Stress experiences of healthcare assistants in family practice at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed methods study
BackgroundAt the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, healthcare assistants in general practices were confronted with numerous new challenges. The aim of the study was to investigate the stress factors of healthcare assistants in March/April 2020 as well as in the further course of the pandemic in 202...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1238144/full |
| _version_ | 1797693121770815488 |
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| author | Hanna Schrader Jessica Ruck Gábor Borgulya Sandra Parisi Jana Ehlers-Mondorf Hanna Kaduszkiewicz Stefanie Joos Anna Grau Klaus Linde Ildikó Gágyor |
| author_facet | Hanna Schrader Jessica Ruck Gábor Borgulya Sandra Parisi Jana Ehlers-Mondorf Hanna Kaduszkiewicz Stefanie Joos Anna Grau Klaus Linde Ildikó Gágyor |
| author_sort | Hanna Schrader |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundAt the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, healthcare assistants in general practices were confronted with numerous new challenges. The aim of the study was to investigate the stress factors of healthcare assistants in March/April 2020 as well as in the further course of the pandemic in 2020.MethodsFrom August to December 2020, 6,300 randomly selected healthcare assistants in four German states were invited to participate in the study. We performed a mixed methods design using semi-structured telephone interviews and a cross-sectional survey with quantitative and open questions. The feeling of psychological burden was assessed on a 6-point likert-scale. We defined stress factors and categorized them in patient, non-patient and organizational stress factors. The results of the three data sets were compared within a triangulation protocol.ResultsOne thousand two hundred seventy-four surveys were analyzed and 28 interviews with 34 healthcare assistants were conducted. Of the participants, 29.5% reported experiences of a very high or high feeling of psychological burden in March/April 2020. Worries about the patients’ health and an uncertainty around the new disease were among the patient-related stress factors. Non-patient-related stress factors were problems with the compatibility of work and family, and the fear of infecting relatives with COVID-19. Organizational efforts and dissatisfaction with governmental pandemic management were reported as organizational stress factors. Support from the employer and team cohesion were considered as important resources.DiscussionIt is necessary to reduce stress among healthcare assistants by improving their working conditions and to strengthen their resilience to ensure primary healthcare delivery in future health crises. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T02:38:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-11759407d14a41b5a1edccdacce86042 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T02:38:59Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-11759407d14a41b5a1edccdacce860422023-09-04T08:54:36ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652023-09-011110.3389/fpubh.2023.12381441238144Stress experiences of healthcare assistants in family practice at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed methods studyHanna Schrader0Jessica Ruck1Gábor Borgulya2Sandra Parisi3Jana Ehlers-Mondorf4Hanna Kaduszkiewicz5Stefanie Joos6Anna Grau7Klaus Linde8Ildikó Gágyor9Department of General Practice, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, GermanyDepartment of General Practice, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, GermanyDepartment of General Practice, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, GermanyDepartment of General Practice, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, GermanyInstitute of General Practice, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Kiel, GermanyInstitute of General Practice, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Kiel, GermanyInstitute for General Practice and Interprofessional Care, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, GermanyInstitute of Clinical Epidemiology and Biometry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, GermanyInstitute of General Practice and Health Services Research, School of Medicine, Technical University Munich, Munich, GermanyDepartment of General Practice, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, GermanyBackgroundAt the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, healthcare assistants in general practices were confronted with numerous new challenges. The aim of the study was to investigate the stress factors of healthcare assistants in March/April 2020 as well as in the further course of the pandemic in 2020.MethodsFrom August to December 2020, 6,300 randomly selected healthcare assistants in four German states were invited to participate in the study. We performed a mixed methods design using semi-structured telephone interviews and a cross-sectional survey with quantitative and open questions. The feeling of psychological burden was assessed on a 6-point likert-scale. We defined stress factors and categorized them in patient, non-patient and organizational stress factors. The results of the three data sets were compared within a triangulation protocol.ResultsOne thousand two hundred seventy-four surveys were analyzed and 28 interviews with 34 healthcare assistants were conducted. Of the participants, 29.5% reported experiences of a very high or high feeling of psychological burden in March/April 2020. Worries about the patients’ health and an uncertainty around the new disease were among the patient-related stress factors. Non-patient-related stress factors were problems with the compatibility of work and family, and the fear of infecting relatives with COVID-19. Organizational efforts and dissatisfaction with governmental pandemic management were reported as organizational stress factors. Support from the employer and team cohesion were considered as important resources.DiscussionIt is necessary to reduce stress among healthcare assistants by improving their working conditions and to strengthen their resilience to ensure primary healthcare delivery in future health crises.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1238144/fullhealthcare assistantsCOVID-19 pandemicpsychological burdenstress factorsprimary care |
| spellingShingle | Hanna Schrader Jessica Ruck Gábor Borgulya Sandra Parisi Jana Ehlers-Mondorf Hanna Kaduszkiewicz Stefanie Joos Anna Grau Klaus Linde Ildikó Gágyor Stress experiences of healthcare assistants in family practice at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed methods study Frontiers in Public Health healthcare assistants COVID-19 pandemic psychological burden stress factors primary care |
| title | Stress experiences of healthcare assistants in family practice at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed methods study |
| title_full | Stress experiences of healthcare assistants in family practice at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed methods study |
| title_fullStr | Stress experiences of healthcare assistants in family practice at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed methods study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stress experiences of healthcare assistants in family practice at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed methods study |
| title_short | Stress experiences of healthcare assistants in family practice at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed methods study |
| title_sort | stress experiences of healthcare assistants in family practice at the onset of the covid 19 pandemic a mixed methods study |
| topic | healthcare assistants COVID-19 pandemic psychological burden stress factors primary care |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1238144/full |
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