Wellbeing and mental health outcomes amongst hospital healthcare workers during COVID-19

• Published in: Irish journal of psychological medicine 2023-09, Vol.40 (3), p.402-410
• Main Authors: Lowry, D., Hevey, D., Wilson, C., O’ Doherty, V., O’ Sullivan, S., Finnerty, C., Pender, N., D’Alton, P., Mulhern, S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anxiety; COVID-19; Hospitals; Medical personnel; Mental depression; Mental health; Mortality; Original Research; Pandemics; Polls & surveys; Post traumatic stress disorder; Public health; Questionnaires
• ISSN: 0790-9667; 2051-6967
• DOI: 10.1017/ipm.2023.1

Global healthcare systems have been particularly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are widely reported to have experienced increased levels of baseline psychological distress relative to the general population, and the COVID-19 pandemic may have had an additive effect. However, previous studies are typically restricted to physicians and nurses with limited data available on hospital HCWs. We aimed to conduct a cross-sectional, psychological evaluation of Irish HCWs during COVID-19. HCWs across five adult acute level-4 Dublin-based hospitals completed an online survey of wellbeing and COVID-19 experience. There were 1898 HCWs who commenced the survey representing 10% of the total employee base. The sample comprised nurses (33%), doctors (21%), Health and Social Care Professionals (HSCPs) (24%) and 'Other' disciplines (22%), and 81% identified as female. Clinical levels of depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms were endorsed by 31%, 34% and 28% of respondents, respectively. Professional grouping effects included: nurses reporting significantly greater levels of COVID-19 exposure, infection, COVID-fear, moral injury, and post-traumatic distress; HSCPs were significantly less likely to report mood dysfunction. In terms of gender, males were significantly less likely to report negative pandemic experiences, low resilience, and significantly more likely to endorse 'minimal' depression, anxiety, and traumatic distress. Logistic regression modelling revealed mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms) were associated with increased frontline exposure, fewer career years' experience, elevated pre-pandemic stress, and female gender. To our knowledge, this is the largest evaluation of psychological wellbeing amongst HCWs in acute hospitals in the Dublin region. Our findings have implications for healthcare workforce wellbeing and future service delivery.