The Well-Being of Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Narrative Review

Mushtaq, Hisham; Singh, Sant P.; Mir, Mikael; Tekin, Aysun; Singh, Romil; Lundeen, John; VanDevender, Karl; Dutt, Taru; Khan, Syed Anjum; Surani, Salim; Kashyap, Rahul

doi:10.7759/cureus.25065

Cited by 7 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 50 publications

(59 reference statements)

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“…In addition, our study reveals that an inability to offer patients high-quality care due to challenges such as inadequate hospital resources, e.g., oxygen, impacted the providers' mental health. Similarly, other studies have shown increased mental health disorders and highlight the need to increase resource allocation to ensure the delivery of high-quality service [48,49]. Our study also highlights gaps in grief management following the death of patients and colleagues that call for mechanisms for coping with bereavement within healthcare systems.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Providers’ Mental Health: Experiences at Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya

Ogello,

Thuo,

Okello

et al. 2024

Behavioral Sciences

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Background: In 2020, healthcare providers were expected to provide care to individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), putting them at risk of acquiring COVID-19. The possibility of acquiring poorly understood infectious diseases while providing care may have an impact on the mental health of providers. We conducted a study to explore the effects of COVID-19 on the mental health of healthcare providers. Methods: Between April and August 2021, we conducted in-depth interviews with 60 healthcare providers in the infectious disease unit (IDU) and other units of the hospital (non-IDU). The healthcare providers completed an online self-administered survey form with demographic data (age, sex, average income, and known contact with a COVID-19 patient). We used semi-structured interview guides to understand the healthcare providers’ lived experiences of stress, anxiety, depression, and their associated factors. We transcribed the interviews verbatim and coded and analyzed the transcripts to derive thematic concepts related to mental health experiences. Results: The healthcare providers had a median age of 37 years [IQR 20.0–58.0], and 56.7% were female, 30.0% nurses, 18.3% medical doctors, and 11.7% laboratory technologists. The healthcare providers reported increased stress during the pandemic, attributed to the high demand for patient care, changes in social life, and fear of COVID-19 infection. They also reported experiences of anxiety and depression as a result of limited knowledge at the beginning of the pandemic and the perception that “COVID-19 resulted in death”. Testing positive for COVID-19, high exposure to COVID-19 risks, and the death of patients and colleagues reportedly affected the healthcare providers’ mental health. Additionally, the healthcare providers reported mental health support through debriefing meetings, peer-to-peer support, and psychological counseling, with privacy and confidentiality concerns. Conclusions: Healthcare providers faced mental health issues such as stress and anxiety while taking care of COVID-19 patients. An effective mental health response requires institutional practices that address context-specific challenges such as privacy and confidentiality.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Providers’ Mental Health: Experiences at Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya

Ogello,

Thuo,

Okello

et al. 2024

Behavioral Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…40 Since the COVID-19 pandemic, health care workers have been advocating for clear and strengthened policies regarding evidence-based guidelines for staff testing, infection prevention, illness and return to work protocols, and protected time for breaks at work and time away from work. 41 Pandemic-related policy changes should also consider placing limitations on hours worked, allowing for additional paid time off, hazard pay, safeguarding adequate staffing and patient-clinician ratios, and funding best practices and clearinghouses focused on health care worker well-being. 42 Such policies may help reduce or remove the primary stressors of spreading illness, inadequate PPE, insufficient communication from leadership, and working too many hours as identified by workers in the current study.…”

Section: Public Health Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ohio Health Care Professionals’ Survey: Work and Home Stressors During the COVID-19 Pandemic

McCloskey¹,

Goldberg²,

Santucci³

et al. 2023

OJPH

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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic brought unparalleled strain to the United States’ already overburdened health care workforce, and research is just beginning to shed light on its effects. This study sought to document health care pro-vider stressors during the pandemic to inform prevention and intervention strategies to better support their well-being. Methods: A one-time online survey was completed in July and August 2021 by Ohio health care professionals employed during the COVID-19 pandemic. We assessed for work and employment status changes and measured the severity of various work and home stressors among respondents who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 12 807). Results: Over a quarter of respondents had a change in work setting, and 59% had an increase in their workload; 20% of respondents were furloughed, laid off, or unemployed at some point during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 37% reported a negative financial impact. The work stressors causing the greatest concern were spreading the virus and insuf-ficient communication from leadership. The primary home stressors were a lack of quality time with family and friends, being too tired when home from work to cook, do chores, etc, and being a supportive, present parent. At least half of the sample scored each of these as moderate, significant, or extreme stressors. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic caused unrelenting stress affecting Ohio health care professionals at work and at home. Prevention and early intervention programs and public policies are required to prevent burnout and better support health care worker well-being.

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“…Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread rapidly globally, and as of 5 May 2022, more than 510 million confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and over 6.25 million people have reportedly died worldwide (1). According to the current data, the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is mainly about (2)(3)(4) occurring through infectious respiratory droplets and aerosol-producing medical procedures, direct contact with the secretions of infected persons, or indirect contact with contaminated surfaces.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Detection rate of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in relation to isolation time and environmental surface type

Sun

Chen²,

Tao³

et al. 2022

Front. Public Health

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Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) causes environmental contamination via respiratory droplets and persists on contaminants and environmental surfaces for anywhere from a few hours to 6 days. Therefore, it is particularly important to understand the transmission and containment of SARS-CoV-2 on the surface of objects within isolated environments. In this study, 356 environmental surface samples were collected and 79 tested positive, with the highest contamination rate (56.96%) in the wood category (bedside tables, wood floors, and walls). This study revealed differences in the detection rates of environmental surfaces in hospitalized and discharged rooms of patients with confirmed COVID-19 in 2 isolated settings (A: p = 0.001; B: p = 0.505) and suggested that environmental contamination may be an important route of virus transmission, providing a reference to guide the enhancement of ventilation, the use of hotel isolation model, the advocacy of cotton masks, and the effective suppression of virus transmission.

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The Well-Being of Healthcare Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Narrative Review

Cited by 7 publications

References 50 publications

The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Providers’ Mental Health: Experiences at Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya

The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Healthcare Providers’ Mental Health: Experiences at Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya

Ohio Health Care Professionals’ Survey: Work and Home Stressors During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Detection rate of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in relation to isolation time and environmental surface type

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