TY - JOUR
T1 - Mental Health Outcomes in Australian Healthcare and Aged-Care Workers during the Second Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic
AU - McGuinness, Sarah L.
AU - Johnson, Josphin
AU - Eades, Owen
AU - Cameron, Peter A.
AU - Forbes, Andrew
AU - Fisher, Jane
AU - Grantham, Kelsey
AU - Hodgson, Carol
AU - Hunter, Peter
AU - Kasza, Jessica
AU - Kelsall, Helen L.
AU - Kirkman, Maggie
AU - Russell, Grant
AU - Russo, Philip L.
AU - Sim, Malcolm R.
AU - Singh, Kasha P.
AU - Skouteris, Helen
AU - Smith, Karen L.
AU - Stuart, Rhonda L.
AU - Teede, Helena J.
AU - Trauer, James M.
AU - Udy, Andrew
AU - Zoungas, Sophia
AU - Leder, Karin
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Victorian Government COVID-19 research fund (Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, HHSF/20/12957) and WorkSafe Victoria. K.L. (APP115500), C.H. (APP1173271), P.L.R. (APP1156312), and H.J.T. (APP2009326) are supported by National Health and Medical Research Fellowships. J.M.T is supported by a Monash Senior Postdoctoral Fellowship. The funders had no role in the study design, collection, analysis, or interpretation of the data or preparation and submission of the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2022/5/1
Y1 - 2022/5/1
N2 - Objective: the COVID-19 pandemic has incurred psychological risks for healthcare workers (HCWs). We established a Victorian HCW cohort (the Coronavirus in Victorian Healthcare and Aged-Care Workers (COVIC-HA) cohort study) to examine COVID-19 impacts on HCWs and assess organisational responses over time. Methods: mixed-methods cohort study, with baseline data collected via an online survey (7 May–18 July 2021) across four healthcare settings: ambulance, hospitals, primary care, and residential aged-care. Outcomes included self-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress (PTS), wellbeing, burnout, and resilience, measured using validated tools. Work and home-related COVID-19 impacts and perceptions of workplace responses were also captured. Results: among 984 HCWs, symptoms of clinically significant depression, anxiety, and PTS were reported by 22.5%, 14.0%, and 20.4%, respectively, highest among paramedics and nurses. Emotional exhaustion reflecting moderate–severe burnout was reported by 65.1%. Concerns about contracting COVID-19 at work and transmitting COVID-19 were common, but 91.2% felt well-informed on workplace changes and 78.3% reported that support services were available. Conclusions: Australian HCWs employed during 2021 experienced adverse mental health outcomes, with prevalence differences observed according to occupation. Longitudinal evidence is needed to inform workplace strategies that support the physical and mental wellbeing of HCWs at organisational and state policy levels.
AB - Objective: the COVID-19 pandemic has incurred psychological risks for healthcare workers (HCWs). We established a Victorian HCW cohort (the Coronavirus in Victorian Healthcare and Aged-Care Workers (COVIC-HA) cohort study) to examine COVID-19 impacts on HCWs and assess organisational responses over time. Methods: mixed-methods cohort study, with baseline data collected via an online survey (7 May–18 July 2021) across four healthcare settings: ambulance, hospitals, primary care, and residential aged-care. Outcomes included self-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress (PTS), wellbeing, burnout, and resilience, measured using validated tools. Work and home-related COVID-19 impacts and perceptions of workplace responses were also captured. Results: among 984 HCWs, symptoms of clinically significant depression, anxiety, and PTS were reported by 22.5%, 14.0%, and 20.4%, respectively, highest among paramedics and nurses. Emotional exhaustion reflecting moderate–severe burnout was reported by 65.1%. Concerns about contracting COVID-19 at work and transmitting COVID-19 were common, but 91.2% felt well-informed on workplace changes and 78.3% reported that support services were available. Conclusions: Australian HCWs employed during 2021 experienced adverse mental health outcomes, with prevalence differences observed according to occupation. Longitudinal evidence is needed to inform workplace strategies that support the physical and mental wellbeing of HCWs at organisational and state policy levels.
KW - COVID-19
KW - healthcare workers
KW - infectious diseases epidemiology
KW - occupational health
KW - psychological disorders
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85128434543&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/ijerph19094951
DO - 10.3390/ijerph19094951
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85128434543
VL - 19
JO - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
JF - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
SN - 1661-7827
IS - 9
M1 - 4951
ER -
