COVID-19 risk management at the workplace, fear of infection and fear of transmission of infection among frontline employees

The Mediating Role of Fear of COVID-19 in the Association between COVID-19-Related Work Stressors and Subjective Well-being: Path Analysis by Cross-sectional Evidence in the Child Care Sector across Three Samples

OBJECTIVE

COVID-19 has changed work conditions and instilled fear. However, research overlooked the contributing factors to fear of COVID-19 and its impact on well-being. We addressed this research gap and focused on the essential workforce of child care.

METHODS

Three samples of early childhood professionals (ECPs) ( NT1 = 423, NT2 = 142, NT3 = 584) were gathered in Germany between June 2020 and May 2021. We tested via path analysis whether (1) fear of COVID-19 relates to well-being, (2) COVID-19-related work stressors relate to fear of COVID-19, and (3) fear of COVID-19 mediates the relationship of work stressors and well-being.

RESULTS

Findings of N T1 and N T3 lent support, while results of N T2 differed.

CONCLUSIONS

This study underlines the importance of adapting the work conditions during pandemics to reduce the fear of infection and thus preserve ECPs' well-being.

Fear of COVID-19 as a mediator within the impact of presenteeism on social loafing1

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused employees to be mentally absent at work and decreased their motivation and effort when they work collaboratively rather than individually due to the fear of transmission.

OBJECTIVES

The study aims to test the effect of fear caused by COVID-19 on levels of presenteeism and social loafing from job tasks of employees.

METHODS

Data were collected from 522 white-collar and blue-collar workers in Turkey by the snowball sampling method. Before testing the hypotheses, CFA was performed. Reliability analysis was assessed via Cronbach Alpha (FCV-19S = 0.941; PS = 0.713; SLS = 0.974), AVE (FCV-19S = 0.686; PS = 0.524; SLS = 0.725), and CR (FCV-19S = 0.734; PS = 0.722; SLS = 0.856) values. The mediating effect of fear of COVID-19 within the impact on presenteeism on social loafing was evaluated through Process Macro for SPSS. The coefficients for both direct and indirect effects were calculated in the 95% confidence interval using 5,000 bootstrap replicates.

RESULTS

The results show that presenteeism has a significant positive impact on social loafing. Fear of COVID-19 has a statistically significant impact on presenteeism and social loafing. Also, fear of COVID-19 partially mediates within the impact of presenteeism on social loafing in the study.

CONCLUSION

Organizations should consider employees' views to increase the level of well-being and productivity. A high level of inventiveness from organizations is compulsory to explore which organizational roles and workflow are at least remotely operated during this period.

University lecturers' perceived stress and self-rated health during COVID-19

BACKGROUND

In 2022, many universities transitioned from virtual learning back to in-person teaching. Significant changes in working conditions, along with COVID-19-related anxiety during the pandemic, might impact the well-being of lecturers.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to assess the perceived stress, self-rated physical and occupational health of Vietnamese lecturers in 2022 compared to the pre-pandemic levels, and to identify their associating factors.

METHOD

This is a cross-sectional study conducted in May-June 2022 through an online survey questionnaire. A sample of 425 university lecturers were included. Participants' stress levels were assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale. Participants were asked to compare their current physical and occupational health with before the pandemic. Explanatory variables included (1) COVID-19 exposure; and (2) perceptions of changes in working environment due to the pandemic. Multivariable ordinal least squared regression analyses were used to estimate the coefficient and 95% confidence intervals for the associations between COVID-19 exposure variables, work conditions, and each outcome.

RESULTS

Our findings indicated that over 60% of participants experienced moderate stress, while nearly half reported worsened physical and occupational health during the pandemic. Gender, age, perceptions of workload, workplace safety, COVID-19 infection, and incentive programs were significant factors associated with higher stress levels and worse self-rated health.

CONCLUSION

To ensure occupational safety and support lecturers as they return to in-person classes, it is crucial to provide appropriate psychological and health support services.

Factors Influencing the Healthcare Workers' Willingness to Receive the COVID-19 Booster Dose in Tuscany (Italy)

BACKGROUND

The World Health Organization has defined vaccine hesitancy as behavior influenced by several factors, including trust in the vaccine itself or its provider or the perceived need for vaccination. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors influencing the willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine among the employees and healthcare professionals of the Central Tuscany Local Health Authority (CT-LHA) in Italy.

METHODS

From July to October 2022, a cross-sectional study was conducted. An online questionnaire was administered to 7000 employees of the CT-LHA. The questionnaire analyzed the factors that influenced receiving the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The sample was stratified by gender, age, type of occupation (healthcare or non-healthcare workers), and seniority. Incomplete questionnaires were excluded. A chi-squared test was performed through STATA. The significance level was set at 95%.

RESULTS

Of the questionnaires administered, 1885 (26.9%) questionnaires were eligible for the study. In the previous vaccination campaign, the healthcare workers (HCWs) considered the vaccine used by CT-LHA as safe, in contrast to non-healthcare workers (N-HCWs), who considered it less secure (p < 0.05). The HCWs showed a higher propensity for vaccine safety to receive the booster dose than N-HCWs. N-HCWs appeared to be less affected by an updated booster dose than HCWs (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The factors studied appear to influence HCWs differently from N-HCWs. Both HCWs and N-HCWs would choose an upgraded mRNA vaccine for the booster dose.

Path of fear: Experiences of health professionals in the fight against COVID-19

This study aimed to understand the expressions of fear in the journeys of health professionals who worked in the confrontation of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), in the city of Manaus, in the Brazilian Western Amazon. This is an exploratory qualitative study that adopts interpretive description as a method to generate informed knowledge responsive to the needs of the practice. We included 56 participants, comprising 23 health managers and 33 health workers (middle and higher level) of different professional categories. The results revealed three circles of experience: (1) knowledge and professional experience in dealing with the disease (unknown-known-experienced); (2) the growing proximity to death and loss (predicted-witnessed-suffered); and (3) the involvement and proximity to whatever affects the individual, their emotions, and personal transformations in the face of the threat (the collective, the neighbor, and oneself). Our results suggest that health professionals who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic in Manaus experienced insecurity, dread, and fear, illustrating the complexity of developing their activities in the front line of care and management during the different phases of the pandemic. A contribution of the study is precisely that of capturing this complexity, which suggests the impossibility of analyzing fear only in its simple manifestation, or in each circle of experience.

The impact of COVID-19 on the mental health and well-being of ambulance care professionals: A rapid review

The COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on the health and well-being of all healthcare professionals. However, for ambulance care professionals it is unknown on which health outcomes the impact of COVID-19 is measured, and what the actual impact on these health outcomes is. Therefore, the aim of this study was to gain insight in a) which type of health outcomes were measured in relation to the impact of COVID-19 among ambulance care professionals, and b) to determine the actual impact on these outcomes. A rapid review was performed in PubMed (including MEDLINE) and APA PsycInfo (EBSCO). All types of study designs on health and well-being of ambulance care professionals were included. Selection on title an abstract was performed by pairs of two reviewers. Full text selection, data extraction and quality assessment were performed by one reviewer, with a check by a second independent reviewer. The systematic searches identified 3906 unique hits, seven articles meeting selection criteria were included. Six studies quantitatively measured distress (36,0%) and PTSD (18.5%-30.9%), anxiety (14.2%-65.6%), depression (12.4%-15.3%), insomnia (60.9%), fear of infection and transmission of infection (41%-68%), and psychological burden (49.4%-92.2%). These studies used a variety of instruments, ranging from internationally validated instruments to self-developed and unvalidated questionnaires. One study qualitatively explored coping with COVID-19 by ambulance care professionals and reported that ambulance care professionals use five different strategies to cope with the impact of COVID-19. There is limited attention for the health and well-being of ambulance care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the included number of studies and included outcomes are too limited to draw strong conclusions, our results indicate higher rates of distress, PTSD and insomnia compared to the pre-COVID-19 era. Our results urge the need to investigate the health and well-being of ambulance care professionals during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Relationship between nurses' knowledge of COVID-19, professional quality of life, and practice during the COVID-19 pandemic: A descriptive correlational study

The purpose of this study was to examine knowledge, professional quality of life, and practices among nurses during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and explore factors associated with nurses' practice. A total of 167 nurses were recruited from 4 general hospitals for this cross-sectional study, which was conducted from June to July 2021. Using SPSS/WIN 22, the collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The mean age of the participants was 31.43, and the sample comprised 144 women (86.2%) and 23 men (13.8%). The results indicated that practice was negatively correlated with burnout (r = -.18, p = .017). The regression model explained 24.1% of the variance. For general characteristics in Model 1, education on COVID-19 management (β = .18, p = .014) was the factor most associated with nurses' practice. In Model 2, with professional quality of life added, burnout (β = -.21, p = .003) was the only influential factor. These results highlight the need to establish an effective prevention system for infectious diseases such as COVID-19, including education programs pertinent to the prevention and management of infection that improve the modifiable predictors of nurses' practice-education and burnout.

Resilience as a protective factor on the quality of life (QoL) of Indian nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the quality of life of individuals around the world, including health care professionals. There has been little research that examines the role of resilience concerning the impact of COVID-19 on the quality of life of nursing students. This study aimed to determine how resilience influenced the quality of life among nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

A cross-sectional research design was adopted for this study. A total of two hundred sixty-eight nursing students from three universities, South India responded in the web-based survey. Data was collected using self-reported questionnaires in June 2021.

RESULTS

Our findings revealed that the participants' resilience was normal, which had a moderate impact on the quality of life of nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 impact on QoL significantly differed with year of education (F = 3.087; p < 0.02) and university (F = 6.697, p < 0.001). Bivariate analysis revealed significant inverse relationships between the impact of COVID-19 on quality of life with resilience (r = -0.259; p < 0.001) and perceived knowledge on COVID-19(r = -0.168; p < 0.006).

CONCLUSION

In our study, we found that resilience had a moderate impact on the quality of life of nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, it is important to promote students' resilience and improve their quality of life during stressful situations.

Schoolteachers' well-being: A pilot study from the AVATAR project during COVID-19 school closure

BACKGROUND

Teachers are a category at high risk for co-occurring mental diseases.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose was to assess well-being of schoolteachers and psychological effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

METHOD

Data were collected in April 2021, during the partial re-opening of public schools in Italy, from 838 schoolteachers who complete a battery of psychological tests on a multimedia platform.

RESULTS

In females, school closure increases anxiety (BAI, p < 0.001), depression (BDI-II, p < 0.05), stress-related insomnia (FIRST, p < 0.001), and perceived stress (PSS, p < 0.05). In males, on the contrary, rises perceived health (p < 0.001) and vitality (p < 0.001), also in terms of total score (PWBI p < 0.05). In addition, having a family member with COVID in the past month increased anxiety (BAI, p < 0.05), reduced perceived physical health (PWBI, p < 0.05) and vitality (PWBI, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The main results of this pilot study showed that female teachers had a worse well-being perception with respect to men, in terms of health and vitality and an increase in negative emotional reactivity, that impaired when a family member was affected by COVID. The results emphasize the need to invest in prevention and wellness promotion programs in this professional category.

Delay in seeking health care from community residents during a time with low prevalence of COVID-19: A cross-sectional national survey in China

Background

The pandemic of COVID-19 has significant implications on health resources allocation and health care delivery. Patients with non-COVID illness may have to change their care seeking behaviors to mitigate the risk of infections. The research aimed to investigate potential delay of community residents in seeking health care at a time with an overall low prevalence of COVID-19 in China.

Methods

An online survey was conducted in March 2021 on a random sample drawn from the registered survey participants of the survey platform Wenjuanxing. The respondents who reported a need for health care over the past month (n = 1,317) were asked to report their health care experiences and concerns. Logistic regression models were established to identify predictors of the delay in seeking health care. The selection of independent variables was guided by the Andersen's service utilization model. All data analyses were performed using SPSS 23.0. A two-sided p value of <0.05 was considered as statistically significant.

Key results

About 31.4% of respondents reported delay in seeking health care, with fear of infection (53.5%) as a top reason. Middle (31-59 years) age (AOR = 1.535; 95% CI, 1.132 to 2.246), lower levels of perceived controllability of COVID-19 (AOR = 1.591; 95% CI 1.187 to 2.131), living with chronic conditions (AOR = 2.008; 95% CI 1.544 to 2.611), pregnancy or co-habiting with a pregnant woman (AOR = 2.115; 95% CI 1.154 to 3.874), access to Internet-based medical care (AOR = 2.529; 95% CI 1.960 to 3.265), and higher risk level of the region (AOR = 1.736; 95% CI 1.307 to 2.334) were significant predictors of the delay in seeking health care after adjustment for variations of other variables. Medical consultations (38.7%), emergency treatment (18.2%), and obtainment of medicines (16.5%) were the top three types of delayed care, while eye, nose, and throat diseases (23.2%) and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (20.8%) were the top two conditions relating to the delayed care. Self-treatment at home was the most likely coping strategy (34.9%), followed by Internet-based medical care (29.2%) and family/friend help (24.0%).

Conclusions

Delay in seeking health care remained at a relatively high level when the number of new COVID-19 cases was low, which may present a serious health risk to the patients, in particular those living with chronic conditions who need continuous medical care. Fear of infection is the top reason for the delay. The delay is also associated with access to Internet-based medical care, living in a high risk region, and perceived low controllability of COVID-19.

Synthesis of Evidence to Support EMS Personnel's Mental Health During Disease Outbreaks: A Scoping Review

Emergency medical services (EMS) personnel are at high risk for adverse mental health outcomes during disease outbreaks. To support the development of evidence-informed mitigation strategies, we conducted a scoping review to identify the extent of research pertaining to EMS personnel's mental health during disease outbreaks and summarized key factors associated with mental health outcomes. We systematically searched three databases for articles containing keywords within three concepts: EMS personnel, disease outbreaks, and mental health. We screened and retained original peer-reviewed articles that discussed, in English, EMS personnel's mental health during disease outbreaks. Where inferential statistics were reported, the associations between individual and work-related factors and mental health outcomes were synthesized. Twenty-five articles were eligible for data extraction. Our findings suggest that many of the contributing factors for adverse mental health outcomes are related to inadequacies in fulfilling EMS personnel's basic safety and informational needs. In preparation for future disease outbreaks, resources should be prioritized toward ensuring adequate provisions of personal protective equipment and infection prevention and control training. This scoping review serves as a launching pad for further research and intervention development.

The relationship between nurses' risk assessment and management, fear perception, and mental wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia

During this pandemic, it is crucial to implement early interventions to help nurses manage their mental wellbeing by providing them with information regarding coping skills, preventive risk assessment approaches (such as hospital preparedness and rapid risk assessment), and the ability to respond. This study evaluated the effect of fear and risk assessment management on nurses' mental wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. A total of 507 nurses who worked in tertiary public hospitals were asked to take a descriptive design survey. Three survey scales were used to assess the survey: the Risk Assessment Scale, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale. Independent t-tests and a one-way ANOVA were used to examine the association between fear of COVID-19 and nurses' demographic characteristics on their mental wellbeing. A multiple regression analysis was performed to examine the predictors associated with mental wellbeing. Findings revealed that almost half of the participants showed moderate positive mental wellbeing, 49.7%, while only 14% had low levels of fear on the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well being Scale. Most of the respondents had low levels of fear on the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, 45%, while only 15% had high levels of fear on the scale. Then, some demographic variables, such as "age," "nationality," "total years of experience in the current hospital," and "region you work at" had statistically significant differences with p < 0.5. Meanwhile, risk assessment is also associated with mental wellbeing scores. All items on the Fear of COVID-19 Scale showed no significant difference with a P > 0.05. In conclusion, most nurses providing direct patient care to a patient with COVID-19 emphasized the importance of wearing PPE and performing hand hygiene before and after any clean or aseptic procedure. Meanwhile, although almost all nurses were vaccinated, they were still afraid of a COVID-19 infection. Additionally, the results reported that the older the nurses are, the better their mental wellbeing scores. Non-Saudi nurses had higher perceived mental wellbeing scores than Saudi nurses, and different working environments corresponded to different mental wellbeing scores. Finally, nurses' risk assessment was associated with mental wellbeing scores.

How Risk Management During COVID-19 Influences Eldercare Personnel's Perceptions of Their Work Environment

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between workplace COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) risk management and eldercare workers' perception of their social environment at work.

METHODS

Cross-sectional questionnaire data from 952 participants were collected by the Danish labor union, FOA, and analyzed using multinomial logistic regression.

RESULTS

Unclear guidelines, insecurity regarding organization of work, lack of attention to vulnerable employees, and lack of instruction in the use of personal protective equipment were associated with perceived negative changes in the social environment at work. Also, higher local incidence rates of SARS-CoV-2 infections were associated with a weaker sense of community (odds ratio, 1.18; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.36).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that risk management is important not only for prevention of infection but also for individual and workplace resilience toward external demands and health threats.

SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and infection rate in Manila, Philippines prior to national vaccination program implementation: a repeated cross-sectional analysis

Background

SARS-CoV-2 seroepidemiological studies are used to guide public health decision making and to prepare for emerging infectious diseases. Disease occurrence estimates are limited in the Philippines, the country with the highest reported number of coronavirus disease-related deaths in the Western Pacific region. We aimed to estimate SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence and infection rate among outpatient clinic attendees in Metro Manila prior to the implementation of the national coronavirus disease vaccination program.

Methods

We conducted repeated cross-sectional surveys at the animal bite clinic in San Lazaro Hospital, Manila, the Philippines across four periods, 3 months apart, between May 2020 and March 2021. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess associations between different characteristics and infection status including seropositivity.

Results

In total 615 participants were enrolled, ranging from 115 to 174 per period. Seroprevalence quadrupled between the first (11.3%) and second (46.8%) periods and plateaued thereafter (third—46.0%, fourth—44.6%). Among seropositive participants, total antibody concentration was comparable throughout the first to third periods but declined between the third and fourth periods. Infection prevalence was comparable across enrollment periods (range 2.9–9.5%). Post-secondary education [aOR 0.42 (95% CI 0.26, 0.67)] was protective, and frontline work [aOR 1.81 (95% CI 1.18, 2.80)] was associated with increased odds of seropositivity. Frontline work status [aOR 2.27 (95% CI 1.10, 4.75)] and large household size [aOR 2.45 (95% CI 1.18, 5.49)] were associated with increased odds of infection.

Conclusions

The quadrupling of seroprevalence over 3 months between the first and second enrollment periods coincided with the high burden of infection in Metro Manila in early 2020. Our findings suggest a limit to the rise and potential decline of population-level SARS-CoV-2 infection-induced immunity without introduction of vaccines. These results may add to our understanding of how immunity develops against emerging infectious diseases including coronaviruses.

Saliva testing among teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic: Effects on health concerns, well-being, and precautionary behavior

RATIONALE

At the start of 2021, several SARS-CoV-2 cluster outbreaks in schools threatened in-person education and created a fairly chaotic and frightening environment for school personnel. To keep the schools open while preventing COVID-19 outbreaks, intensive diagnostic testing in teachers and school personnel was strongly recommended but missing at the time.

OBJECTIVES

A project was launched in Belgian schools to weekly analyze the morning saliva of school personnel using PCR-testing to detect and prevent COVID-19 positive cases. In this quasi-experimental study, we aimed to examine whether the implementation of this saliva testing project impacted school personnel's pandemic-related health concerns, well-being, and adherence to the health-protective measures, contrasting experimental with control schools.

METHODS

The data were collected during the third wave (Alpha-wave, February-March 2021) of the pandemic. The sample consisted of 435 participants from 34 different schools across Flanders (Belgium) (78.8% female; M age = 43.87 years, range = 21-67) of which 82% participated in the weekly saliva tests (i.e., experimental group) and 18% took part in the control group.

RESULTS

Results from a series of linear mixed regression models showed that saliva testing buffered against an increase in health concerns among tested school personnel but did not affect participants' general well-being. Slight declines in adherence to the health-protective behaviors were observed, yet this was only the case for participants who felt less supported by their school principal. High degrees of principals' support also fostered the sharpest decreases in school staff's pandemic-related health concerns.

CONCLUSIONS

When keeping the schools open in unstable pandemic times, weekly saliva testing is a promising strategy to prevent cluster outbreaks while simultaneously safeguarding health concerns among school personnel. School principals appear to play a critical role in the implementation of saliva testing to secure positive effects.

The influence of pandemic-related workplace safety practices on frontline service employee wellbeing outcomes

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of frontline employee (FLEs) to infections and other hazards and highlighted the importance of workplace safety practices (WSP) for service organizations. In response to the critical issue of service safety, we developed and empirically tested a model proposing that WSPs negatively influence FLE perceptions of pandemic related threats and positively influence their perceptions of organizational supportiveness (POS). In turn, these perceptions have time-lagged effects on two aspects of FLE wellbeing-reduced emotional exhaustion and increased work engagement. Utilizing data from a two-wave (separated by a month) survey panel consisting of 310 FLEs across the United States, we found evidence for all hypothesized relationships. We discuss the practical and theoretical implications of our findings and provide suggestions for future research on service safety on the organizational frontlines.

General psychiatric symptoms among Bangladeshi people approximately one year after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has had negative physical and mental impacts on people globally. The current study examined general psychiatric symptoms (fear, anxiety, depression, and insomnia) and loneliness, and their interrelationships and correlates among Bangladeshi individuals approximately 1 year after the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak.

METHODS

An internet-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1004 Bangladeshi people (51.8% male; mean age: 25.41 ± 7.80; age range: 18-60 years). Data were collected using a semi-structured e-questionnaire including informed consent, socio-demographics, lifestyle measures, and psychometric tools assessing loneliness, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and fear of COVID-19.

RESULTS

Sizeable participants screened positive for loneliness (63.5%), anxiety (26.3%), depression (46.4%), and insomnia (50.7%). Considerable numbers of respondents also reported fear of COVID-19. In hierarchical regression analyses, loneliness, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and fear of COVID-19 were associated with socio-demographic and lifestyle factors. Loneliness, anxiety, depression, insomnia, and fear of COVID-19 were positively correlated with each other (p < 0.001). In exploratory path analyses, anxiety, depression, and insomnia mediated the relationship between loneliness and fear of COVID-19.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicate that many people in Bangladesh have experienced psychiatric concerns approximately 1 year after the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak. Investigation into empirically supported interventions and their implementation is needed.

The Impact of Working from Home on Mental Health: A Cross-Sectional Study of Canadian Worker's Mental Health during the Third Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen a considerable expansion in the way work settings are structured, with a continuum emerging between working fully in-person and from home. The pandemic has also exacerbated many risk factors for poor mental health in the workplace, especially in public-facing jobs. Therefore, we sought to test the potential relationship between work setting and self-rated mental health. To do so, we modeled the association of work setting (only working from home, only in-person, hybrid) on self-rated mental health (Excellent/Very Good/Good vs. Fair/Poor) in an online survey of Canadian workers during the third wave of COVID-19. The mediating effects of vaccination, masking, and distancing were explored due to the potential effect of COVID-19-related stress on mental health among those working in-person. Among 1576 workers, most reported hybrid work (77.2%). Most also reported good self-rated mental health (80.7%). Exclusive work from home (aOR: 2.79, 95%CI: 1.90, 4.07) and exclusive in-person work (aOR: 2.79, 95%CI: 1.83, 4.26) were associated with poorer self-rated mental health than hybrid work. Vaccine status mediated only a small proportion of this relationship (7%), while masking and physical distancing were not mediators. We conclude that hybrid work arrangements were associated with positive self-rated mental health. Compliance with vaccination, masking, and distancing recommendations did not meaningfully mediate this relationship.

Bringing risk back in: managers' prioritization of the work environment during the pandemic

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to investigate managers' experiences of managing work environment and risks during the Covid-19 pandemic and to explore how managers might use these experiences to develop future risk management.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 18 Swedish managers at different hierarchical levels working in 11 different organizations. A directed content analysis was carried out, informed by theory on risk management.

Findings

The results point to the pandemic as a societal crisis which workplaces needed to manage through large means of improvisation. Regular work environment routines were put to the test, and several deficiencies in the work environment and risk management were identified. Organizations that handle occupational safety and risks on a daily basis through established routines were less affected and could easier adjust work environment and risk management, compared to organizations prioritizing the social and organizational work environment, which had to re-prioritize and start paying more attention to the physical work environment and to bring risk management into their daily routines.

Originality/value

The study offers an account of how managers in different labor market sectors in Sweden have acted in the midst of the pandemic by handling real-time crises, how these experiences can be used for engaging in retrospective learning and how this may imply changes to their prospective risk management.

COVID-19 countermeasures at the workplace, psychological well-being, and mental health - a nationally representative latent class analysis of Luxembourgish employees

The COVID-19 pandemic has massively changed people's working lives all over the world. While various studies investigated the effects from pandemic-induced unemployment and telecommuting, there is a lack of research regarding the impact of workplace COVID-19 countermeasures on well-being and mental health for employees who are still working on site. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of workplace COVID-19 countermeasures in organizations in Luxembourg. A person-centered approach was applied in order to explore how employees' psychological well-being and health (i.e., general psychological well-being, vigor, work satisfaction, work-related burnout, somatic complaints, fear of COVID-19 infection) are impacted by organizational countermeasures and whether there are certain employee groups that are less protected by these. Results of a latent class analysis revealed four different classes (Low level of countermeasures, Medium level of countermeasures, High level of countermeasures, High level of countermeasures low distance). Employees working in a healthcare setting were more likely than employees working in a non-healthcare setting to be members of the High level of countermeasures low distance class. Class membership was meaningfully associated with all well-being outcomes. Members of the High level of countermeasures class showed the highest level of well-being, whereas Members of the Low level of countermeasures class and the High level of countermeasures low distance class showed the lowest level of well-being. Policy makers and organizations are recommended to increase the level of COVID-19 countermeasures as an adjunctive strategy to prevent and mitigate adverse mental health and well-being outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-022-03377-4.

SARS-CoV-2 surveillance strategy in essential workers of the Madrid City Council during the first epidemic wave in Spain, March-July 2020

OBJECTIVES

To study prevalence of infection in essential workers of Madrid City Council by occupation, related characteristics, use of protective devices, risk perception, and main concerns about COVID-19 during lockdown.

METHODS

A total of 30 231 workers were PCR tested for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Information was collected on COVID-19-related symptoms, risk factors, preventive equipment, and risk perception. The crude prevalence was calculated for infection, use of protective devices, perceived risk and main concerns. Additionally, adjusted prevalence and prevalence ratios (PR) were estimated for these variables using logistic regression models with age, gender, occupation, epidemiological week and laboratory as confounding factors.

RESULTS

Overall prevalence of infection was 3.2% (95% CI 3.0% to 3.4%), being higher among policemen (4.4%) and bus drivers (4.2%), but lower among emergency healthcare personnel, firefighters, food market workers and burial services (<2%). Lower excess risk was observed in workers reporting occupational contact with COVID-19 cases only (PR=1.42; 95% CI 1.18 to 1.71) compared with household exposure only (PR=2.75; 95% CI 2.32 to 3.25). Infection was more frequent in symptomatic workers (PR=1.28; 95% CI 1.11 to 1.48), although 42% of detected infections were asymptomatic. Use of facial masks (78.7%) and disinfectants (86.3%) was common and associated with lower infection prevalence (PRmasks=0.68; 95% CI 0.58 to 0.79; PRdisinfectants=0.75; 95% CI 0.61 to 0.91). Over 50% of workers felt being at high risk of infection and worried about infecting others, yet only 2% considered quitting their work.

CONCLUSIONS

This surveillance system allowed for detecting and isolating SARS-CoV-2 cases among essential workers, identifying characteristics related to infection and use of protective devices, and revealing specific needs for work-safety information and psychological support.

Role of COVID-19 Anxiety and Community Risk Factors on Physical Distancing Practice

Existing studies have focused primarily on self-oriented anxiety (i.e., anxiety over one’s infection) in the pandemic context, and the role of community risk is largely ignored. This study addressed these gaps by examining (a) self-oriented anxiety and two forms of others-oriented anxiety (i.e., anxiety concerning others’ health and societal problems), (b) the associations between all these forms of anxiety and physical distancing practice during the COVID-19 pandemic, and (c) the hypothesized moderating role of community risk factors. The participants were 703 U.S. community-dwelling adults who completed an online survey. Geo-identifier data were extracted to identify the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and four social vulnerability indexes for the county in which each participant resided. Both forms of others-oriented anxiety were positively associated with physical distancing adoption, and the association was stronger among the participants residing in lower-risk communities (i.e., fewer confirmed COVID-19 cases, higher socioeconomic status, and better housing conditions). The study’s novel findings reveal the protective role of anxiety, particularly anxiety concerning others’ well-being, in encouraging people to adopt physical distancing during a pandemic. However, the protective role of anxiety is contingent upon certain community risk factors. Anxiety is more beneficial to residents of low- rather than high-risk communities.

The Impact of the Implementation of Preventive Measures Due to COVID-19 on Work Design and Early Childhood Professionals' Well-Being-A Qualitative Study

The reopening of child-care programs during COVID-19 demanded comprehensive preventive measures. Research to date has overlooked this reopening process as well as early childhood professionals’ (ECPs) implementation efforts and resulting changes in their work practices and well-being. As a result, this study sought insights into (1) the practical implementation of measures, (2) perceptions and evaluations of measures, (3) changes in work characteristics, and (4) its impact on well-being. Qualitative interviews were conducted with German child-care managers (N = 27) between June and August 2020. The semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and content-analyzed using MAXQDA. ECPs, through a combination of high effort and engagement, ensured the feasibility of most preventive measures. This included practices which were perceived to be unreasonable or ones which were stricter than practices required for the public. This exacerbated the critical work characteristics (e.g., high workload, overtime, and multitasking) from pre-pandemic scenarios and led to new work demands (e.g., changes in work content and social interactions). ECPs maintained intensive work demands and consequently suffered from broad strain outcomes (e.g., worry, exhaustion, anger, fear of infection, and reduced psychological sense of community). This study highlights the adverse psychosocial work environment of ECPs despite the necessity of ensuring health and safety at work.

Health impact of work stressors and psychosocial perceptions among French hospital workers during the COVID-19 outbreak: a cross-sectional survey

OBJECTIVE

To compare global health, mental health impact of work stressors and psychosocial perception of healthcare workers (HCWs) and non-HCWs in a hospital after the first peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in France.

METHODS

A validated version of the SATIN (Santé Au Travail Inrs université Nancy 2)questionnaire with adapted scoring was used to collect data on health and impact of work stressors. This questionnaire was sent to all workers at a hospital in July 2020 and was self-administered online. In a multinomial regression model, we included HCW status, age, gender and front-line worker status as covariates.

RESULTS

Data from a total of 1405 participants were included. We found that being an HCW, male and front-line worker was a risk factor for negative perception of work demand (OR 7.35, 95% CI 4.2 to 11.47; OR 2.55, 95% CI 1.11 to 5.89; OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.04 to 3.06). Being an HCW was a predictive factor for stress (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.04 to 2.08), poor global health (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.14 to 2.55) and negative perception of work activity environment (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.3 to 2.8).

CONCLUSION

We have shown that all HCWs suffered from some health impact shortly after the first peak of the COVID-19 outbreak. We underline some stressors with high impact, including work demand, work abilities and organisational context, and emphasise the need for risk management.

Predictors of quality of life of nursing internship students from five Saudi universities

Objectives

This study investigated the quality of life (QoL) of nursing internship students (NISs) and the predictive variables for the QoL of NISs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The correlates of QoL of NISs with their gender, age, prior nursing experience, and grade point average (GPA) from the previous semester are also assessed.

Methods

This study used a quantitative cross-sectional design through an electronic survey form for the collection of required data. The 22-item Quality of Life Evaluation Scale (QOLES) was adopted as the survey instrument. A total of 283 NISs from five public universities in KSA completed the survey.

Results

The students' age, gender, and nursing-related experience prior to their internship were all found to be significantly associated with the overall QOLES score (p values of 0.001, 0.001, and 0.01, respectively). The NISs GPA was found to be marginally significant (p = 0.08). A significant difference was identified in the overall QOLES score based on age (p = 0.02), gender (p = 0.02), and GPA (p = <0.001). Finally, as estimated by the regression analysis, only age (p = 0.002) was found to be a significant predictor of NISs’ QoL.

Conclusion

In this study, the QoL of Saudi NISs was positively correlated with their age and gender. Male NISs had greater QoL than females, while a high QoL was observed among students with high GPAs before the internship year. Only the age of the NISs was found to be a reliable predictor of QoL.

The effect of COVID-19 on schoolteachers' emotional reactions and mental health: longitudinal results from the CLASS study

Purpose

We investigated schoolteachers’ emotional reactions to COVID-19 and mental health during three phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. We further analyzed if teachers, who belonged to a COVID-19 risk group, had more emotional reactions and poorer mental health than “non-risk” groups.

Methods

We collected questionnaire data in May, June, and November–December 2020 and used data from 2665 teachers at public schools (871 individuals participated in all three surveys). Participants reported their fear of infection, fear of transmission of infection to their home or pupils, perceived burnout and stress, and worries about their ability to manage the working conditions. We included information about COVID-19 risk group status, gender, age, organization of teaching (physical presence or remote teaching), and the pupils’ grade. We estimated prevalence ratios and took repeated measures into account.

Results

Emotional reactions and poor mental health increased significantly with 27–84% from May to November–December 2020. Teachers, who were particularly vulnerable to the adverse consequences of COVID-19, had the highest prevalence of fear of infection and poor mental health.

Conclusion

Teachers play a crucial role in a society’s response to a pandemic. Yet, the dual role of teaching and virus control along with concerns regarding the health consequences of an infection may contribute to the observed increase in emotional reactions to COVID-19 and poor mental health.

Towards Designs of Workplace Stress Management Mobile Apps for Frontline Health Workers during COVID-19 and Beyond: A Qualitative Study

Background

In recent years, mobile apps have been developed to prevent burnout, promote anxiety management, and provide health education to workers in various workplace settings. However, there remains a paucity of such apps for frontline health workers (FHWs), even though FHWs are the most susceptible to stress due to the nature of their jobs.

Objective

The goal of this study was to provide suggestions for designing stress management apps to address workplace stressors of FHWs based on the understanding of their needs from FHWs’ own perspectives and theories of stress.

Methods

A mixed methods qualitative study was conducted. Using a variety of search strings, we first collected 41 relevant web-based news articles published between December 2019 and May 2020 through the Google search engine. We then conducted a cross-sectional survey with 20 FHWs. Two researchers independently conducted qualitative analysis of all the collected data using a deductive followed by an inductive approach.

Results

Prevailing uncertainty and fear of contracting the infection was causing stress among FHWs. Moral injury associated with seeing patients die from lack of care and lack of experience in handling various circumstances were other sources of stress. FHWs mentioned 4 coping strategies. Quick coping strategies such as walking away from stressful situations, entertainment, and exercise were the most common ways to mitigate the impact of stress at work. Peer support and counseling services were other popular methods. Building resilience and driving oneself forward using internal motivation were also meaningful ways of overcoming stressful situations. Time constraints and limited management support prevented FHWs from engaging in stress management activities.

Conclusions

Our study identified stressors, coping strategies, and challenges with applying coping strategies that can guide the design of stress management apps for FHWs. Given that the pandemic is ongoing and health care crises continue, FHWs remain a vulnerable population in need of attention.

Tracking aspects of healthcare activity during the first nine months of COVID-19 in Ireland: a secondary analysis of publicly available data

Background: Sláintecare aims to introduce universal healthcare in Ireland. The COVID-19 pandemic poses both challenges and opportunities to this process. This study explored the impact of COVID-19 on aspects of Irish healthcare during the first nine months of the pandemic and considers the implications for Sláintecare implementation. Methods: Secondary analysis was undertaken on publicly available data on three key domains of the Irish healthcare system: primary care, community-based allied healthcare, and hospitals. Descriptive statistics were computed using Microsoft Excel 2016. Results: Up to March 2021, 3.76 million COVID-19 tests were performed by Ireland’s public healthcare system, 2.48 million (66.0%) of which were referred from the community. General practitioners delivered 2.31 million telephone triages of COVID-19 symptoms, peaking in December 2020 when 416,607 consultations occurred. Patient numbers across eight allied healthcare specialties fell by 35.1% versus previous years, with the greatest reductions seen in speech and language therapy (49.0%) and audiology (46.1%). Hospital waiting lists increased from 729,937 to 869,676 (or by 19.1%) from January 2019 to January 2021. In January 2021, 629,919 patients awaited a first outpatient clinic appointment, with 170,983 (27.1%) waiting longer than 18 months. The largest outpatient lists were observed in orthopaedic surgery (n=77,257); ear, nose and throat surgery (n=68,073); and ophthalmology (n=47,075). The proportion of patients waiting more than 12 months for a day-case gastrointestinal endoscopy rose from 6.0% in January 2020 to 19.0% in January 2021. Conclusions: Healthcare activity has been significantly disrupted by COVID-19, leading to increased wait times and greater barriers to healthcare access during the pandemic. Yet, Ireland’s health system responses also revealed strong willingness and ability to adapt and to implement novel solutions for healthcare delivery, rapidly and at scale. This has demonstrated what is achievable under Sláintecare and provides a unique opportunity to ‘build back better’ towards sustainable recovery.

Worries About COVID-19 Infection and Psychological Distress at Work and While Commuting

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the relationship between worry about COVID-19 infection in the workplace and while commuting to work and psychological distress in Japan.

METHODS

An internet monitor study was conducted. Out of a total of 33,302 participants, 26,841 people were included. The subjects were asked single-item questions about whether they were worried about COVID-19 infection in general, at work and while commuting to work. K6 was used to assess psychological distress.

RESULTS

The OR was significantly higher in association with worry about infection in the workplace at 1.71 (95%CI 1.53 to 1.92) and worry about infection while commuting at 1.49 (95%CI 1.32 to 1.67).

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests the need for psychological intervention to reduce worry about infection in response to public mental health challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Early Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Health Facilities and Psychiatric Professionals

(1) Background: While in many countries, the psychiatric and mental health sectors had been in crisis for years, the onset of a novel coronavirus pandemic impacted their structures, organizations, and professionals worldwide. (2) Methods: To document the early impacts of the COVID-19 health crisis on psychiatry and mental health sectors, a systematic review of the international literature published in 2020 was conducted in PubMed (MEDLINE), Cairn.info, and SantéPsy (Ascodocpsy) databases. (3) Results: After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 72 articles from scientific journals were selected, including papers documenting the early impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the organization of psychiatric care delivery, work processes in psychiatry and mental health units, and personal experiences of mental health professionals. This review identified the contributions aimed at preventing the onset of mental disorders in the early stages of the health crisis. It lists the organizational changes that have been implemented in the first place to ensure continuity of psychiatric care while reducing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. It questions the evolution of the rights and duties of mental health professionals in the first months of the pandemic. (4) Discussion and conclusions: Although this literature review exclusively documented the early impacts of the COVID-19 health crisis, it is of significant interest, as it pictures the unprecedent situation in which psychiatry and mental health care professionals found themselves in the first stages of the pandemic. This work is a preliminary step of a study to be conducted with mental health professionals on an international scale—the Psy-GIPO2C project—based on more than 15 group interviews, 30 individual interviews, and 2000 questionnaires. The final aim of this study is to formulate concrete recommendations for decision-makers to improve work in psychiatry and mental health.

A pre/post analysis of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychosocial work environment and recovery among healthcare workers in a large university hospital in Sweden

BACKGROUND

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on workload, mental health, and well-being of healthcare workers, and particularly those on the front-line, has received considerable attention.

DESIGN AND METHODS

We surveyed hospital employees about their working environment during the pandemic and identified departments which were negatively affected in comparison to the pre-pandemic situation, as well as factors contributing to this. Setting and participants We surveyed all hospital employees at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Sweden in September 2020 and compared results across departments and to the results of a large employee survey from October 2019.

RESULTS

The overall impact of the pandemic on perceived working conditions and possibility for recovery differed among departments. During the pandemic, healthcare workers working with COVID-19 patients reported poorer working environments than other employees. Factors significantly related to perception of work environment and recovery during the pandemic included worries of being infected, departmental transfer, and having insufficient access to personal protective equipment. Men reported better working conditions than women in all, but one item and higher age was related to better perceived working environment.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that the pandemic differentially affects hospital departments and underscores the multifactorial nature of this topic. Contributing factors to poor perceived working environment could be addressed at times of high workload, such as during the pandemic, including providing appropriate support to managers, ensuring possibility for recovery during working hours, and acknowledging worries about infection. Young healthcare workers and staff who are relocated due to the pandemic warrant special attention.

Frequency of Workplace Controls and Associations With Safety Perceptions Among a National Sample of US Food Retail Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

OBJECTIVES

Explore workplace control frequencies and factors associated with US food retail workers' safety perceptions during COVID-19.

METHODS

An online, cross-sectional survey captured working conditions and safety perceptions among a large, national sample of US food retail workers from July to October 2020.

RESULTS

Overall, 40.3% reported feeling "not so" or "not protected" by COVID-19 controls. Administrative controls were more commonly reported (56.8% reported ≥5 controls) than engineering (19.5% reported ≥3). Fomite-related controls were more common than those reducing interpersonal contact. After adjustment, organizational safety climate (prevalence ratio (PR): 1.53, 95% CI: 1.24, 1.89), and perceived strict prevention measure enforcement (PR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.46, 0.78) were associated with safety perceptions.

CONCLUSIONS

Many workers do not feel well-protected by COVID-19 controls. Safety climate and control enforcement are associated with workers' COVID-19 safety perceptions.

Psychosocial Aspects During the First Wave of COVID-19 Infection in South Africa

Background: In South Africa, as in many countries, the nationwide spread of COVID-19 caused a public health emergency that resulted in the government implementing necessary restrictive measures such as the nationwide lockdown as a way of containing the pandemic. Such restrictive measure, while necessary, can disrupt many aspects of people's lives resulting in unprecedented psychosocial distress. Aim: The present study aims to describe the psychosocial health and situational factors associated with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in South Africa during the first wave of infection. Methods: This cross-sectional survey, recruited a total of 203 participants through convenience sampling via online platforms-WhatsApp, Facebook, emails, etc.-during COVID-19 lockdown in the country. Through the snowball technique, participants from across South Africa completed the online survey that assessed socio-demographic information, risk perception, history of mental health, COVID-19-related stress, and fears during the lockdown (first wave). Results: The majority of the participants who completed the survey were young, Black African, and female. Participants reported feelings of stress and anxiety (61.2%); stress about finances (39.5%); and feelings of sadness, anger, and/or frustration (31.6%) during the lockdown. Females compared to males were more likely to perceive COVID-19 as a risk to their household,X ( 20 ) 2 = 45,844, p < 0.001 and community,X ( 20 ) 2 = 40,047, p = 0.005. COVID-19 differentially impacted the mental health of participants with and without mental health diagnosis,X ( 4 ) 2 = 16.596, p = 0.002. Participants with a prior mental health diagnosis reported significant extra stress during lockdown (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The findings may be of significance to assist in the development of targeted psychosocial interventions to help people during and after the pandemic.

Humanist algorithms for COVID-19 vaccines' distribution and its impact on business economics in the post-pandemic future

As the world is fighting against the continuous spread of the COVID-Sars-2 virus and the consequences the pandemic has brought about on economic, political and societal levels, the emergence of the vaccination programs seems to be the biggest hope for a quick return to, popularly called, the “new normal”.

As it is not feasible to vaccinate at the same time the whole population, the states, provinces and cities had arranged – though, admittedly, taking into consideration limited numbers of criteria - homogenous groups of citizens, who, labelled as “risk groups”, have been chosen as those who will be receiving the vaccination before others, adding to the already existing feelings of chaos and shortage.

We want to address the issue that despite the access to the expertise and knowledge of intradisciplinary committees, we still do not have a satisfactory answer regarding the further steps for the vaccination programs. We believe it is due to the persistence of the binary way of reasoning, with its tendency to overlook the complexity of the issue and emphasize objectivity while neglecting the subjective factors that cannot be easily quantified.

For that very reason, we propose the application of the theories of uncertainty with the support of the fuzzy subset theory, which will result in the creation of the humanist algorithms of clustering of populations, allotment of different kinds of vaccine for diverse persons in the groups and, finally, ranking for the priority of vaccination. This approach will allow designing a vaccination model to that will allow to maintain, to the highest possible level, the principles of ethics, morale and solidarity, and efficiency and effectiveness.