Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on the Well-Being, Burnout and Stress of Italian Healthcare Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

COVID-19 has overwhelmed healthcare systems and increased workload and distress in healthcare professionals (HCPs). The objective of this study was to evaluate baseline distress before and after the pandemic, and the effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training on well-being (PGWBI), stress (PSS) and burnout (MBI) in Italian HCPs. Moreover, the “fear of COVID-19” (FCV-19S) questionnaire was administered to HCPs participating in the post-emergency MBSR program. Baseline distress results were moderate in all groups. No differences between baseline distress were observed between the groups of HCPs beginning the MBSR courses in the pre or post pandemic period. Total PGWBI lowered with aging. Additionally, FCV-19S positively correlated with age. MBSR was able to lower distress levels, except for depersonalization, which increased, while emotional exhaustion decreased in the group enrolled in the last post-pandemic MBSR course. Levels of fear of COVID-19 in HCPs significantly decreased after MBSR training. The lack of change in baseline distress over time indicates that it is more influenced by work-related distress than by the pandemic in our HCPs. In view of its beneficial effects on psycho-emotional status, MBSR training may represent an effective strategy to reduce distress in emergency periods as well as an essential part of HCPs’ general training.

The impact of mindfulness practice on physician burnout: A scoping review

“… Li et al (2020) listed a growing body of research on general negative impacts that COVID-19 posed on mental health but they highlighted that this academic literature mostly fell between the two camps of being either commentaries or cross-sectional studies. Linking the expanded requirement for mindfulness to COVID-19, whilst relying on pre-COVID research, is consistent with other laudable work which also acknowledges that the bona fide research prior to 2019 has relevance to the pandemic and post-pandemic era ( Tement et al, 2021 ; Marotta et al, 2022 ; Sampei et al, 2022 ). These writings also tacitly acknowledge the paucity of published work in the last 3 years that provide concurrent academic sources.…”

The Relationship between Perceived Social Support and Life Satisfaction: The Chain Mediating Effect of Resilience and Depression among Chinese Medical Staff

“…For instance, they can arrange regular seminars, conferences, and workshops at the workplace to provide approaches for personal growth for medical staff to enhance their resilience, which can further decrease their depressive symptoms, as proved in this study. Moreover, stress management and structured resilience training programs such as Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) [ 76 ] and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) [ 77 ] can be enacted to prepare medical workers to deal with challenges and difficulties they will encounter. In addition, hospital managers should provide comprehensive counseling and support services for the medical staff as much as possible to help them reduce depressive symptoms.…”

Mindfulness-Based Intervention for the Reduction of Compassion Fatigue and Burnout in Nurse Caregivers of Institutionalized Older Persons with Dementia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Baseline levels of compassion fatigue and stress in both groups are average values, comparable to those found in other similar studies [ 5 , 10 , 56 ]. In a recent and interesting study in Italian healthcare professionals evaluating baseline stress levels before and after the pandemic and the effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training on well-being (PGWBI), stress (PSS), and burnout (MBI), the authors concluded that MBSR training may represent an effective strategy to reduce distress in an emergency period [ 57 ]. Although the type of intervention used in this study had a different approach, the results are similar to our study.…”