Health outcomes and psychosocial risk exposures among healthcare workers during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak

Abstract

Introduction The aim is to describe the health and psychosocial risk factors of Spanish healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study by means of an online questionnaire (April–May 2020). The data comes from the database resulting from the COTS project “Working conditions, insecurity, and health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic”. The sample consisted of 1,989 health care workers. Results: Women, young people (doctors and nurses) and the middle-aged (assistants) had poorer health and greater exposure to psychosocial risks. Geriatric assistants were the most-affected occupational group. Conclusions: gender, occupation, and age are focuses of inequality in the exposure of health care workers to psychosocial risks.

Mental health inequalities in times of crisis: evolution between 2005 and 2021 among the Spanish salaried population

“…However, to overcome this limitation, data have been weighted according to the Survey of the Economically Active Population. Additionally, the results obtained in this study are consistent with others that also show a high prevalence of poor mental health in 2021 16 17 19 20 25…”

“…As expected, and in line with previous studies,7 16 17 19 20 Spanish salaried population’s mental health has remarkably worsened in 2021 (with more than half of the salaried population at risk of poor mental health). The main likely cause for this observation may be the pandemic fatigue, being the proper impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the general population’s mental health, bearing in mind, additionally, the consequences of the measures introduced to contain the pandemic at the labour level.…”

“…Most studies addressing mental health among workers have focused on healthcare professionals, who have been at the front line of the pandemic and therefore exposed to a higher risk of infection and to greater quantitative and emotional demands, among other psychosocial risks 16–18. Although studies carried out among the general working population during the COVID-19 pandemic are scarcer,7 19 20 they provide important insights on how mental health and working conditions were impacted.…”

Healthcare Workers' Mental Health in Pandemic Times: The Predict Role of Psychosocial Risks

“…The current COVID-19 pandemic has worsened this situation: healthcare workers performance and mental health were significantly affected, and, consequently, a decrease of the capacity to provide consistent quality of care was noticed [ [21] , [22] , [23] ]. World Health Organization and others international organizations developed guidelines and standards to assist improving occupational health and well-being of healthcare workers, but they require well-coordinated measures for occupational health and safety promotion, health workforce management and mental health, and psychosocial support [ 24 ].…”

Nurses’ Physical and Psychological Symptoms During the First Covid-19 Lockdown in Italy

“…15,16 Nurses were more prone to develop burnout and stress disorders during the pandemic outbreak 17,18 due to various factors such as their proximity with the patients, the higher work pace, the emotional demands increasing, and the concern of becoming infected by COVID-19 and of transmitting it to others. 19 HCPs directly involved in caring for those in a critical condition were exposed to a greater risk of becoming infected 20 with major psychological pressure related to uncertainty about the duration of the crisis, the lack of proven therapies or vaccines, potential shortages of healthcare resources including personal protective equipment, and other less estimated factors, such as preexisting psychological problems and work-related issues. 17,[21][22][23][24] Stress disorders [25][26][27] and psychological disturbances such as anxiety, depression, moral distress, and sleep disorders were detected in HCPs treating patients exposed to COVID-19.…”