Hospital clinicians' psychosocial well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: longitudinal study. (19th March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wynter, Karen; Holton, Sara; Trueman, Melody; Bruce, Suellen; Sweeney, Sue; Crowe, Shane; Dabscheck, Adrian; Eleftheriou, Paul; Booth, Sarah; Hitch, Danielle; Said, Catherine M; Haines, Kimberley J; Rasmussen, Bodil
• Is Part Of: Occupational medicine. Volume 72:Part 3(2022)
• Page Start: 215
• Page End: 224
• Publication Date: 2022-03-19
• Subjects: Hospital clinicians -- psychosocial -- psychological health -- workplace stress; Medicine, Industrial -- Periodicals; Employee health promotion -- Periodicals; 616.9803
• DOI: 10.1093/occmed/kqac003
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0962-7480

Abstract

Abstract: Background: Hospital clinicians report poor psychosocial well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. Few studies have reported data at more than one time point. Aims: To compare psychosocial well-being among hospital clinicians at two different time points during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Methods: Participants included doctors, nurses, midwives and allied health clinicians at a multi-site, public health service in Melbourne, Australia. Data were collected via two cross-sectional, online surveys: May to June (wave 1; n = 638) and October to December 2020 (wave 2; n = 358). The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) assessed psychological well-being in the past week. Investigator-devised questions assessed COVID-19 concerns and perceived work impacts. General linear models were used to assess impact of wave on psychological distress. Results: There were no significant demographic differences between the two groups. Both positive (e.g. learning experience) and negative (e.g. risk of getting COVID-19) impacts were reported. In both waves, staff were most concerned about health risks to family members. Wave 2 respondents were significantly more likely than wave 1 respondents to indicate concerns about colleagues having COVID-19, increased workloads, leave cancellation and increased conflict at work (all P < 0.001). Adjusting for sex, age, self-rated health and discipline group, depression, anxiety and stress scores were significantly higher for respondents in the second than the first wave (all P < 0.001). Conclusions: Psychological well-being of hospital clinicians was significantly worse during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic than the first. Sustained occupational and psychosocial support is recommended even when immediate COVID-19 concerns and impacts resolve.