Emotional exhaustion and fear of COVID‐19 in geriatric facilities during the COVID‐19 pandemic. (5th July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Altintas, Emin; El Haj, Mohamad; Boudoukha, Abdel‐Halim; Olivier, Camille; Lizio, Andréa; Luyat, Marion; Gallouj, Karim
• Is Part Of: International journal of geriatric psychiatry. Volume 37:Number 8(2022)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2022-07-05
• Subjects: emotional exhaustion -- fear of COVID‐19 -- geriatric facilities -- psychosocial conditions -- workplace; Geriatric psychiatry -- Periodicals; Geriatric Psychiatry -- Periodicals; 618.97689
• DOI: 10.1002/gps.5781
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0885-6230

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: Since the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic, healthcare workers, especially those employed in hospital settings, have been exposed to a variety of stressors in the workplace. The aim of this study was to explore the Emotional Exhaustion (EE) of workers in geriatric facilities during the COVID‐19 crisis. We accordingly sought to investigate the short‐term impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic in terms of the EE experienced by workers in geriatric facilities, and to examine the manner in which psychosocial conditions and fear of COVID‐19 in the workplace have affected EE. Methods: Surveys were administered in the midst of the COVID‐19 crisis (October to December 2020). The study included 118 French healthcare workers with a mean age of 35.61 ± 0.73 recruited in geriatric facilities. We assessed EE, psychosocial conditions (e.g., demands at work, health and well‐being, etc.) and fear of COVID‐19 in the workplace. Results: The analysis yielded two main outcomes. First, 34.75% workers (41) reported severe levels of EE. Second, demands at work and the fear of COVD‐19 increased EE. Health and well‐being were, however, demonstrated to protect against EE. Discussion: Furthermore, fear of COVID‐19 was shown to contribute significantly to EE healthcare workers in geriatric facilities. It is likely that Covid‐19 indirectly contributes to EE by influencing demands at work. Key points: COVID‐19 is a pandemic with negative impact in workplace. Emotional Exhaustion (EE) seems to be a short‐term negative impact factor of COVID‐19 exposure in geriatric facilities. Fear of COVID‐19 and demands at work contribute significantly to increase EE among healthcare workers in geriatric facilities. Health and well‐being contribute significantly to decrease EE among healthcare workers in geriatric facilities. In the COVID‐19 pandemic context, there is a need to deploy specific prevention, and short and long‐term intervention programs to support healthcare workers and curb fear levels of COVID‐19.