Healthcare Workers From Diverse Ethnicities and Their Perceptions of Risk and Experiences of Risk Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Qualitative Insights From the United Kingdom-REACH Study
IntroductionHealthcare workers (HCWs) are at higher risk of being infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Previous studies have examined factors relating to infection amongst HCWs, including those from ethnic minority groups, but there is limited data regarding th...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2022.930904/full |
| _version_ | 1818215515001192448 |
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| author | Irtiza Qureshi Mayuri Gogoi Fatimah Wobi Jonathan Chaloner Amani Al-Oraibi Osama Hassan Daniel Pan Laura B. Nellums Manish Pareek Manish Pareek |
| author_facet | Irtiza Qureshi Mayuri Gogoi Fatimah Wobi Jonathan Chaloner Amani Al-Oraibi Osama Hassan Daniel Pan Laura B. Nellums Manish Pareek Manish Pareek |
| author_sort | Irtiza Qureshi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionHealthcare workers (HCWs) are at higher risk of being infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Previous studies have examined factors relating to infection amongst HCWs, including those from ethnic minority groups, but there is limited data regarding the lived experiences of HCWs in relation to self-protection and how they deal with SARS-CoV-2 infection prevention. In this study, we presented data from an ethnically diverse sample of HCWs in the United Kingdom (UK) to understand their perceptions of risks and experiences with risk management whilst working throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsWe undertook a qualitative study as part of the United Kingdom Research study into Ethnicity and COVID-19 outcomes among Healthcare workers (United Kingdom-REACH) conducting semi-structured interviews and focus groups which were recorded with participants’ permission. Recordings were transcribed and thematically analyzed.FindingsA total of 84 participants were included in the analysis. Five broad themes emerged. First, ethnic minority HCWs spoke about specific risks and vulnerabilities they faced in relation to their ethnicity. Second, participants’ experience of risk assessments at work varied; some expressed satisfaction while many critiqued it as a “tick-box” exercise. Third, most participants shared about risks related to shortages, ambiguity in guidance, and inequitable distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), particularly during the start of the pandemic. Fourth, participants reported risks resulting from understaffing and inappropriate redeployment. Finally, HCWs shared the risk mitigation strategies which they had personally employed to protect themselves, their families, and the public.ConclusionHealthcare workers identified several areas where they felt at risk and/or had negative experiences of risk management during the pandemic. Our findings indicate that organizational shortcomings may have exposed some HCWs to greater risks of infection compared with others, thereby increasing their emotional and mental burden. Ethnic minority HCWs in particular experienced risks stemming from what they perceived to be institutional and structural racism, thus leading to a loss of trust in employers. These findings have significance in understanding staff safety, wellbeing, and workforce retention in multiethnic staff groups and also highlight the need for more robust, inclusive, and equitable approaches to protect HCWs going forward. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T06:37:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1a01a15fbb124afa900345e7980e0a20 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-858X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T06:37:18Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-1a01a15fbb124afa900345e7980e0a202022-12-22T00:34:26ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Medicine2296-858X2022-07-01910.3389/fmed.2022.930904930904Healthcare Workers From Diverse Ethnicities and Their Perceptions of Risk and Experiences of Risk Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Qualitative Insights From the United Kingdom-REACH StudyIrtiza Qureshi0Mayuri Gogoi1Fatimah Wobi2Jonathan Chaloner3Amani Al-Oraibi4Osama Hassan5Daniel Pan6Laura B. Nellums7Manish Pareek8Manish Pareek9Lifespan and Population Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United KingdomDepartment of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, United KingdomDepartment of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, United KingdomLifespan and Population Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United KingdomDepartment of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, United KingdomLifespan and Population Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United KingdomDepartment of Infection and HIV Medicine, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, United KingdomLifespan and Population Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United KingdomDepartment of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, United KingdomDepartment of Infection and HIV Medicine, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, United KingdomIntroductionHealthcare workers (HCWs) are at higher risk of being infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Previous studies have examined factors relating to infection amongst HCWs, including those from ethnic minority groups, but there is limited data regarding the lived experiences of HCWs in relation to self-protection and how they deal with SARS-CoV-2 infection prevention. In this study, we presented data from an ethnically diverse sample of HCWs in the United Kingdom (UK) to understand their perceptions of risks and experiences with risk management whilst working throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsWe undertook a qualitative study as part of the United Kingdom Research study into Ethnicity and COVID-19 outcomes among Healthcare workers (United Kingdom-REACH) conducting semi-structured interviews and focus groups which were recorded with participants’ permission. Recordings were transcribed and thematically analyzed.FindingsA total of 84 participants were included in the analysis. Five broad themes emerged. First, ethnic minority HCWs spoke about specific risks and vulnerabilities they faced in relation to their ethnicity. Second, participants’ experience of risk assessments at work varied; some expressed satisfaction while many critiqued it as a “tick-box” exercise. Third, most participants shared about risks related to shortages, ambiguity in guidance, and inequitable distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), particularly during the start of the pandemic. Fourth, participants reported risks resulting from understaffing and inappropriate redeployment. Finally, HCWs shared the risk mitigation strategies which they had personally employed to protect themselves, their families, and the public.ConclusionHealthcare workers identified several areas where they felt at risk and/or had negative experiences of risk management during the pandemic. Our findings indicate that organizational shortcomings may have exposed some HCWs to greater risks of infection compared with others, thereby increasing their emotional and mental burden. Ethnic minority HCWs in particular experienced risks stemming from what they perceived to be institutional and structural racism, thus leading to a loss of trust in employers. These findings have significance in understanding staff safety, wellbeing, and workforce retention in multiethnic staff groups and also highlight the need for more robust, inclusive, and equitable approaches to protect HCWs going forward.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2022.930904/fullriskethnicityhealthcare workerssafetyCOVID-19risk assessment |
| spellingShingle | Irtiza Qureshi Mayuri Gogoi Fatimah Wobi Jonathan Chaloner Amani Al-Oraibi Osama Hassan Daniel Pan Laura B. Nellums Manish Pareek Manish Pareek Healthcare Workers From Diverse Ethnicities and Their Perceptions of Risk and Experiences of Risk Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Qualitative Insights From the United Kingdom-REACH Study Frontiers in Medicine risk ethnicity healthcare workers safety COVID-19 risk assessment |
| title | Healthcare Workers From Diverse Ethnicities and Their Perceptions of Risk and Experiences of Risk Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Qualitative Insights From the United Kingdom-REACH Study |
| title_full | Healthcare Workers From Diverse Ethnicities and Their Perceptions of Risk and Experiences of Risk Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Qualitative Insights From the United Kingdom-REACH Study |
| title_fullStr | Healthcare Workers From Diverse Ethnicities and Their Perceptions of Risk and Experiences of Risk Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Qualitative Insights From the United Kingdom-REACH Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Healthcare Workers From Diverse Ethnicities and Their Perceptions of Risk and Experiences of Risk Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Qualitative Insights From the United Kingdom-REACH Study |
| title_short | Healthcare Workers From Diverse Ethnicities and Their Perceptions of Risk and Experiences of Risk Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Qualitative Insights From the United Kingdom-REACH Study |
| title_sort | healthcare workers from diverse ethnicities and their perceptions of risk and experiences of risk management during the covid 19 pandemic qualitative insights from the united kingdom reach study |
| topic | risk ethnicity healthcare workers safety COVID-19 risk assessment |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2022.930904/full |
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