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van der Feltz-Cornelis CM, Sweetman J, Lee W, Doherty AM, Dineen P, Meinlschmidt G, Vitinius F, Fazekas C, Huber CG, Schaefert R, Stein B. Determinants of workload-related clinician stress levels in general hospital consultation liaison psychiatry services during the COVID-19 pandemic in England and Ireland. Short report. J Psychosom Res 2024; 177:111584. [PMID: 38181547 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2023.111584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore workload-related stress levels experienced by consultation liaison psychiatry (CLP) staff in England and Ireland, and factors relevant to such a burden, during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS Data were obtained for England and Ireland from a European survey among CLP services in general hospitals spread via CLP networks (11th June - 3rd October 2021). The heads of respective CLP services in general hospitals responded on behalf of each service, on 100 CLP hospital staff in total. DEPENDENT VARIABLE workload-related stress levels in CLP services due to COVID-19 (0-10 point scale). INDEPENDENT VARIABLES hospital size, CLP service size, degree of hospital involvement in COVID-19-related care, and the number of support options available to hospital staff. Spearman's rho correlation analyses were performed. RESULTS There was a significant association between the hospital's involvement in COVID-19-related care and workload-related stress levels as reported by CLP staff: r(22) = 0.41, p = 0.045, R2 = 0.17. There were no significant associations between workload-related stress levels and other variables including staff support (p = 0.74). CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that perceived workload-related stress levels of CLP staff during the COVID-19 pandemic can be an indicator of COVID-19 involvement of the hospitals. Staff support seemed not to alleviate work stress in the context of the pandemic. Healthcare policies should improve working conditions for CLP hospital staff that play an essential role from a population health perspective. Rigorous measures may be needed to ensure mental healthcare provision remains tenable and sustainable in the long term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina M van der Feltz-Cornelis
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, United Kingdom; Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, United Kingdom; Institute of Health Informatics, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Jennifer Sweetman
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | | | - Anne M Doherty
- Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland; University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Peter Dineen
- Department of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioural Science, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland
| | - Gunther Meinlschmidt
- University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Department of Digital and Blended Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Psychosomatic Medicine, Basel, Switzerland; Department of Clinical Psychology and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, International Psychoanalytic University (IPU), Berlin, Germany
| | - Frank Vitinius
- Department of Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital and University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Robert-Bosch Hospital Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Christian Fazekas
- Medical University of Graz, Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Division of Medical Psychology, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Graz, Austria
| | - Christian G Huber
- University of Basel, Department of Psychiatry (UPK), Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rainer Schaefert
- University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Barbara Stein
- Nuremberg General Hospital, Paracelsus Medical Private University, Nuremberg, Germany
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Drandić D, Hartmann K, Barata C, Torguet R. Parent organizations' experiences of the pandemic response in maternity care in thirteen European countries. Eur J Midwifery 2022; 6:71. [PMID: 36591331 PMCID: PMC9773267 DOI: 10.18332/ejm/156902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
We surveyed changes to maternity care services in the first 17 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in 13 different European countries, from the perspective of national maternity service (parent) organizations advocating for a human rights approach to maternity services. A qualitative study was conducted in November 2020. An open-question survey was sent to national maternity service (parent) organizations and members of COST Action 18211 in Europe, asking about COVID-19 measures in maternity services (antenatally, intrapartum, postnatally, and overall satisfaction). From the open answers, 16 core issues were extracted. Between February and August 2021, semi-structured interviews with the national representatives of 14 parent member organizations in Europe were conducted, collecting details on overall national situations and changes due to COVID-19 measures. The reported experiences of parent organizations from 13 European countries show wide variations in epidemiological containment measures during the first 17 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Practices differed between facilities, resulting in emotional disquiet and confusion for parent-patients. Most countries maintained antenatal and postnatal care but restricted psychosocial support (antenatal and birth companions, visitors). Organizations from nine countries reported that women had to wear masks during labor, and all but two countries saw separations of mothers and babies. Most parent organizations described a need for more reliable information for new parents. During the pandemic, non-evidence-based practices were (re-) established in many settings, depriving women and families of many factors which evidence has shown to be essential for a positive birthing experience. Based on the findings, we consider the challenges in maternity services and propose a strategy for future crises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Drandić
- Roda - Parents in Action, Zagreb, Croatia,Human Rights in Childbirth, United States
| | | | - Catarina Barata
- Institute of Social Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal,Portuguese Association for the Rights of Women in Pregnancy and Birth, Lisbon, Portugal
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Symptoms of Burnout Syndrome among Physicians during the Outbreak of COVID-19 Pandemic—A Systematic Literature Review. Healthcare (Basel) 2022; 10:healthcare10060979. [PMID: 35742031 PMCID: PMC9223230 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare10060979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Studies in the recent decades show that the medical profession has a high risk to develop burnout due to constant exposure to mental and physical suffering or death. The pandemic period induced additional stress for healthcare professionals due to the likelihood of a high rate of infection, long working shifts, using protective equipment, staying away from family, implementing new medical procedures. The present study is focusing on assessing the prevalence of burnout among physicians working in the healthcare system during the COVID-19 pandemic, and discovering the main factors associated with burnout syndrome among the population of physicians. Material and methods: A systematic review was conducted by searching PubMed, Wiley, and Google Scholar in November 2021. A total of 35 studies were eligible for the evaluation. Results: The samples ranged from 39 to 3071 physicians, and the overall burnout ranged from 14.7% to 90.4%. Sociodemographic characteristics associated with a high prevalence of burnout were the female gender, less experienced, not having children, and single marital status, associated with high levels of anxiety, depression, and stress in the female gender. The highest level of burnout among all the studies was 90.4% on a sample of physicians from the Republic of Korea, 80.2% among psychiatrists in Saudi Arabia, followed by a study in Ireland with a 77% level of burnout among senior and specialist physicians, and 74.7% prevalence of burnout for emergency physicians in USA. Conclusions: During the pandemic, the factors that contribute to burnout are the lack of personal protective equipment and the violence of issues related to organizational health; the high prevalence of burnout symptoms is associated with anxiety, depression, and stress.
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Cernomaz A, Crisan-Dabija R, Trofor A. Adapting to change: How the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak changed the medical practice of a regional respiratory unit. POPULATION MEDICINE 2022. [DOI: 10.18332/popmed/145827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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The Impact of the COVID-19 Emergency on Life Activities and Delivery of Healthcare Services in the Elderly Population. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10184089. [PMID: 34575200 PMCID: PMC8467845 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10184089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the prevailing pandemic of the coronavirus disease COVID-19, we are experiencing emotional and social isolation, which negatively affects mental and physical health, particularly among the elderly population. In this study, we performed a cross-sectional analysis based on computer-assisted telephone interviews of 500 Polish adults aged 60 years or older in order to determine the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the older population’s behavior, life activity, and delivery of healthcare services. According to our study, COVID-19 infection entailed a substantial change in older people’s behavior. Over 50%, nearly 80%, and more than 25% of the surveyed participants reduced their social, recreational, and professional activities, respectively. The most significant change in senior’s behavior due to the fear of COVID-19 infection was observed in patients (1) with cardiac and pulmonary problems, (2) being on multi-drug therapy, (3) vaccinated against influenza, and (4) with several mental difficulties including loneliness, social isolation, and depression. Furthermore, we demonstrated that 10% of participants canceled planned hospitalization due to the fear of COVID-19 infection. This was observed primarily in patients suffering from chronic heart and lung diseases, vaccinated against influenza, exhibiting the reluctance to carry out more complex daily activities, and with a higher level of anxiety, social loneliness, and malnutrition. Thus, these groups of seniors require more attention; hence, we propose telemedicine as a strategy directed to them that provides clinical healthcare and information regarding measurements, control, and protection against SARS-CoV-2 during the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic. We believe this strategy may improve treatment outcomes, reduce comorbidities-related complications and unnecessary hospitalizations.
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Folch Ayora A, Salas-Medina P, Collado-Boira E, Ropero-Padilla C, Rodriguez-Arrastia M, Bernat-Adell MD. Pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional observational descriptive study. Nurs Open 2021; 8:3016-3023. [PMID: 34405570 PMCID: PMC8441794 DOI: 10.1002/nop2.1014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim To provide data on the fears of pregnant women during the confinement period and to learn about the factors, which may have exacerbated fear in Spanish pregnant women during the pandemic. Design A cross‐sectional observational and descriptive study. Methods An anonymous survey was carried out using virtual media in a pregnant population (aged ≥18 years) during the confinement period from 1 April to 1 May 2020. Results The total sample comprised of 62 individuals, with a mean age of 33.6 ± 3.6 years and a mean gestation time of 23.6 ± 9.8 weeks. All of the women used preventive measures against SARS‐CoV‐2. The most common preventive measures were social isolation (82.3%, n = 51) and frequent handwashing (69.4%, n = 43). The most common feeling was fear (29%, n = 18). The main fears were related to transplacental infection (27%, n = 16), loneliness during childbirth, and being separated from the newborn (27%, n = 16). In addition, 59.7% (n = 37) considered changing their child‐rearing practices after the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Folch Ayora
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Pre-Department of Nursing, Jaume I University, Castellon de la Plana, Spain.,Research Group CYS, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jaume I University, Castello de la Plana, Spain
| | - Pablo Salas-Medina
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Pre-Department of Nursing, Jaume I University, Castellon de la Plana, Spain.,Research Group CYS, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jaume I University, Castello de la Plana, Spain
| | - Eladio Collado-Boira
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Pre-Department of Nursing, Jaume I University, Castellon de la Plana, Spain.,Research Group CYS, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jaume I University, Castello de la Plana, Spain
| | - Carmen Ropero-Padilla
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Pre-Department of Nursing, Jaume I University, Castellon de la Plana, Spain.,Research Group CYS, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jaume I University, Castello de la Plana, Spain
| | - Miguel Rodriguez-Arrastia
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Pre-Department of Nursing, Jaume I University, Castellon de la Plana, Spain.,Research Group CYS, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jaume I University, Castello de la Plana, Spain
| | - María Desamparados Bernat-Adell
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Pre-Department of Nursing, Jaume I University, Castellon de la Plana, Spain.,Research Group CYS, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jaume I University, Castello de la Plana, Spain
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