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Lamb D, Gnanapragasam S, Greenberg N, Bhundia R, Carr E, Hotopf M, Razavi R, Raine R, Cross S, Dewar A, Docherty M, Dorrington S, Hatch S, Wilson-Jones C, Leightley D, Madan I, Marlow S, McMullen I, Rafferty AM, Parsons M, Polling C, Serfioti D, Gaunt H, Aitken P, Morris-Bone J, Simela C, French V, Harris R, Stevelink SAM, Wessely S. Psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on 4378 UK healthcare workers and ancillary staff: initial baseline data from a cohort study collected during the first wave of the pandemic. Occup Environ Med 2021; 78:801-808. [PMID: 34183447 PMCID: PMC8245285 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2020-107276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study reports preliminary findings on the prevalence of, and factors associated with, mental health and well-being outcomes of healthcare workers during the early months (April-June) of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. METHODS Preliminary cross-sectional data were analysed from a cohort study (n=4378). Clinical and non-clinical staff of three London-based NHS Trusts, including acute and mental health Trusts, took part in an online baseline survey. The primary outcome measure used is the presence of probable common mental disorders (CMDs), measured by the General Health Questionnaire. Secondary outcomes are probable anxiety (seven-item Generalised Anxiety Disorder), depression (nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (six-item Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder checklist), suicidal ideation (Clinical Interview Schedule) and alcohol use (Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test). Moral injury is measured using the Moray Injury Event Scale. RESULTS Analyses showed substantial levels of probable CMDs (58.9%, 95% CI 58.1 to 60.8) and of PTSD (30.2%, 95% CI 28.1 to 32.5) with lower levels of depression (27.3%, 95% CI 25.3 to 29.4), anxiety (23.2%, 95% CI 21.3 to 25.3) and alcohol misuse (10.5%, 95% CI 9.2 to 11.9). Women, younger staff and nurses tended to have poorer outcomes than other staff, except for alcohol misuse. Higher reported exposure to moral injury (distress resulting from violation of one's moral code) was strongly associated with increased levels of probable CMDs, anxiety, depression, PTSD symptoms and alcohol misuse. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that mental health support for healthcare workers should consider those demographics and occupations at highest risk. Rigorous longitudinal data are needed in order to respond to the potential long-term mental health impacts of the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Lamb
- Department of Applied Health Research, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Neil Greenberg
- Academic Department of Military Mental Health, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Rupa Bhundia
- Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Ewan Carr
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Matthew Hotopf
- Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- National Institute of Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK
| | - Reza Razavi
- Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Rosalind Raine
- Department of Applied Health Research, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sean Cross
- Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Amy Dewar
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Mary Docherty
- Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Sarah Dorrington
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Stephani Hatch
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - Daniel Leightley
- Academic Department of Military Mental Health, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Ira Madan
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Sally Marlow
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Isabel McMullen
- Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - Martin Parsons
- Mental Health Liaison Team, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Catherine Polling
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Danai Serfioti
- Academic Department of Military Mental Health, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Helen Gaunt
- University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK
| | | | | | - Chloe Simela
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Veronica French
- Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Nottingham, UK
| | - Rachel Harris
- Cornwall Partnership Foundation NHS Trust, Cornwall, UK
| | - Sharon A M Stevelink
- Academic Department of Military Mental Health, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Simon Wessely
- Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
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