Psychological distress during the acceleration phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: a survey of doctors practising in emergency medicine, anaesthesia and intensive care medicine in the UK and Ireland. Issue 6 (8th April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Roberts, Tom; Daniels, Jo; Hulme, William; Hirst, Robert; Horner, Daniel; Lyttle, Mark D; Samuel, Katie; Graham, Blair; Reynard, Charlie; Barrett, Michael; Foley, James; Cronin, John; Umana, Etimbuk; Vinagre, Joao; Carlton, Edward
• Other Names: author non-byline.; Kane L author non-byline.; Hormis A author non-byline.; Mackenzie L author non-byline.; Hannah R author non-byline.; Sharma Hajela S author non-byline.; Corfield A author non-byline.; Phizacklea J author non-byline.; Maney J author non-byline.; Malik K author non-byline.; Metcalfe D author non-byline.; Mathai N author non-byline.; Timmis S author non-byline.; Sattout A author non-byline.; Williams C author non-byline.; Messahel S author non-byline.; Newport R author non-byline.; Fadden E author non-byline.; Bawden D author non-byline.; McQuillan R author non-byline.; Tabner A author non-byline.; O'Hare B author non-byline.; Malik H author non-byline.; Lewis S author non-byline.; Roe C author non-byline.; Bewick D author non-byline.; McConnell D author non-byline.; Taylor R author non-byline.; Taylor F author non-byline.; Hancock Manthalapo I author non-byline.; Ellis R author non-byline.; Ramesh Babu D author non-byline.; Morgan S author non-byline.; 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Brookes A author non-byline.; Al-Janabi Z author non-byline.; Williams S author non-byline.; Leech C author non-byline.; Rainey A author non-byline.; Turner J author non-byline.; Brown J author non-byline.; McKechnie L author non-byline.; Marriage N author non-byline.; Mallon B author non-byline.; Manou S author non-byline.; McLaren J author non-byline.; Hart S author non-byline.; Moulds Y author non-byline.; Elsheikh M author non-byline.; Dunlop L author non-byline.; Cocker L author non-byline.; Burton F M author non-byline.; Elwan M H author non-byline.; Keers S author non-byline.; Vincent K L author non-byline.; Robertson L author non-byline.; Nunn C author non-byline.; Craver D author non-byline.; Sarja N author non-byline.; Moultrie N author non-byline.; Viegas M author non-byline.; Williams O author non-byline.; Graham S author non-byline.; Purvis S author non-byline.; Wooffinden E author non-byline.; Clark M author non-byline.; Reynard C author non-byline.; Davies C author non-byline.; 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Ali N author non-byline.; Olajide A author non-byline.; Hunt J author non-byline.; Bi C author non-byline.; Ahmad H author non-byline.; Ng J author non-byline.; Ward C author non-byline.; Naeem S author non-byline.; Khan M author non-byline.; Hill A author non-byline.; Holzman K author non-byline.; Boulind C author non-byline.; Ritchie J author non-byline.; Patton A author non-byline.; Lynch J author non-byline.; O'Sullivan R author non-byline.; Gilmartin S author non-byline.; Uí Bhroin S author non-byline.; Fitzpatrick P author non-byline.; Patton A author non-byline.; Kukaswadia S author non-byline.; Prendergast C author non-byline.; Ahmed A author non-byline.; Dalla Vecchia C author non-byline.; Grummell M author non-byline.; Grossi I author non-byline.; MacManus B author non-byline.; Samuel K author non-byline.; Boyle A author non-byline.; Waite A author non-byline.; Johnston B author non-byline.; Vinagre J author non-byline.; Turton P author non-byline.; George D author non-byline.; Battle C author non-byline.; Anandarajah J author non-byline.; Hock M JP author non-byline.;
• Is Part Of: Emergency medicine journal. Volume 38:Issue 6(2021)
• Page Start: 450
• Page End: 459
• Publication Date: 2021-04-08
• Subjects: psychology -- psychology -- staff support -- intensive care -- anaesthesia -- emergency departments; Emergency medicine -- Periodicals; 616.02505
• DOI: 10.1136/emermed-2020-210438
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1472-0205

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: To quantify psychological distress experienced by emergency, anaesthetic and intensive care doctors during the acceleration phase of COVID-19 in the UK and Ireland. Methods: Initial cross-sectional electronic survey distributed during acceleration phase of the first pandemic wave of COVID-19 in the UK and Ireland (UK: 18 March 2020–26 March 2020 and Ireland: 25 March 2020–2 April 2020). Surveys were distributed via established specialty research networks, within a three-part longitudinal study. Participants were doctors working in emergency, anaesthetic and intensive medicine during the first pandemic wave of COVID-19 in acute hospitals across the UK and Ireland. Primary outcome measures were the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12). Additional questions examined personal and professional characteristics, experiences of COVID-19 to date, risk to self and others and self-reported perceptions of health and well-being. Results: 5440 responses were obtained, 54.3% (n=2955) from emergency medicine and 36.9% (n=2005) from anaesthetics. All levels of doctor seniority were represented. For the primary outcome of GHQ-12 score, 44.2% (n=2405) of respondents scored >3, meeting the criteria for psychological distress. 57.3% (n=3045) had never previously provided clinical care during an infectious disease outbreak but over half of respondents felt somewhat prepared (48.6%, n=2653) or very prepared (7.6%, n=416) to provide clinical care to patients with COVID-19. However, 81.1% (n=4414) either agreed (31.1%, n=2709) or strongly agreed (31.1%, n=1705) that their personal health was at risk due to their clinical role. Conclusions: Findings indicate that during the acceleration phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, almost half of frontline doctors working in acute care reported psychological distress as measured by the GHQ-12. Findings from this study should inform strategies to optimise preparedness and explore modifiable factors associated with increased psychological distress in the short and long term. Trial registration number: ISRCTN10666798 .