PTSD symptoms in healthcare workers facing the three coronavirus outbreaks: What can we expect after the COVID-19 pandemic

Carmassi, Claudia; Foghi, Claudia; Dell’Oste, Valerio; Cordone, Annalisa; Bertelloni, Carlo Antonio; Bui, Éric

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113312

Cited by 526 publications

(689 citation statements)

References 85 publications

(233 reference statements)

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“…Further, it is possible to hypothesize a consequent and related impact of professional quality-of-life dimensions on mental health outcomes. The same independent variables (HCW characteristics) obviously present a direct impact on HCWs’ mental health, which is completely independent of the pandemic, as highly demonstrated by the literature on HCWs through years [ 28 , 29 , 30 ]. (See Figure 1 for theoretical model of study hypothesis).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Professional Quality of Life and Mental Health Outcomes among Health Care Workers Exposed to Sars-Cov-2 (Covid-19)

Buselli

Corsi

Baldanzi

et al. 2020

IJERPH

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308

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The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic spreading worldwide, and Italy represented the first European country involved. Healthcare workers (HCWs) facing COVID-19 pandemic represented an at-risk population for new psychosocial COVID-19 strain and consequent mental health symptoms. The aim of the present study was to identify the possible impact of working contextual and personal variables (age, gender, working position, years of experience, proximity to infected patients) on professional quality of life, represented by compassion satisfaction (CS), burnout, and secondary traumatization (ST), in HCWs facing COVID-19 emergency. Further, two multivariable linear regression analyses were fitted to explore the association of mental health selected outcomes, anxiety and depression, with some personal and working characteristics that are COVID-19-related. A sample of 265 HCWs of a major university hospital in central Italy was consecutively recruited at the outpatient service of the Occupational Health Department during the acute phase of COVID-19 pandemic. HCWs were assessed by Professional Quality of Life-5 (ProQOL-5), the Nine-Item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and the Seven-Item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) to evaluate, respectively, CS, burnout, ST, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Females showed higher ST than males, while frontline staff and healthcare assistants reported higher CS rather than second-line staff and physicians, respectively. Burnout and ST, besides some work or personal variables, were associated to depressive or anxiety scores. The COVID-19 pandemic represents a new working challenge for HCWs and intervention strategies to prevent burnout and ST to reduce the risk of adverse mental health outcomes are needed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Professional Quality of Life and Mental Health Outcomes among Health Care Workers Exposed to Sars-Cov-2 (Covid-19)

Buselli

Corsi

Baldanzi

et al. 2020

IJERPH

Self Cite

308

306

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“…At the same time, health care workers employed in emergency departments may have been overwhelmed (physically and emotionally) by the management of the pandemic, [23][24][25] with a consequent temporary decreased sensitivity toward the signs of violence against women. Being able to timely recognize the ''red flags'' of violence in the context of emergency health care is fundamental, because these professionals are often the first to examine women with IPV-related injuries and thus the first to detect possible cases of violence, even when the patient has sought treatment for other conditions.…”

Section: Data From An Italian Center the Svsedmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19, Lockdown, and Intimate Partner Violence: Some Data from an Italian Service and Suggestions for Future Approaches

Barbara

Facchin

Micci

et al. 2020

Journal of Women's Health

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Intimate partner violence (IPV)-defined as physical, psychological, sexual, and/or economic violence typically experienced by women at home and perpetrated by their partners or expartners-is a pervasive form of violence that destroys women's feelings of love, trust, and self-esteem, with important negative consequences on physical and psychological health. Many reports from several countries have underlined a remarkable increase in the cases of IPV during the COVID-19 emergency. In this opinion article, we discussed the hypothesis that such an increase may be related to the restrictive measures enacted to contain the pandemic, including women's forced cohabitation with the abusive partner, as well as the exacerbation of partners' pre-existing psychological disorders during the lockdown. In addition, we retrospectively analyzed some data derived from our practice in a public Italian referral center for sexual and domestic violence (Service for Sexual and Domestic Violence [SVSeD]). These data interestingly revealed an opposite trend, that is, a decrease in the number of women who sought assistance since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. Such a reduction should be interpreted as a negative consequence of the pandemic-related restrictive measures. Although necessary, these measures reduced women's possibilities of seeking help from antiviolence centers and/or emergency services. Owing to the COVID-19 outbreak, there is an urgent need for developing and implementing alternative treatment options for IPV victims (such as online and phone counseling and telemedicine), as well as training programs for health care professionals, especially those employed in emergency departments, to facilitate early detection of IPV.

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“…Several studies were conducted during the outbreak in China to assess the mental health of the medical staff: one study determined that several healthcare workers from a tertiary hospital were experiencing depressive symptoms and that there were no significant differences between staff in COVID-19 departments and other departments (28); a second study, also concerning medical staff from a tertiary hospital, found that the incidence of anxiety was 23.04%, the incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder was 27.39%, and that they were both higher in women and nurses (29); a third study led in multiple regions of China showed depression, anxiety, insomnia, and distress symptoms among medical workers, especially in women, nurses, and frontline workers (30); a fourth study found that the frontline medical staff were twice more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression than the nonclinical staff (31). Also, a previous review looking into the impact of the three coronavirus outbreaks on posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in healthcare workers has identified several risk factors such as the rapidly increasing flow of critical patients requiring increased medical attention, the decision-making burden and high daily fatality rates, and the constant updates of hospital procedures following advances in knowledge about the disease, among others (32).…”

Section: On Healthcare Workersmentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 and Mental Health—What Do We Know So Far?

2020

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The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic brought several worldwide health, social, and economic disturbances-particularly associated with the imposed confinement measures-that raised concerns about an emerging public mental health crisis. Studies investigating the early mental health impact of the pandemic on general population and vulnerable groups, such as healthcare workers, revealed a high prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms, among others, and found several risk and protective factors. Along with these findings, the risk of substance use, suicide, domestic violence, and complicated grief may increase. We further discuss interventions that can be applied at a governmental, institutional, and individual level to minimize the mental health consequences of the pandemic, such as using telehealth to provide remote support or practicing self-care. These interventions should be maintained after the initial outbreak, as current disturbances may impact long-term well-being. We encourage the development of longitudinal studies to assess long-term adaptive responses.

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PTSD symptoms in healthcare workers facing the three coronavirus outbreaks: What can we expect after the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract: Highlights Healthcare workers were at high risk of PTSD during pandemics. Risk factors for PTSD may interfere with psychological adaptation during pandemics. Better knowledge may reduce PTSD burden in healthcare workers facing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Cited by 526 publications

References 85 publications

Professional Quality of Life and Mental Health Outcomes among Health Care Workers Exposed to Sars-Cov-2 (Covid-19)

Professional Quality of Life and Mental Health Outcomes among Health Care Workers Exposed to Sars-Cov-2 (Covid-19)

COVID-19, Lockdown, and Intimate Partner Violence: Some Data from an Italian Service and Suggestions for Future Approaches

COVID-19 and Mental Health—What Do We Know So Far?

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