Occurrence, prevention, and management of the psychological effects of emerging virus outbreaks on healthcare workers: rapid review and meta-analysis

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To examine the psychological effects on clinicians of working to manage novel viral outbreaks, and successful measures to manage stress and psychological distress. DESIGNRapid review and meta-analysis.

Voices from the frontline: findings from a thematic analysis of a rapid online global survey of maternal and newborn health professionals facing the COVID-19 pandemic

“…44 Future research should explore the availability of mental and social support to maternal and newborn healthcare providers during the pandemic, and its effectiveness. 60 Another cause for increased stress levels among providers is the fear for their own/their relatives' safety, in addition to the safety of their patients, which is intensified by inadequate access to PPE. One reason for that is that in some facilities, PPE supplies are prioritised for departments treating COVID-19 cases and not reaching maternity wards, which is common in vulnerable settings.…”

Health-Promoting Leadership during an Infectious Disease Outbreak: A Cross-sectional Study of US Soldiers Deployed to Liberia

“…The seven items were summed, resulting in a composite score ranging from 0 to 28. The summed scores were categorized to include no sleep problems (0-7), subthreshold insomnia (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14), moderate insomnia (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21), and severe insomnia (22-28) based on validated literature guidelines (54). The scale was further dichotomized to no sleep problems (0-14) and sleep problems (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28).…”

“…Several previous studies have focused on stressors and behavioral health consequences experienced by medical staff responding to outbreaks of infectious disease, such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome(1), Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (2), Ebola (3,4) and . Medical professionals like physicians and nurses managing these outbreaks report elevated psychological distress (5,(8)(9)(10), posttraumatic stress symptoms (2,(8)(9)(10)(11), depression and anxiety (4)(5)(6)9), sleep problems (5,6,9), and burnout (7,8). Studies have also documented that working in the context of an outbreak can place a strain on the team as a whole (12)(13)(14).…”

“…Besides these high-risk stressors, daily challenges in the deployed context also include separation from family and friends (22)(23)(24), living in the deployed environment(23), uncertainty (25), and workload (23,26). Stressors associated with responding to an epidemic offer some additional and unique challenges, including concerns about making di cult ethical decisions (27); witnessing the illness and death of others (1,28); not feeling appreciated (4,28,29); feeling isolated (27,28,30); experiencing stigma (4,10,27,29); fear of infecting family and friends (1,8,10,28); and contracting and dying from the particular outbreak (2,4,30).…”

Psychological Impact of a Pandemic Widespread in Healthcare Workers: The Italian and Swiss Perspective Early After of CoVid-19 Outbreak

“…The response to a traumatic event is subjective and dependent on numerous factors such as social relationships that can offer emotional support (friends, family, colleagues) and the kind of working activity [8]. Facing this largescale infectious public health crisis, medical staff are under both physical and psychological pressure or, at least, it can be hypothesized [2,9]. In this scenario, the mental status of healthcare professionals is dangerously jeopardized, because of both the key and front-line role they play and the risk of becoming infected [5,8].…”