Healthcare worker trauma and related mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 outbreak in New York City

Abstract

Healthcare workers (HCWs) faced a range of stressors during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, contributing to psychological stress. We use a psychological trauma framework to characterize the mental health burden for clinical and non-clinical healthcare worker occupations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective was to measure and characterize risk factors for trauma and anxiety-related mental health problems among HCWs at a public hospital in the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City (NYC). This study reports findings from a cross-sectional survey of NYC HCWs shortly after the initial 2020 infection surge. Over 800 hospital employees completed the survey that assessed professional quality of life indicators (compassion satisfaction [CS], burnout [BO], secondary traumatic stress [STS]), Coronavirus Anxiety (CS), Obsession with Coronavirus (OC), and PTSD symptoms. The survey also assessed pandemic-related work and life circumstances such as “do you have a family member or friend who tested positive for COVID”. Relatively small percentages of HCWs endorsed probable Coronavirus Anxiety (6%), PTSD (13%), and Coronavirus Obsession (21%). We observed higher proportions of Burnout (29%), Moderate or High Secondary Traumatic Stress (45%), and High Compassion Satisfaction (52%). Adjusted regression models showed important implications for prior behavioral/emotional health concerns among HCWs, providing care for a patient that died from COVID-19, and other characteristics. This study supports prior studies documenting the mental health consequences for the healthcare workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study builds on that base by including non-clinical staff in the sample and assessing pandemic life-stressors such as caring for sick family members.

Assessing the Mental Health Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on US Fire-Based Emergency Medical Services Responders

“…These results are consistent with workforce trends that were observed during the prior pandemics. Although we are not aware of any published comprehensive assessment of the mental health impact of the pandemic among all industries, there has been a substantial amount of research examining the healthcare workforce, specifically pertaining to emergency department and hospital environments 30–35 . These studies found results consistent with our study, with individuals reporting higher emotional exhaustion and increased depression and anxiety symptoms 30–35 .…”

COVID-19 and the Latinx community: “Promotoras represent a community in pain”.

“…Promotoras may be especially vulnerable to the risks health care workers face in several ways. As promotoras’ work involves listening to participants’ daily stressors, promotoras may face particularly high risk for experiencing compassion fatigue, burnout, and secondary vicarious trauma (Franza et al, 2020; Garcini et al, 2022; Masiero et al, 2020; Yu et al, 2022). Although promotoras embrace their roles, serving one’s own community can lead to more diffuse boundaries with clients.…”

Protection des soignants dans un CHU au temps du Covid-19 : entre surprotection et sous-protection ou entre abandon et affaiblissement des forces vives ?

“…Si le dispositif a fonctionné pour notre CHU, en termes de contaminations avérées au Sars-Cov-2, il ne couvrait pas les effets imprévisibles de la pandémie. Ceci furent (et sont toujours) multiples, des Covid avec symptômes persistants, aux effets sur les couples ou encore les consommations de substances psycho-actives [15] , [16] . Bien qu’un dispositif de soutien psychologiques, en lien avec la Cellule d’urgence medico-psychologique du SAMU29, ait permis de donner un espace d’écoute aux soignants et de repérer les troubles réactionnels ou des signes de surinvestissement au travail, certaines réactions étaient inattendues et ont laissé des souvenirs de sinistres mémoires [17] .…”