effect on poor quality care to the client. This study sought to assess the perception of the Nursing Workforce about the Quality of Work-Life, and the factors that predict turnover intention among nurses in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana.

Methods

A cross-sectional, descriptive design involving multiple centres was used. The participants were made up of 348 Registered Nurses working in primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare in five (5) hospitals in the Kumasi Metropolis. Data collection was done using questionnaires adapted from the Work-Related Quality of Life Scale and the Turnover Intention Scale and analyzed using frequencies, mean, standard deviation, Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation, and Multiple Regression.

Results

The Registered Nurses perceived Quality of Work-Life as low; with close to half of them having a turnover intention. All the domains of Quality of Work-Life of the Nursing Workforce significantly correlated with Turnover intentions. Regression analysis showed that the number of years in a healthcare setting, general well-being, job control and satisfaction, and working condition of the Registered Nurse significantly predicted their turnover intentions at the p-value of 0.05.

Conclusion

The findings of the study have provided an understanding of the Quality of Work-Life, and factors that contribute to increased turnover intentions among the Nursing Workforce amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare systems must enrol in requisite programmes that provide psychological and social support through counselling to promote the Quality of Work-Life of nurses.

Resilience Improves the Quality of Life and Subjective Happiness of Physiotherapists during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Resilience is an individual characteristic that protects mental health. However, its impact on the lives of Brazilian physiotherapists during COVID-19 is not known. This study aimed to analyze whether resilience modulates the perceived quality of life (QoL) and subjective happiness (SH) of physiotherapists who work with COVID-19 patients, compared with those who do not. A cross-sectional study was conducted between 22 August and 22 October 2020. Physiotherapists working in critical and non-critical hospital sectors were invited to participate in the study. The participants completed sociodemographic questionnaires and were graded on the 14-item Resilience Scale, 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the Subjective Happiness Scale. In total, 519 physiotherapists were enrolled in the study. Physiotherapists with low resilience who worked with COVID-19 patients reported lower scores on the SF-36 subscales (except for social functioning) and the Subjective Happiness Scale, compared with those with high resilience who did not work with COVID-19 patients. These responses were modulated by age, sex, absence from work, receipt of personal protective equipment, host leadership, and practice and maintenance of regular physical activity. In conclusion, physiotherapists with low resilience who worked with COVID-19 patients presented lower perceptions of QoL and SH, compared with the other study participants.

Trends in Insomnia, Burnout, and Functional Impairment among Health Care Providers over the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background

COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the psychological well-being and quality of life of health care providers (HCPs).

Objectives

This study assessed the trends in prevalence and predictors of insomnia, burnout, and functional impairment among HCPs over the first year of the pandemic.

Methods

An online survey was conducted one month after the pandemic's onset (onset group) and a year later (one-year group). The demographic features of participants were collected. Insomnia, burnout, and functional impairment were assessed using Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Mini-Z survey, and Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS), respectively.

Results

The onset group included 211 HCPs (mean (SD) age 34.7 (9.3) years and 73% men), while 212 HCPs participated in the one-year survey (mean (SD) age 35.9 (10.5) years and 69% men). High prevalence estimates were found in both onset and one-year groups of symptoms of insomnia (52% vs. 49%), of diagnosis of clinical insomnia (15% vs. 18%), with a high mean ISI score (8.4 vs. 8.7), but with no significant difference between the onset and one-year groups. Risk factors for clinical insomnia included age in both groups, lower income and contact level with COVID-19 patients/samples in the onset group, and lower Mini-Z scores and higher SDS scores in the one-year group. Approximately one-third of respondents reported at least one or more burnout symptoms, with a higher percentage in the one-year group (35.4%) than in the onset group (24.2%) (p=0.012). Younger age, lower monthly income, and higher ISI and SDS scores were risk factors for burnout in both groups. Greater perceived changes in social life were associated with burnout in the onset group. In contrast, higher weekly working hours, worse participants' evaluation of their institution's preparation, and more changes in workload were risk factors for burnout in the one-year group. The SDS score and its subscales scores were higher in the one-year group than in the onset group. Changes in workload and social life predicted higher SDS scores among both groups. Living with older people predicted higher SDS scores among the onset group, while contact level and estimated number of COVID-19 patients that participants engaged in during caring predicted higher SDS scores among the one-year group. ISI scores were significantly correlated with the Mini-Z scores and SDS scores in both groups, while the Mini-Z and SDS scores were significantly correlated only in the one-year group.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated high rates of insomnia, burnout, and functional impairment among HCPs during the pandemic. It reveals a significant rise in job burnout and functional impairment of HCPs overtime during the pandemic. Furthermore, high-risk subgroups are also highlighted for whom comprehensive psychosocial and occupational interventions might be warranted.

Portuguese Volunteer Firefighters in the Context of the Challenges Posed by the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is producing not only epidemiological consequences on a global scale, but also political, economic, and social repercussions. The health care professionals that have been on the front lines fighting the pandemic need the support and assistance of other organizations to meet the many daily challenges. Volunteer firefighters stand out for their outreach approach and implementation of the Human2Human paradigm that has enabled them to meet the needs of the most vulnerable population that have been hit the hardest by the pandemic. This study adopts an ethnographic-action method considering Portuguese volunteer firefighters to explore the characteristics and relevance of these initiatives in areas such as combating isolation, medical assistance, containing the spread of COVID-19, and promoting public–private partnerships. The findings reveal that factors associated with altruism are central elements in the emergence of these initiatives, although some locally or nationally coordinated initiatives have been replicated in other contexts. It is also noteworthy that volunteer firefighters also present initiatives that can be fit into more than one category.

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Mental Well-Being of College Students

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an overall increase in stress and depression in society. The aim of the present research was to evaluate the psychological condition of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic and explore factors influencing their daily functioning. The study focused on four main aspects such as mental well-being, sexuality, concern about financial status, and trust in medical authorities. The study was based on a specially designed survey. The questionnaire was created using Google Forms and shared on social media sites. A total of 630 students participated in the survey, 17 surveys were excluded due to incomplete data and 613 surveys (97.30%) were considered for the final analysis. During isolation, 68.0% of students experienced fear of missing out (FOMO). A total of 73.4% were frustrated due to spending a lot of time in front of a computer. A significant decrease in motivation to study was reported by 78.1% of the respondents. Students showed significantly different attitudes towards sexuality. Concern about the financial situation was reported by 48.7% of respondents. The state of the Polish economy was of concern to 86.4% of respondents. A total of 74.5% of students declared concern about their career development. During the pandemic, 59.0% of respondents became concerned about their health. The attitude towards vaccination was described as positive by 82.5% of the respondents. The percentage of respondents experiencing negative psychological effects relative to the overall epidemiological situation of COVID-19 is troubling. Given the unexpected length and severity of the pandemic, we suggest that students’ concerns be more thoroughly understood and addressed.

Mental health and health-related quality of life among healthcare workers in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are more exposed to COVID-19 than other professions. Studies from other countries have shown that the mental health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of HCWs were affected during this pandemic. However, studies on mental health in Indonesia remain scarce and no study has evaluated the HRQoL among HCWs. Thus, this study was designed to explore the mental health status and HRQoL among HCWs in Indonesia.

DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional study.

SETTING

This was an open online survey in Indonesia conducted from December 2020 to February 2021.

PARTICIPANTS

This study involved HCWs who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the 502 respondents who accessed the online questionnaire, 392 were included in the analysis.

OUTCOMES

Mental health status was measured using the 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale and HRQoL was measured using the second version of the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF12v2).

RESULTS

The prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress among HCWs was 29.4%, 44.9% and 31.8%, respectively. Using the SF12v2 questionnaire, 354 (90.3%) HCWs were found to have impaired physical component and 156 (39.8%) HCWs have impaired mental component.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of mental health problems among HCWs was high in Indonesia. HRQoL, particularly the physical component, was affected in most HCWs. Thus, policymakers should give more attention to the mental health and HRQoL of HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emotional Function, Negative Thoughts about the Pandemic, and Adaptability Skills among Dementia Caregivers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: It can be easily inferred that dementia caregivers were severely affected by the general home confinement, or ‘lockdown’, due to their caregiving roles. Aim: The aim of the current study is to investigate how the quarantine measures applied during the COVID-19 pandemic affected the emotional function (specifically the emotional management, emotional experience, and stress symptoms) and the negative thoughts, as well as the adaptability skills, of Greek dementia caregivers. Materials andMethods: In total, 303 participants (138 in the non-caregiving adults-control group; 165 in the dementia caregivers-experimental group) were recruited from the day centers of the Greek Association of Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders (GAADRD) from June 2020 to January 2021 in Thessaloniki, Greece. The caregiving population was split into group 1 (those who participated in support groups) and group 2 (those who did not participate in support groups). A self-reported questionnaire was created for research purposes and was digitally administered to participants via Google forms. Results: During the quarantine period, dementia caregivers had more difficulties in emotional management, especially in regards to stress symptoms, which was measured via the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), in comparison to the control group. In regards to the caregiving populations, caregivers from group 1 were more able to manage their emotions according to their self-reports, but had increased agony and loneliness. Moreover, statistical significance was found between emotional management, negative feelings, and stress symptoms in those from group 2 who self-reported that the PwD deteriorated. This evidence was not found in group 1. Finally, there were no differences in the means of negative thoughts about the pandemic, as well as in the adaptation skills, both in dementia caregivers and in the control group, according to their self-reports. Discussion: It seems that different emotional aspects were affected in the dementia caregivers’ population, and, therefore, future psychotherapeutic interventions should focus on those most severely affected by the restrictive measures imposed.

Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic on the Mental Health of Spanish Ob-Gyn Specialists-A Nationwide Study

It has been reported that frontline health professionals have suffered from an increased rate of mental disorders as a consequence of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on the mental health of Spanish specialists in the obstetrics and gynecology fields after the fifth Spanish COVID-19 wave.

METHODS

Psychometric screening of the professionals was performed using a nationwide online survey designed by the Psychosocial Obstetrics and Gynecology taskforce. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and general anxiety disorder were screened.

RESULTS

We found high scores for PTSD, depression, and generalized anxiety disorder. Up to 12.4% of specialists met the PTSD criteria, 12.8% showed complex PTSD, 37% showed depression, and up to 37% had a positive screening for generalized anxiety disorder. Our results showed that the pandemic has particularly affected the group of female Ob-Gyn specialists, with significant higher scores in depression and anxiety scales.

CONCLUSIONS

As a lesson learned for the future in case of new health emergencies, it would be very important to provide professionals with adequate psychological support, ensuring enough human and material resources, flexible work shifts, and facilities to reconcile work and family-life, especially in the case of female specialists.

Evaluation of the mental health of health professionals in the COVID-19 era. What mental health conditions are our health care workers facing in the new wave of coronavirus?

BACKGROUND

The aims of this study were to analyse the mental health and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of a broad sample of healthcare workers (HCWs) in Spain and to identify potential factors that have a significant effect on their mental health and HRQoL.

METHOD

This prospective cohort study comprised 2089 HCWs who completed the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Impact Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and the health-related quality of life Questionnaire (EQ-5D). Sociodemographic and clinical data in relation to Covid-19 were also recorded. Descriptive statistics, univariable analysis and multivariable linear regression models were applied to identify factors associated with mental health and HRQoL.

RESULTS

80.87% of participants were female and 19.13% male; 82.38% were aged under 55 years; 39.13% were physicians and 50.17% were nurses or auxiliaries; 80.42% of the health workers have directly treated patients with Covid-19 and 12.28% have themselves tested positive for Covid-19. 38.58% of HCWs had clinical depression; over half (51.75%) had clinical anxiety; 60.4% had clinical stress; and 21.57% had clinical insomnia. Older professionals (>55 years) reported lower rates of anxiety, depression, insomnia, and stress. Having worked directly with Covid-19 patients appears to be an explanatory variable of suffering greater anxiety, depression, stress and insomnia, and of having a worse HRQoL amongst our HCWs. The group of HCWs suffering the worst mental state were nursing home workers.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study confirms that symptomatology of anxiety, depression, stress, insomnia, and HRQoL were affected amongst HCW during the Covid-19 pandemic.