ABSTRACT
egePan-VOICE study on the psychosocial burden of the Covid-19 pandemic among - medical technical assistants Objectives: The Covid-19 pandemic is associated with increased demands on healthcare workers. A previously neglected occupational group is medical technical assistants (MTA). The aim is therefore to identify stress factors among MTA in Germany during the pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey of medical staff was conducted in spring 2020 (N = 8088). Results: N = 1483 records of MTA were analyzed. Retrospectively, the stress increased under the pandemic, and 60.1 % of MTA suffered from work stress (ERI). Staff shortages and extra work were associated with an increase in work stress. Problems of work-life balance and contact with contaminated material/infected persons favored stressful experiences. Conclusions: Some working conditions in the pandemic pose a potential health risk to MTA. It seems necessary to create improvements in the general conditions that enable healthily and effective work.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Occupational Stress , COVID-19/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Humans , Occupational Stress/epidemiology , Occupational Stress/psychology , Pandemics , Pemetrexed , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Epidemics lead to an increase in occupational stress and psychological strain among healthcare workers. However, the impact of a pandemic outbreak on healthcare systems is yet to be clearly defined. Therefore, this work aims to describe and analyze specific areas of workload among different groups of healthcare workers during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A sample of N = 8088 persons working in the German-speaking healthcare sector participated in the VOICE/egePan online survey, which addressed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic during the second quarter of 2020. We used 15 self-constructed items, based on the work of Matsuishi et al. (2012), to identify potential COVID-19-specific topics. RESULTS: N = 7542 records of healthcare workers were analyzed. Of these, 60.80% reported, retrospectively, an increase in stress since the outbreak of the pandemic. Problem areas tended to be indicated more frequently by the women surveyed than by the men. Nurses, paramedics and medical technicians reported the highest fear of infecting others while physicians reported the highest fear of physical or mental exhaustion. With respect to age, older respondents indicated less fear and felt more protected. Men and people living alone were more likely to use dysfunctional coping strategies. Migrants reported a higher fear of becoming infected or infecting others as well as they reported about increased levels of smoking. DISCUSSION: Retrospectively, the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in stress among healthcare workers. Problem areas have different focuses with regard to different living situations, environmental conditions and professions. In order to lay the best basis for healthy and efficient work, it seems necessary to take measures especially tailored to the needs of different groups of healthcare workers.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Pandemics , Female , Health Personnel , Humans , Male , Pandemics/prevention & control , Retrospective Studies , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
Background: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increase the risk for mental health problems. However, there is a lack of data targeting the role of ACEs for one of the most prevalent mental health problems in health-care professionals: burnout. Objective: We aimed to assess the relationship between ACEs and the core burnout dimension 'emotional exhaustion' (EE). As health-care professionals have been facing particular challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, we furthermore aimed to assess the role of COVID-19 associated burden in the interplay between ACEs and EE. Methods: During the first lockdown in Germany, a total of 2500 medical healthcare professionals were questioned in a cross-sectional online survey. Questions targeted, among others, sociodemographics, ACEs, COVID-19-associated problems (e.g. increase of workload, worries about relatives and patients) and emotional exhaustion, measured by the respective dimension of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Results: In German health-care professionals, ACEs were associated with a higher EE score. The number of experienced ACEs was associated with the majority of assessed COVID-19-associated problems. An increasing number of ACEs predicted higher EE scores, controlling for gender. The association between ACEs and EE was mediated significantly by COVID-19-associated problems. These included maladaptive coping strategies such as increased smoking, drinking and use of antidepressants/tranquilizers, feeling less protected by measures of the employee or the state, a greater feeling of being burdened by COVID-19-associated problems and greater exhaustion and sleep problems. Conclusion: Our findings suggest ACEs as significant risk factor for EE in German health-care professionals. The current pandemic means a significant burden that further pronounces this risk.
Antecedentes: Las experiencias adversas en la niñez (ACEs en sus siglas en inglés) aumentan el riesgo de problemas de salud mental. Sin embargo, faltan datos sobre el papel de las ACEs en uno de los problemas de salud mental más prevalentes en los profesionales de la salud: el agotamiento (burnout).Objetivo: Nuestro objetivo fue evaluar la relación entre las ACEs y la dimensión central del agotamiento 'agotamiento emocional' (AE). Dado que los profesionales de la salud se han enfrentado a desafíos particulares durante la pandemia de COVID-19, además nos propusimos evaluar el papel de la carga asociada a COVID-19 en la interacción entre las ACEs y la AE.Métodos: Durante la primera cuarentena en Alemania, se interrogó a un total de 2500 profesionales de la salud en una encuesta transversal en línea. Las preguntas fueron dirigidas, entre otros, a datos sociodemográficos, ACEs, problemas asociados a COVID-19 (por ejemplo, aumento de la carga de trabajo, preocupaciones sobre familiares y pacientes) y agotamiento emocional, medidos por la dimensión respectiva del Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI).Resultados: En los profesionales sanitarios alemanes, las ACEs se asociaron con una puntuación de AE más alta. El número de ACEs experimentados se asoció con la mayoría de los problemas asociados a COVID-19 evaluados. Un mayor número de ACEs predijo puntuaciones de AE más altas, controlado por género. La asociación entre ACEs y AE fue mediada significativamente por problemas asociados con COVID-19. Estos incluyeron estrategias de afrontamiento desadaptativas, como fumar, beber y usar antidepresivos/tranquilizantes, sentirse menos protegido por las medidas del empleador o el estado, una mayor sensación de estar agobiado por los problemas asociados con COVID-19 y un mayor agotamiento y problemas de sueño.Conclusión: Nuestros hallazgos sugieren que las ACEs son un factor de riesgo significativo para la AE en los profesionales de la salud alemanes. La pandemia actual implica una carga importante que acentúa aún más este riesgo.
ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT <h4>Background</h4> Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) increase the risk for mental health problems. However, there is a lack of data targeting the role of ACEs for one of the most prevalent mental health problems in health-care professionals: burnout. <h4>Objective</h4> We aimed to assess the relationship between ACEs and the core burnout dimension ‘emotional exhaustion’ (EE). As health-care professionals have been facing particular challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, we furthermore aimed to assess the role of COVID-19 associated burden in the interplay between ACEs and EE. <h4>Methods</h4> During the first lockdown in Germany, a total of 2500 medical healthcare professionals were questioned in a cross-sectional online survey. Questions targeted, among others, sociodemographics, ACEs, COVID-19-associated problems (e.g. increase of workload, worries about relatives and patients) and emotional exhaustion, measured by the respective dimension of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). <h4>Results</h4> In German health-care professionals, ACEs were associated with a higher EE score. The number of experienced ACEs was associated with the majority of assessed COVID-19-associated problems. An increasing number of ACEs predicted higher EE scores, controlling for gender. The association between ACEs and EE was mediated significantly by COVID-19-associated problems. These included maladaptive coping strategies such as increased smoking, drinking and use of antidepressants/tranquilizers, feeling less protected by measures of the employee or the state, a greater feeling of being burdened by COVID-19-associated problems and greater exhaustion and sleep problems. <h4>Conclusion</h4> Our findings suggest ACEs as significant risk factor for EE in German health-care professionals. The current pandemic means a significant burden that further pronounces this risk. HIGHLIGHTS Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) predicted higher scores of emotional exhaustion (EE) in German healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 associated problems mediated the association between ACEs and EE. COVID-19 and ACEs add to the risk of EE in healthcare professionals.