Mental health interventions for healthcare workers during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Spain

Objective: In order to reduce distress associated with working with COVID-19 patients, several psychological intervention programmes for healthcare workers have been developed in Spain. We aimed to describe the main characteristics and components of these programmes for healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients in Spanish hospitals.Material and methodsAn online survey was designed to evaluate the main characteristics of psychological intervention programmes for healthcare workers during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsValid responses were received from 36 hospitals. Most of these programmes offered both in-person and online therapy. The most common aim of these interventions was emotional regulation, which was treated by psychoeducational and cognitive-behavioural techniques in individual interventions. Group interventions mainly used psychoeducation and mindfulness. Only half of the teams that offered in-person interventions received training in the proper use of personal protective equipment.ConclusionsSeveral hospitals in Spain have developed mental health interventions for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, deploying a wide range of therapeutic modalities and techniques. The rapid implementation of these programmes during the pandemic suggests that safety may not have received sufficient attention. The planning and development of interventions for healthcare workers during pandemics merits greater attention by national and regional authorities and institutions. (AU)

Objetivo: Para reducir el malestar psicológico asociado a tratar pacientes con COVID-19, se han desarrollado numerosos programas de intervención en España. Este estudio pretende describir las principales características y componentes de los programas para trabajadores sanitarios que atienden COVID-19 en hospitales españoles.Material y métodosSe elaboró y distribuyó una encuesta online para evaluar las principales características de los programas de intervención psicológica para trabajadores sanitarios durante la primera ola de la pandemia de COVID-19.ResultadosSe recibieron respuestas válidas de 36 hospitales. La mayoría de los programas ofrecían intervención presencial y online/telefónica. El principal objetivo de estos programas fue mejorar la regulación emocional. Las intervenciones individuales emplearon principalmente psicoeducación y técnicas cognitivo-conductuales, mientras que las grupales emplearon psicoeducación y mindfulness. Solo la mitad de los equipos que ofrecían intervenciones presenciales habían recibido la formación adecuada para usar equipos de protección individual.ConclusionesNumerosos hospitales en España han desarrollado intervenciones de salud mental para trabajadores sanitarios durante la pandemia por COVID-19, empleando una gran variedad de modalidades terapéuticas. La rápida implementación de estos programas durante la pandemia sugiere que la necesidad de seguridad ha podido subestimarse. La planificación y desarrollo de intervenciones psicológicas durante las pandemias merece mayor atención por parte de las autoridades competentes. (AU)

Mental health interventions for healthcare workers during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Spain.

OBJECTIVE: In order to reduce distress associated with working with COVID-19 patients, several psychological intervention programmes for healthcare workers have been developed in Spain. We aimed to describe the main characteristics and components of these programmes for healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients in Spanish hospitals. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An online survey was designed to evaluate the main characteristics of psychological intervention programmes for healthcare workers during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: Valid responses were received from 36 hospitals. Most of these programmes offered both in-person and online therapy. The most common aim of these interventions was emotional regulation, which was treated by psychoeducational and cognitive-behavioural techniques in individual interventions. Group interventions mainly used psychoeducation and mindfulness. Only half of the teams that offered in-person interventions received training in the proper use of personal protective equipment. CONCLUSIONS: Several hospitals in Spain have developed mental health interventions for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, deploying a wide range of therapeutic modalities and techniques. The rapid implementation of these programmes during the pandemic suggests that safety may not have received sufficient attention. The planning and development of interventions for healthcare workers during pandemics merits greater attention by national and regional authorities and institutions.

Mental health interventions for healthcare workers during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Spain.

OBJECTIVE: In order to reduce distress associated with working with COVID-19 patients, several psychological intervention programmes for healthcare workers have been developed in Spain. We aimed to describe the main characteristics and components of these programmes for healthcare workers treating COVID-19 patients in Spanish hospitals. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An online survey was designed to evaluate the main characteristics of psychological intervention programmes for healthcare workers during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: Valid responses were received from 36 hospitals. Most of these programmes offered both in-person and online therapy. The most common aim of these interventions was emotional regulation, which was treated by psychoeducational and cognitive-behavioural techniques in individual interventions. Group interventions mainly used psychoeducation and mindfulness. Only half of the teams that offered in-person interventions received training in the proper use of personal protective equipment. CONCLUSIONS: Several hospitals in Spain have developed mental health interventions for healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, deploying a wide range of therapeutic modalities and techniques. The rapid implementation of these programmes during the pandemic suggests that safety may not have received sufficient attention. The planning and development of interventions for healthcare workers during pandemics merits greater attention by national and regional authorities and institutions.

Mindful Self-Compassion program for chronic pain patients: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Although evidence-based psychological treatments for chronic pain (CP) have been demonstrated to be effective for a variety of outcomes, modest effects observed in recent reviews indicate scope for improvement. Self-compassion promotes a proactive attitude towards self-care and actively seeking relief from suffering. Consequently, more compassionate people experience better physical, psychological and interpersonal well-being. METHODS: We conducted a single-blind, randomized, controlled trial to examine the effects of a Mindful Self-Compassion program (MSC) on relevant clinical outcomes in patients with CP. Patients were randomly assigned to one of the two intervention arms: MSC or cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). The protocols of both intervention arms were standardized and consisted of a 150-min session once a week during 8 weeks formatted to groups of no more than 20 participants. The primary outcome was self-compassion, measured with the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS). The secondary outcomes were other pain-related scores, quality-of-life measures, and anxiety and depression scores. RESULTS: In all, 62 and 61 patients were assigned to the MSC and CBT groups, respectively. The MSC intervention was more effective than CBT for self-compassion (average treatment effect [ATE] = 0.126, p < 0.05). The secondary outcomes, pain acceptance (ATE = 5.214, p < 0.01), pain interference (ATE = -0.393, p < 0.05), catastrophizing (ATE = -2.139, p < 0.10) and anxiety (ATE = -0.902, p < 0.05), were also favoured in the experimental arm (MSC). No serious adverse events were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Mindful Self-Compassion is an appropriate therapeutic approach for CP patients and may result in greater benefits on self-compassion and emotional well-being than CBT. SIGNIFICANCE: This randomized controlled trial compares the novel intervention (MSC program) with the gold standard psychological intervention for CP (CBT). MSC improves the levels of self-compassion, a therapeutic target that is receiving attention since the last two decades, and it also improves anxiety symptoms, pain interference and pain acceptance more than what CBT does. These results provide empirical support to guide clinical work towards the promotion of self-compassion in psychotherapeutic interventions for people with CP.

Experiencia y actitudes de los profesionales de salud mental en torno a las prácticas coercitivas directas: revisión bibliográfica de estudios cualitativos / Experience and attitudes of mental health professionals toward coercive practices: a literature review of qualitative studies

Esta revisión bibliográfica de estudios cualitativos trata de explorar cuáles son las experiencias y actitudes que tienen los profesionales del ámbito de la salud mental sobre prácticas coercitivas como la contención mecánica. Existen múltiples estudios que indagan en las experiencias de los usuarios; sin embargo, parece necesario conocer la actitud de los profesionales si se desea trabajar por un cambio de paradigma. Se incluyeron 27 estudios que cumplían los criterios de inclusión y de calidad CASPe para estudios cualitativos. En general, los profesionales sienten malestar hacia las prácticas coercitivas, aunque existe cierta inclinación a justificar estas medidas como inevitables ante determinadas situaciones. Aparece una tendencia en los profesionales a atribuir a factores internos de los pacientes las potenciales situaciones desencadenantes. Se Identifican también propuestas comunes (a nivel estructural, formativo, organizativo y educacional) para una reducción en el uso de las medidas señaladas

The aim of this qualitative literature review is to explore mental health professionals' experiences and attitudes toward direct coercive practices such as mechanical restraint and seclusion. Besides the studies on the patients' own experiences, awareness of the professionals' attitude is needed in order to achieve a paradigm shift. Twenty-seven studies meeting the CASPe inclusion and quality criteria for qualitative studies were included in this review. Overall, it was found that professionals feel distressed about the use of coercive interventions. Yet, there is a trend to justify these measures as inevitable under certain conditions. Mental health professionals tend to link the situations that give rise to coercion to patients' internal determinants. Additionally, this review points out shared proposals that aim to reduce these practices