Mental health of healthcare professionals in China during the new coronavirus pandemic: an integrative review

Abstract

Objective: to identify publishing related to the mental health of health professionals working in the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: an integrative review that included primary articles indexed in the Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, Science Direct databases and US National Library of Medicine databases. The result analysis was performed descriptively, in four analytical categories. Results: The publishing involved aspects related to insufficient personal protective equipment, feelings of fear and stigma, the need for psychological and psychiatric support and the possibility of post-outbreak mental disorders. Conclusion: All mentioned aspects have a direct impact on the mental health of professionals, demanding the creation of strategies that minimize the emotional burnout of workers, considering that each country and culture reacts differently to the disease.

A Scoping Review of Psychosocial Risks to Health Workers during the Covid-19 Pandemic

“…The majority of the studies highlight that even when PPE is available, the ultimate and effective use of it is a source of anxiety for the HCWs. Many opinion articles highlight the need for training for proper donning/doffing of PPE as well as how these processes are a source of anxiety among HCWs [ 3 , 76 , 77 ]. A commentary paper on Pakistan stresses how the anxiety related with the use of PPE often prohibits drinking water and using the toilet [ 78 ].…”

Psychological Impact on the Nursing Professionals of the Rioja Health Service (Spain) Due to the SARS-CoV-2 Virus

“…Since the start of the pandemic to 18 November 2020, 1,291,808 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Spain [ 3 ]. Healthcare workers have suffered enormous pressure with long work shifts, [ 4 ] inadequate conditions, high risk of infection, ethical dilemmas when allocating scarce resources to equally needy patients [ 5 ], lack of specific skills, frustration [ 6 ], social stigmatization, isolation, concern about spreading the virus to their families [ 4 , 7 ], lack of contact, and lack of social support [ 8 ]. These factors have forced many health professionals to make sensible changes in their daily lives that compromise their health and psychological well-being, as a consequence of physical and mental exhaustion [ 2 , 9 , 10 , 11 ].…”

“…These factors can give rise to different levels of psychological pressure that can trigger health problems such as feelings of loneliness, helplessness, stress [ 12 ], anguish [ 9 ], anxiety [ 6 , 13 ], depressive symptoms [ 4 ], insomnia, denial, anger, fear, irritability, sleep disorders [ 2 ], burnout syndrome [ 5 ], and even risk of suicide [ 10 ]. This pressure exceeds the psychological and emotional limits of health professionals, increasing the risk of psychological suffering with a higher probability of developing the abovementioned mental disorders [ 6 , 11 , 12 ], in addition to vicarious traumatization related to compassion towards the patients cared for [ 14 ]. Further, post-traumatic stress [ 5 , 15 , 16 ] can be a long-term consequence of this pressure [ 7 ].…”

“…According to studies in the first months of the pandemic, between 71% and 89% of health workers that were in high-risk situations, had suffered psychological symptoms [ 2 , 5 , 6 ]. About half reported depressive symptoms (50.4%) and anxiety (44.6%), respectively, whereas 34% reported insomnia [ 5 , 8 , 9 , 10 ].…”

Como melhorar a qualidade da saúde da equipe de enfermagem mediante ao COVID-19

“…funcionários, levando a grande necessidade de apoio psicológico e psiquiátrico, levando a criação de estratégias a fim de amenizar tais danos, a partir da cultura distinta de cada país 20 . Trabalhadores da área da saúde possuem maior probabilidade de desenvolver estresse ocupacional, apesar de neste estudo haver uma baixa ocorrência de casos relatados 23 .…”