Health Care Workers' Mental Health During the First Weeks of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Switzerland—A Cross-Sectional Study
Objective: The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic poses various challenges for health care workers (HCWs). This may affect their mental health, which is crucial to maintain high quality medical care during a pandemic. Existing evidence suggests that HCWs, especially women, nurses, frontline staff, and thos...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.594340/full |
| _version_ | 1818623159826382848 |
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| author | Sonja Weilenmann Jutta Ernst Heidi Petry Monique C. Pfaltz Onur Sazpinar Samuel Gehrke Francesca Paolercio Roland von Känel Tobias R. Spiller |
| author_facet | Sonja Weilenmann Jutta Ernst Heidi Petry Monique C. Pfaltz Onur Sazpinar Samuel Gehrke Francesca Paolercio Roland von Känel Tobias R. Spiller |
| author_sort | Sonja Weilenmann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic poses various challenges for health care workers (HCWs). This may affect their mental health, which is crucial to maintain high quality medical care during a pandemic. Existing evidence suggests that HCWs, especially women, nurses, frontline staff, and those exposed to COVID-19 patients, are at risk for anxiety and depression. However, a comprehensive overview of risk and protective factors considering their mutual influence is lacking. Therefore, this study aimed at exploring HCWs' mental health during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Switzerland, investigating the independent effect of various demographic, work- and COVID-related factors on HCWs' mental health.Methods: In an exploratory, cross-sectional, nation-wide online survey, we assessed demographics, work characteristics, COVID-19 exposure, and anxiety, depression, and burnout in 1,406 HCWs during the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Switzerland. Network analysis was used to investigate the associations among the included variables.Results: Women (compared to men), nurses (compared to physicians), frontline staff (compared to non-frontline workers), and HCWs exposed to COVID-19 patients (compared to non-exposed) reported more symptoms than their peers. However, these effects were all small. Perceived support by the employer independently predicted anxiety and burnout after adjustment for other risk factors.Conclusion: Our finding that some HCWs had elevated levels of anxiety, depression, and burnout underscores the importance to systematically monitor HCWs' mental health during this ongoing pandemic. Because perceived support and mental health impairments were negatively related, we encourage the implementation of supportive measures for HCWs' well-being during this crisis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T18:36:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7c256c7f2e9a48e18f64eb746c5387b4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T18:36:38Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-7c256c7f2e9a48e18f64eb746c5387b42022-12-21T22:21:09ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychiatry1664-06402021-03-011210.3389/fpsyt.2021.594340594340Health Care Workers' Mental Health During the First Weeks of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Switzerland—A Cross-Sectional StudySonja Weilenmann0Jutta Ernst1Heidi Petry2Monique C. Pfaltz3Onur Sazpinar4Samuel Gehrke5Francesca Paolercio6Roland von Känel7Tobias R. Spiller8Department of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandCenter for Clinical Nursing Science, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandCenter for Clinical Nursing Science, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandDepartment of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, SwitzerlandObjective: The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic poses various challenges for health care workers (HCWs). This may affect their mental health, which is crucial to maintain high quality medical care during a pandemic. Existing evidence suggests that HCWs, especially women, nurses, frontline staff, and those exposed to COVID-19 patients, are at risk for anxiety and depression. However, a comprehensive overview of risk and protective factors considering their mutual influence is lacking. Therefore, this study aimed at exploring HCWs' mental health during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Switzerland, investigating the independent effect of various demographic, work- and COVID-related factors on HCWs' mental health.Methods: In an exploratory, cross-sectional, nation-wide online survey, we assessed demographics, work characteristics, COVID-19 exposure, and anxiety, depression, and burnout in 1,406 HCWs during the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Switzerland. Network analysis was used to investigate the associations among the included variables.Results: Women (compared to men), nurses (compared to physicians), frontline staff (compared to non-frontline workers), and HCWs exposed to COVID-19 patients (compared to non-exposed) reported more symptoms than their peers. However, these effects were all small. Perceived support by the employer independently predicted anxiety and burnout after adjustment for other risk factors.Conclusion: Our finding that some HCWs had elevated levels of anxiety, depression, and burnout underscores the importance to systematically monitor HCWs' mental health during this ongoing pandemic. Because perceived support and mental health impairments were negatively related, we encourage the implementation of supportive measures for HCWs' well-being during this crisis.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.594340/fullCOVID-19mental healthhealth care workerburnoutpandemicSwitzerland |
| spellingShingle | Sonja Weilenmann Jutta Ernst Heidi Petry Monique C. Pfaltz Onur Sazpinar Samuel Gehrke Francesca Paolercio Roland von Känel Tobias R. Spiller Health Care Workers' Mental Health During the First Weeks of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Switzerland—A Cross-Sectional Study Frontiers in Psychiatry COVID-19 mental health health care worker burnout pandemic Switzerland |
| title | Health Care Workers' Mental Health During the First Weeks of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Switzerland—A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full | Health Care Workers' Mental Health During the First Weeks of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Switzerland—A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_fullStr | Health Care Workers' Mental Health During the First Weeks of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Switzerland—A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Health Care Workers' Mental Health During the First Weeks of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Switzerland—A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_short | Health Care Workers' Mental Health During the First Weeks of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic in Switzerland—A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_sort | health care workers mental health during the first weeks of the sars cov 2 pandemic in switzerland a cross sectional study |
| topic | COVID-19 mental health health care worker burnout pandemic Switzerland |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.594340/full |
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