Key predictors of psychological distress and wellbeing in Australian frontline healthcare workers during COVID-19 (Omicron wave)

Symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder and their relationship with the fear of COVID-19 and COVID-19 burden among health care workers after the full liberalization of COVID-19 prevention and control policy in China: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Over the past three years, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought an overwhelming impact on China's hospital system and health care workers, which can lead to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Previous research has shown that the COVID-19 pandemic had long-term adverse effects on the mental health of health care workers. Indeed, PTSD symptoms have emerged as one of the significant mental health issues for health care workers arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, we conducted this cross-sectional survey to investigate the prevalence of PTSD symptoms in health care workers and its relationship with the fear of COVID-19 and the COVID-19 burden after the full liberalization of COVID-19 prevention and control policy in China.

METHODS

This study was conducted three years after the global COVID-19 pandemic (January 15 to January 16, 2023). This study was conducted via the Wenjuanxing platform and used the Chinese versions of the scales PC-PTSD-5, COVID-19 Anxiety Scale (FCV-19S), Social Support Scale, COVID-19 Stress Scale, GAD-2, and PHQ-2.

RESULTS

The prevalence of PTSD symptoms in health care workers was 24.3% (232/955). depression(P < 0.001), anxiety(P < 0.05), the fear of COVID-19(P < 0.001), and COVID-19 burden(P < 0.001) were highly correlated with PTSD symptoms in health care workers. Social support(P < 0.05) was a protective factor of PTSD symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

This survey shows that PTSD symptoms were highly prevalent among Chinese health care workers after the COVID-19 pandemic. Governments and leaders of medical institutions should, through psychological interventions, address the current situation of PTSD symptoms among health care workers and develop targeted programs and strategies to reduce their psychological problems.

Vicarious Racism, Direct Racism, and Mental Health Among Racialized Minority Healthcare Workers

BACKGROUND

Racism-related stress is a root cause of racial and ethnic disparities in mental health outcomes. An individual may be exposed to racism directly or vicariously by hearing about or observing people of the same racial and/or ethnic group experience racism. Although the healthcare setting is a venue by which healthcare workers experience both direct and vicarious racism, few studies have assessed the associations between direct and vicarious racism and mental health outcomes among healthcare workers.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the relationships between direct and vicarious racism and symptoms of posttraumatic stress, depression, and anxiety among healthcare workers in the USA in 2022.

RESULTS

Our sample consisted of 259 healthcare workers identifying as a racialized minority, including 68 (26.3%) who identified as mixed-race, 61 (23.6%) East Asian, 36 (13.9%) Black, 33 (12.7%) South Asian, 22 (8.5%) Southeast Asian, 21 (8.1%) Middle Eastern/North African, and 18 (6.9%) another race. The mean age was 37.9 years (SD 10.1). In multivariable linear regression models that adjusted for demographics, work stressors, and social stressors, we found that increased reporting of vicarious racism was associated with greater symptoms of anxiety (B = 0.066, standard error = 0.034, p = .049). We did not identify significant relationships between vicarious and direct racism and symptoms of posttraumatic stress or depression in the fully adjusted models.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings should be considered by academic health systems to mitigate the negative impact of racism on healthcare workers' mental health.