Evaluating the mental health and well-being of Canadian healthcare workers during the COVID-19 outbreak. Issue 4 (July 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wilbiks, Jonathan M. P.; Best, Lisa A.; Law, Moira A.; Roach, Sean P.
• Is Part Of: Healthcare management forum. Volume 34:Issue 4(2021)
• Page Start: 205
• Page End: 210
• Publication Date: 2021-07
• Subjects: Health services administration -- Periodicals; Health services administration -- Canada -- Periodicals; 362.1068
• DOI: 10.1177/08404704211021109
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0840-4704

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare systems have been under extreme levels of stress due to increases in patient distress and patient deaths. While additional research and public health funding initiatives can alleviate these systemic issues, it is also important to consider the ongoing mental health and well-being of professionals working in healthcare. By surveying healthcare workers working in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic, we found that there was an elevated level of depressive symptomatology in that population. We also found that when employees were provided with accurate and timely information about the pandemic, and additional protective measures in the workplace, they were less likely to report negative effects on well-being. We recommend that healthcare employers take these steps, as well as providing targeted mental health interventions, in order to maintain the mental health of their employees, which in turn will provide better healthcare at the population level.