Progression of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazilian healthcare workers’ emotional burden and the effects on professional fulfillment at the end of the third wave: a longitudinal study
IntroductionEven though the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers’ mental health remain unknown, such effects might negatively impact health services and patient safety, especially in countries like Brazil, where there is little investment in public health policies.Objecti...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1237123/full |
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| author | Sonia Regina Loureiro Sonia Regina Loureiro Antônio Waldo Zuardi Antônio Waldo Zuardi Isabella Lara Machado Silveira José Alexandre de Souza Crippa José Alexandre de Souza Crippa Jaime Eduardo Cecílio Hallak Jaime Eduardo Cecílio Hallak Flávia de Lima Osório Flávia de Lima Osório |
| author_facet | Sonia Regina Loureiro Sonia Regina Loureiro Antônio Waldo Zuardi Antônio Waldo Zuardi Isabella Lara Machado Silveira José Alexandre de Souza Crippa José Alexandre de Souza Crippa Jaime Eduardo Cecílio Hallak Jaime Eduardo Cecílio Hallak Flávia de Lima Osório Flávia de Lima Osório |
| author_sort | Sonia Regina Loureiro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionEven though the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers’ mental health remain unknown, such effects might negatively impact health services and patient safety, especially in countries like Brazil, where there is little investment in public health policies.ObjectivesTo assess how the mental health indicators of Brazilian healthcare workers progressed between the beginning and 2 years after the pandemic (at the end of the third wave when there was a significant decrease in the number of new cases and deaths).MethodsThe sample comprised healthcare workers whose mental health indicators have been monitored since the beginning of the pandemic in Brazil. The potential participants were addressed via social media and contacted through class councils and health institutions across Brazil. A total of 165 participants answered instruments at the baseline and 2 years after the pandemic. Data were collected online using the Redcap platform and addressed symptoms of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, insomnia, and burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and professional fulfillment).ResultsBrazilian healthcare workers faced three periods of intensified incidence of new cases and deaths due to COVID-19 for 2 years. Approximately one-third of the sample still experiences high levels of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. Insomnia indicators remained the most prevalent compared to the baseline assessment, while post-traumatic stress symptoms (p = 0.04) and professional fulfillment (p = 0.005) decreased.ConclusionThe lack of positive changes in mental health indicators coupled with decreased professional fulfillment over time highlights the pandemic’s chronic effects and the need for organizations to monitor these workers’ mental health, especially in developing countries like Brazil, where there is a high demand for health services and public policies are poorly structured and unstable. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T13:22:10Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2931bc3a7de94f888566a78240b90409 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T13:22:10Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-2931bc3a7de94f888566a78240b904092023-11-03T10:26:14ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402023-11-011410.3389/fpsyt.2023.12371231237123Progression of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazilian healthcare workers’ emotional burden and the effects on professional fulfillment at the end of the third wave: a longitudinal studySonia Regina Loureiro0Sonia Regina Loureiro1Antônio Waldo Zuardi2Antônio Waldo Zuardi3Isabella Lara Machado Silveira4José Alexandre de Souza Crippa5José Alexandre de Souza Crippa6Jaime Eduardo Cecílio Hallak7Jaime Eduardo Cecílio Hallak8Flávia de Lima Osório9Flávia de Lima Osório10Ribeirão Preto Medical SchoolUniversity of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, BrazilNational Institute for Science and Technology (INCT-TM, CNPq), Brasília, BrazilRibeirão Preto Medical SchoolUniversity of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, BrazilNational Institute for Science and Technology (INCT-TM, CNPq), Brasília, BrazilRibeirão Preto Medical SchoolUniversity of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, BrazilRibeirão Preto Medical SchoolUniversity of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, BrazilNational Institute for Science and Technology (INCT-TM, CNPq), Brasília, BrazilRibeirão Preto Medical SchoolUniversity of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, BrazilNational Institute for Science and Technology (INCT-TM, CNPq), Brasília, BrazilRibeirão Preto Medical SchoolUniversity of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, BrazilNational Institute for Science and Technology (INCT-TM, CNPq), Brasília, BrazilIntroductionEven though the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers’ mental health remain unknown, such effects might negatively impact health services and patient safety, especially in countries like Brazil, where there is little investment in public health policies.ObjectivesTo assess how the mental health indicators of Brazilian healthcare workers progressed between the beginning and 2 years after the pandemic (at the end of the third wave when there was a significant decrease in the number of new cases and deaths).MethodsThe sample comprised healthcare workers whose mental health indicators have been monitored since the beginning of the pandemic in Brazil. The potential participants were addressed via social media and contacted through class councils and health institutions across Brazil. A total of 165 participants answered instruments at the baseline and 2 years after the pandemic. Data were collected online using the Redcap platform and addressed symptoms of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, insomnia, and burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and professional fulfillment).ResultsBrazilian healthcare workers faced three periods of intensified incidence of new cases and deaths due to COVID-19 for 2 years. Approximately one-third of the sample still experiences high levels of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. Insomnia indicators remained the most prevalent compared to the baseline assessment, while post-traumatic stress symptoms (p = 0.04) and professional fulfillment (p = 0.005) decreased.ConclusionThe lack of positive changes in mental health indicators coupled with decreased professional fulfillment over time highlights the pandemic’s chronic effects and the need for organizations to monitor these workers’ mental health, especially in developing countries like Brazil, where there is a high demand for health services and public policies are poorly structured and unstable.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1237123/fullmental healthhealth occupationslongitudinal studyCOVID-19 pandemicburnout |
| spellingShingle | Sonia Regina Loureiro Sonia Regina Loureiro Antônio Waldo Zuardi Antônio Waldo Zuardi Isabella Lara Machado Silveira José Alexandre de Souza Crippa José Alexandre de Souza Crippa Jaime Eduardo Cecílio Hallak Jaime Eduardo Cecílio Hallak Flávia de Lima Osório Flávia de Lima Osório Progression of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazilian healthcare workers’ emotional burden and the effects on professional fulfillment at the end of the third wave: a longitudinal study Frontiers in Psychiatry mental health health occupations longitudinal study COVID-19 pandemic burnout |
| title | Progression of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazilian healthcare workers’ emotional burden and the effects on professional fulfillment at the end of the third wave: a longitudinal study |
| title_full | Progression of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazilian healthcare workers’ emotional burden and the effects on professional fulfillment at the end of the third wave: a longitudinal study |
| title_fullStr | Progression of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazilian healthcare workers’ emotional burden and the effects on professional fulfillment at the end of the third wave: a longitudinal study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Progression of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazilian healthcare workers’ emotional burden and the effects on professional fulfillment at the end of the third wave: a longitudinal study |
| title_short | Progression of the COVID-19 pandemic, Brazilian healthcare workers’ emotional burden and the effects on professional fulfillment at the end of the third wave: a longitudinal study |
| title_sort | progression of the covid 19 pandemic brazilian healthcare workers emotional burden and the effects on professional fulfillment at the end of the third wave a longitudinal study |
| topic | mental health health occupations longitudinal study COVID-19 pandemic burnout |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1237123/full |
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