Lessons Learned From the Public Health Workforce's Experiences With the COVID-19 Response

Scales, Sarah Elizabeth; Patrick, Elizabeth; Stone, Kahler W.; Kintziger, Kristina W.; Jagger, Meredith A.; Horney, Jennifer A.

doi:10.1089/hs.2022.0091

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Our findings of high mental health risks and high prevalence rates of workplace violence echoed that of previous studies [ [1] , [2] , [3] , [4] , [5] , [6] ]. Although direct comparisons should be made with caution, our findings suggest that public health workers in Taiwan were at a greater risk for workplace violence than their counterparts in other countries.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges to public health systems worldwide, with workers of public health agencies at the forefront of response efforts. Accumulating evidence has shown that public health workers were overwhelmed with heavy workloads and complicated tasks throughout the pandemic, resulting in psychological distress, burnout, depression, anxiety, and even post-traumatic stress disorder [ [1] , [2] , [3] , [4] , [5] , [6] ]. In addition to workloads, public health workers were also prone to hostility, threats, and harassment from the public when implementing disease control measures that intervene in people's autonomy.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Psychosocial Work Conditions During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Influences on Mental Health Risk and Intention to Leave Among Public Health Workers: A Cross-sectional and Follow-up Study in Taiwan

Lin,

Wang,

Cheng

2023

Safety and Health at Work

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Psychosocial Work Conditions During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Influences on Mental Health Risk and Intention to Leave Among Public Health Workers: A Cross-sectional and Follow-up Study in Taiwan

Lin,

Wang,

Cheng

2023

Safety and Health at Work

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“…From the perspective of the participants in this activity, the majority found this approach to be insufficiently supportive of them, leaving them to lead on their own, and it also contributed to worsening the situation 16,17. This mirrors the findings of Scales et al,18 who based on interviews with 17 local public health professionals, heard complaints of lack of political support. The federal approach used in the United States, which left decision making to the states, proved insufficient to respond quickly and in a coordinated manner 19–21.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 68%

Qualitative Analysis of a Roundtable Exercise “Reflecting on the COVID-19 Experience of Public Health Professionals”

Strand

Sidhu

Hohman

et al. 2023

Journal of Public Health Management and Practice

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Context: Public health professionals around the country faced significant challenges responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Reflecting on their experience is an essential element in making sense of their experience and learning from it. Objective: The objective of this qualitative study was to (1) describe the lived experiences of public health professionals working during the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) discuss the effectiveness of a guided reflection exercise to help public health professionals process these experiences, and (3) provide lessons learned and best practices to inform preparation for a future infectious disease pandemic. Design: Qualitative focus group study design. Setting: This activity was conducted at a Midwestern state public health professional meeting. Participants: Forty-eight public health professionals self-selected to participate in this study. Results: Five themes were elicited in this analysis, including Communication, Leadership and Collaboration, Data Management, Community Relationships, and Resources and Planning. In addition, public health professionals reported numerous lessons learned, including the need for more leadership from the state government, the conflicted response of their communities, and the benefits of community solidarity where it was present. Conclusions: This article provides a detailed account of public health workers' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also provides lessons learned that will help public health workers lead more effectively in the future. Guided reflection on a traumatic professional experience can assist participating individuals in making sense of their experience and learning important lessons from it.

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A large outbreak of the Kappa mutation of COVID-19 in Cork, Ireland, April–May 2021

Barrett

Bruton²,

Hanrahan³

et al. 2022

Ir J Med Sci

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Background In May 2021, the B.1.617 variant of SARS-CoV-2 emerged in Ireland, and both Delta and Kappa sub-lineages were initially deemed variants of concern (VOCs) on a precautionary basis. We describe a large outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617.1 (Kappa mutation) linked to a private gathering among third level students in Cork, Ireland. Methods Surveillance data were available from the Health Service Executive COVID Care Tracker. The epidemiological sequence of infection for each new case in this outbreak was tracked and whole genome sequencing was requested on all linked cases. Enhanced public health control measures were implemented by the Department of Public Health HSE-South to contain onward spread of VOCs, including retrospective contact tracing, lengthy isolation and quarantine periods for cases and close contacts. Extensive surveillance efforts were used to describe and control onward transmission. Results There were 146 confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases linked to the outbreak. All sequenced cases (53/146; 36%) confirmed Kappa mutation. The median age was 21 years (range 17-65). The majority (88%) had symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection. There were 407 close contacts; the median was 3 per case (range 0-14). There were no known hospitalisations, ICU admissions or deaths. Vaccination data was unavailable, but the outbreak pre-dated routine availability of COVID-19 vaccines among younger adults in Ireland. Conclusion Enhanced public health control measures for new and emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 may be burdensome for cases and close contacts. The overall public health benefit of enhanced controls may only become apparent when evidence on disease transmissibility and severity becomes more complete.

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Lessons Learned From the Public Health Workforce's Experiences With the COVID-19 Response

Cited by 6 publications

References 26 publications

Psychosocial Work Conditions During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Influences on Mental Health Risk and Intention to Leave Among Public Health Workers: A Cross-sectional and Follow-up Study in Taiwan

Psychosocial Work Conditions During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Influences on Mental Health Risk and Intention to Leave Among Public Health Workers: A Cross-sectional and Follow-up Study in Taiwan

Qualitative Analysis of a Roundtable Exercise “Reflecting on the COVID-19 Experience of Public Health Professionals”

A large outbreak of the Kappa mutation of COVID-19 in Cork, Ireland, April–May 2021

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