Experiences and views of frontline healthcare workers’ family members in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study
Background The COVID-19 pandemic has had a well-documented negative impact on the mental health and wellbeing of frontline healthcare workers (HCWs). Whilst no research has to date been carried out to explore the challenges experienced by the families of HCWs, some previous research has been conduct...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2022-07-01
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| Series: | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2022.2057166 |
| _version_ | 1797895739592933376 |
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| author | Sahra Tekin Naomi Glover Talya Greene Dannielle Lamb Dominic Murphy Jo Billings |
| author_facet | Sahra Tekin Naomi Glover Talya Greene Dannielle Lamb Dominic Murphy Jo Billings |
| author_sort | Sahra Tekin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background The COVID-19 pandemic has had a well-documented negative impact on the mental health and wellbeing of frontline healthcare workers (HCWs). Whilst no research has to date been carried out to explore the challenges experienced by the families of HCWs, some previous research has been conducted with military families, demonstrating that family members of deployed military personnel may also be affected seriously and negatively. Objectives This study aimed to explore the experiences, views, and mental health impact on frontline HCWs’ families during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK and what support the families of frontline HCWs may need. Method Close family members and friends of HCWs were interviewed. Transcripts were analysed in line with the principles of reflexive thematic analysis. Results We completed fourteen interviews with three siblings, one mother, one friend, and nine spouses of HCWs. Family members were highly motivated to support healthcare workers and felt an intense sense of pride in their work. However, they also experienced increased domestic responsibilities and emotional burden due to anxiety about their loved ones’ work. The fact that sacrifices made by family members were not noticed by society, the anxiety they felt about their family’s physical health, the impact of hearing about traumatic experiences, and the failure of healthcare organisations to meet the needs of the HCWs all negatively affected the family members. Conclusions We have an ethical responsibility to attend to the experiences and needs of the families of healthcare professionals. This study emphasises the experiences and needs of family members of healthcare professionals, which have hitherto been missing from the literature. Further research is needed to hear from more parents, siblings and friends, partners in same sex relationships, as well as children of HCWs, to explore the variety of family members and supporters’ experiences more fully. HIGHLIGHTS • COVID19 has impacted families of HCWs as well as workers themselves. They have experienced more anxiety, increased practical burden, significant physical health risks and been exposed vicariously to workers’ traumatic experiences. We must ensure HCW families are better supported |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T07:30:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-145ce14dcb16403ca1ee419700a08e6e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2000-8066 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T07:30:35Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| spelling | doaj.art-145ce14dcb16403ca1ee419700a08e6e2023-02-23T15:58:11ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662022-07-0113110.1080/20008198.2022.20571662057166Experiences and views of frontline healthcare workers’ family members in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative studySahra Tekin0Naomi Glover1Talya Greene2Dannielle Lamb3Dominic Murphy4Jo Billings5University College LondonUniversity College LondonUniversity of HaifaUniversity College LondonTyrwhitt HouseUniversity College LondonBackground The COVID-19 pandemic has had a well-documented negative impact on the mental health and wellbeing of frontline healthcare workers (HCWs). Whilst no research has to date been carried out to explore the challenges experienced by the families of HCWs, some previous research has been conducted with military families, demonstrating that family members of deployed military personnel may also be affected seriously and negatively. Objectives This study aimed to explore the experiences, views, and mental health impact on frontline HCWs’ families during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK and what support the families of frontline HCWs may need. Method Close family members and friends of HCWs were interviewed. Transcripts were analysed in line with the principles of reflexive thematic analysis. Results We completed fourteen interviews with three siblings, one mother, one friend, and nine spouses of HCWs. Family members were highly motivated to support healthcare workers and felt an intense sense of pride in their work. However, they also experienced increased domestic responsibilities and emotional burden due to anxiety about their loved ones’ work. The fact that sacrifices made by family members were not noticed by society, the anxiety they felt about their family’s physical health, the impact of hearing about traumatic experiences, and the failure of healthcare organisations to meet the needs of the HCWs all negatively affected the family members. Conclusions We have an ethical responsibility to attend to the experiences and needs of the families of healthcare professionals. This study emphasises the experiences and needs of family members of healthcare professionals, which have hitherto been missing from the literature. Further research is needed to hear from more parents, siblings and friends, partners in same sex relationships, as well as children of HCWs, to explore the variety of family members and supporters’ experiences more fully. HIGHLIGHTS • COVID19 has impacted families of HCWs as well as workers themselves. They have experienced more anxiety, increased practical burden, significant physical health risks and been exposed vicariously to workers’ traumatic experiences. We must ensure HCW families are better supportedhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2022.2057166secondary traumafamily membershealthcare workersqualitativeoccupational trauma |
| spellingShingle | Sahra Tekin Naomi Glover Talya Greene Dannielle Lamb Dominic Murphy Jo Billings Experiences and views of frontline healthcare workers’ family members in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study European Journal of Psychotraumatology secondary trauma family members healthcare workers qualitative occupational trauma |
| title | Experiences and views of frontline healthcare workers’ family members in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study |
| title_full | Experiences and views of frontline healthcare workers’ family members in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | Experiences and views of frontline healthcare workers’ family members in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Experiences and views of frontline healthcare workers’ family members in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study |
| title_short | Experiences and views of frontline healthcare workers’ family members in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study |
| title_sort | experiences and views of frontline healthcare workers family members in the uk during the covid 19 pandemic a qualitative study |
| topic | secondary trauma family members healthcare workers qualitative occupational trauma |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2022.2057166 |
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