Experience of 2003 SARS has a negative psychological impact on healthcare workers in the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has instilled fear and stress among healthcare workers. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess work stress and associated factors among healthcare workers during the COVID-19 outbreak and to evaluate whether prior experience of treating severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) had a positive or negative influence on healthcare workers' stress levels during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional survey in a tertiary hospital in Kaohsiung City, in southern Taiwan. METHODS: The survey was conducted using an online self-administered questionnaire to measure the stress levels among healthcare workers from March 20 to April 20, 2020. The stress scales were divided into four subscales: worry of social isolation; discomfort caused by the protective equipment; difficulties and anxiety regarding infection control; and workload of caring for patients. RESULTS: The total stress scores were significantly higher among healthcare workers who were aged 41 or above, female, married, parents and nurses. Those with experience of treating SARS reported having significantly higher stress scores on the subscale measuring the discomfort caused by protective equipment and the workload of caring for patients. During the COVID-19 outbreak, frontline healthcare workers with experience of treating SARS indicated having higher stress levels regarding the workload of caring for patients than did non-frontline healthcare workers with no experience of treating SARS. CONCLUSIONS: Work experience from dealing with the 2003 SARS virus may have had a negative psychological impact on healthcare workers amidst the COVID-19 outbreak.

Psychological impact on healthcare workers, general population and affected individuals of SARS and COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…A total of 14 articles were identified (N = 9,706). Of which, 4 papers were on affected individuals (47-50) (n = 811) and another 4 [ (51)(52)(53)(54)] on healthcare workers (n = 2,298); 6 on general public (55-60) (n = 6,597) across Asia (Taiwan & Australia), Europe (Italy, Poland & Turkey) and other countries (USA, Brazil, & Saudi Arabia). Prevalence of anxiety ranged from 8.1 to 92.1% while prevalence of depression ranged from 2.1 to 50%.…”

“…There seems to be a huge variation regarding the prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress and PTSD, this phenomenon is likely to be attributed by the number of infected suspected COVID-19 cases during the study period. Of particular note is that there is only 1 cross-sectional study conducted on healthcare workers in Taiwan (51) which compared perceived stress between COVID-19 and SARS. All the other 13 selected studies were all focused on COVID-19.…”

Protective strategies against occupational stress among health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Os estudos também apontam a necessidade dos trabalhadores de saúde atuantes na pandemia buscarem apoio profissional qualificado para do estresse ocupacional 17,19,21,23,26,29,31,35 e enfatizaram a importância deste suporte psicológico ser ofertado pela instituição empregadora 16,18,24,31 .…”

Impactos na saúde mental dos profissionais de saúde atuantes na linha de frente a pandemia do COVID-19

“…Os profissionais atuantes na linha de frente relatam que os Equipamentos de Proteção Individual (EPI), é necessário para conter a propagação do vírus ao lidar com casos confirmados ou suspeitos, os profissionais relatam que usam um conjunto completo de equipamentos a fim de reduzir a transmissibilidade, contudo tem experimentado estados de fadiga e tensão aumentando assim a dificuldade no seu trabalho tornando mais propensos ao esgotamento (Chen et al, 2021).…”