The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of health-care workers in India: A qualitative phenomenological study

Background: Public health emergencies are known to affect mental health and well-being at the individual (anxiety, loneliness) and societal level (income loss, reduced access to services). The socioeconomic and health-care impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are unprecedented with worldwide economic lo...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lakshman Gopichandran, Mamta Choudhary, Preethy D'Souza, Latha Venkatesan, Muthuvenkatachalam Srinivasan, D S Anupama, Nand Kumar, Sanjay K Rai
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2023-01-01
Series:Journal of Applied Sciences and Clinical Practice
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.jascp.org/article.asp?issn=2772-364X;year=2023;volume=4;issue=2;spage=129;epage=135;aulast=Gopichandran
_version_ 1827783159228399616
author Lakshman Gopichandran
Mamta Choudhary
Preethy D'Souza
Latha Venkatesan
Muthuvenkatachalam Srinivasan
D S Anupama
Nand Kumar
Sanjay K Rai
author_facet Lakshman Gopichandran
Mamta Choudhary
Preethy D'Souza
Latha Venkatesan
Muthuvenkatachalam Srinivasan
D S Anupama
Nand Kumar
Sanjay K Rai
author_sort Lakshman Gopichandran
collection DOAJ
description Background: Public health emergencies are known to affect mental health and well-being at the individual (anxiety, loneliness) and societal level (income loss, reduced access to services). The socioeconomic and health-care impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are unprecedented with worldwide economic loss, closure of business activities, travel restrictions, social distancing, quarantine and isolation, fear of shortage of basic needs, and rapid spread of mental health problems. Materials and Methods: Qualitative phenomenological research with the overall aim to explore the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among healthcare workers in India was undertaken in a selected tertiary care hospital, in India. Qualitative in-depth interview was conducted to elucidate the mental health issues and problems of healthcare workers as experienced by them. We used phenomenological methodology to conduct in-depth face-to-face interview to focus on individual versions of experience combined with thematic analysis techniques for analyzing and framing the research data. Thematic analysis was carried out on data collected from 29 healthcare workers from different disciplines such as doctors, nurses, laboratory technician, paramedics, and operation theatre technicians. Results: Health-care workers reported various psychosocial issues and problems that they have experienced from the onset of COVID-19. From the analysis, we have generated three overarching themes, each with five subthemes. Conclusion: The study concludes that the health-care workers exposed to pandemic situation are vulnerable for a range of mental health issues from distress to sleep disturbances, fear and anxiety to social isolation and stigma, and loss of hope to helplessness.
first_indexed 2024-03-11T15:42:52Z
format Article
id doaj.art-2447e57fdb3444cf813f0ef9931c6728
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2772-364X
2772-3658
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-11T15:42:52Z
publishDate 2023-01-01
publisher Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
record_format Article
series Journal of Applied Sciences and Clinical Practice
spelling doaj.art-2447e57fdb3444cf813f0ef9931c67282023-10-26T08:51:15ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsJournal of Applied Sciences and Clinical Practice2772-364X2772-36582023-01-014212913510.4103/jascp.jascp_48_22The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of health-care workers in India: A qualitative phenomenological studyLakshman GopichandranMamta ChoudharyPreethy D'SouzaLatha VenkatesanMuthuvenkatachalam SrinivasanD S AnupamaNand KumarSanjay K RaiBackground: Public health emergencies are known to affect mental health and well-being at the individual (anxiety, loneliness) and societal level (income loss, reduced access to services). The socioeconomic and health-care impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are unprecedented with worldwide economic loss, closure of business activities, travel restrictions, social distancing, quarantine and isolation, fear of shortage of basic needs, and rapid spread of mental health problems. Materials and Methods: Qualitative phenomenological research with the overall aim to explore the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic among healthcare workers in India was undertaken in a selected tertiary care hospital, in India. Qualitative in-depth interview was conducted to elucidate the mental health issues and problems of healthcare workers as experienced by them. We used phenomenological methodology to conduct in-depth face-to-face interview to focus on individual versions of experience combined with thematic analysis techniques for analyzing and framing the research data. Thematic analysis was carried out on data collected from 29 healthcare workers from different disciplines such as doctors, nurses, laboratory technician, paramedics, and operation theatre technicians. Results: Health-care workers reported various psychosocial issues and problems that they have experienced from the onset of COVID-19. From the analysis, we have generated three overarching themes, each with five subthemes. Conclusion: The study concludes that the health-care workers exposed to pandemic situation are vulnerable for a range of mental health issues from distress to sleep disturbances, fear and anxiety to social isolation and stigma, and loss of hope to helplessness.http://www.jascp.org/article.asp?issn=2772-364X;year=2023;volume=4;issue=2;spage=129;epage=135;aulast=Gopichandrancovid-19health-care workersmental healthpandemic
spellingShingle Lakshman Gopichandran
Mamta Choudhary
Preethy D'Souza
Latha Venkatesan
Muthuvenkatachalam Srinivasan
D S Anupama
Nand Kumar
Sanjay K Rai
The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of health-care workers in India: A qualitative phenomenological study
Journal of Applied Sciences and Clinical Practice
covid-19
health-care workers
mental health
pandemic
title The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of health-care workers in India: A qualitative phenomenological study
title_full The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of health-care workers in India: A qualitative phenomenological study
title_fullStr The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of health-care workers in India: A qualitative phenomenological study
title_full_unstemmed The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of health-care workers in India: A qualitative phenomenological study
title_short The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of health-care workers in India: A qualitative phenomenological study
title_sort impact of covid 19 pandemic on the mental health of health care workers in india a qualitative phenomenological study
topic covid-19
health-care workers
mental health
pandemic
url http://www.jascp.org/article.asp?issn=2772-364X;year=2023;volume=4;issue=2;spage=129;epage=135;aulast=Gopichandran
work_keys_str_mv AT lakshmangopichandran theimpactofcovid19pandemiconthementalhealthofhealthcareworkersinindiaaqualitativephenomenologicalstudy
AT mamtachoudhary theimpactofcovid19pandemiconthementalhealthofhealthcareworkersinindiaaqualitativephenomenologicalstudy
AT preethydsouza theimpactofcovid19pandemiconthementalhealthofhealthcareworkersinindiaaqualitativephenomenologicalstudy
AT lathavenkatesan theimpactofcovid19pandemiconthementalhealthofhealthcareworkersinindiaaqualitativephenomenologicalstudy
AT muthuvenkatachalamsrinivasan theimpactofcovid19pandemiconthementalhealthofhealthcareworkersinindiaaqualitativephenomenologicalstudy
AT dsanupama theimpactofcovid19pandemiconthementalhealthofhealthcareworkersinindiaaqualitativephenomenologicalstudy
AT nandkumar theimpactofcovid19pandemiconthementalhealthofhealthcareworkersinindiaaqualitativephenomenologicalstudy
AT sanjaykrai theimpactofcovid19pandemiconthementalhealthofhealthcareworkersinindiaaqualitativephenomenologicalstudy
AT lakshmangopichandran impactofcovid19pandemiconthementalhealthofhealthcareworkersinindiaaqualitativephenomenologicalstudy
AT mamtachoudhary impactofcovid19pandemiconthementalhealthofhealthcareworkersinindiaaqualitativephenomenologicalstudy
AT preethydsouza impactofcovid19pandemiconthementalhealthofhealthcareworkersinindiaaqualitativephenomenologicalstudy
AT lathavenkatesan impactofcovid19pandemiconthementalhealthofhealthcareworkersinindiaaqualitativephenomenologicalstudy
AT muthuvenkatachalamsrinivasan impactofcovid19pandemiconthementalhealthofhealthcareworkersinindiaaqualitativephenomenologicalstudy
AT dsanupama impactofcovid19pandemiconthementalhealthofhealthcareworkersinindiaaqualitativephenomenologicalstudy
AT nandkumar impactofcovid19pandemiconthementalhealthofhealthcareworkersinindiaaqualitativephenomenologicalstudy
AT sanjaykrai impactofcovid19pandemiconthementalhealthofhealthcareworkersinindiaaqualitativephenomenologicalstudy