Characterizing the mental health and functioning of Canadian respiratory therapists during the COVID-19 pandemic
Introduction: Healthcare professionals (HCPs) appear to be at increased risk for negative psychological outcomes [e.g. depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), moral distress] and associated impacts on functioning throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. HCPs working on designated COVID-...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis Group
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2023.2171751 |
| _version_ | 1797844539510095872 |
|---|---|
| author | Andrea M. D’Alessandro-Lowe Kimberly Ritchie Andrea Brown Yuanxin Xue Mina Pichtikova Max Altman Isaac Beech Heather Millman Yarden Levy Senay Asma Kelly Hassall Fatima Foster Sara Rodrigues Fardous Hosseiny Charlene O’Connor Alexandra Heber Ann Malain Hugo Schielke Ruth A. Lanius Randi E. McCabe Margaret C. McKinnon |
| author_facet | Andrea M. D’Alessandro-Lowe Kimberly Ritchie Andrea Brown Yuanxin Xue Mina Pichtikova Max Altman Isaac Beech Heather Millman Yarden Levy Senay Asma Kelly Hassall Fatima Foster Sara Rodrigues Fardous Hosseiny Charlene O’Connor Alexandra Heber Ann Malain Hugo Schielke Ruth A. Lanius Randi E. McCabe Margaret C. McKinnon |
| author_sort | Andrea M. D’Alessandro-Lowe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Healthcare professionals (HCPs) appear to be at increased risk for negative psychological outcomes [e.g. depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), moral distress] and associated impacts on functioning throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. HCPs working on designated COVID-19 units may be further impacted than their colleagues not on these units given added demands of patient care and risk of contracting COVID-19. Little is known, however, about the mental health and functioning of specific professional groups beyond nurses and physicians, including respiratory therapists (RTs), over the course of the pandemic. Accordingly, the purpose of the present study was to characterize the mental health and functioning of Canadian RTs and compare profiles between RTs working on and off designated COVID-19 units. Methods: Canadian RTs completed an online survey between February and June 2021, including demographic information (e.g. age, sex, gender,) and measures of depression, anxiety, stress, PTSD, moral distress and functional impairment. Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses and between-groups comparisons were conducted to characterize RTs and compare profiles between those on and off COVID-19 units. Results: Two hundred and eighteen (N = 218) RTs participated in this study. The estimated response rate was relatively low (6.2%) Approximately half of the sample endorsed clinically relevant symptoms of depression (52%), anxiety (51%) and stress (54%) and one in three (33%) screened positively for potential PTSD. All symptoms correlated positively with functional impairment (p's < .05). RTs working on COVID-19 units reported significantly greater patient-related moral distress compared to those not on these units (p < .05). Conclusion: Moral distress and symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress and PTSD were prevalent among Canadian RTs and were associated with functional impacts. These results must be interpreted with caution given a low response rate, yet raise concern regarding the long-term impacts of pandemic service among RTs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:25:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9e5c0a28c8c248b58b8194228979a8ee |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2000-8066 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:25:09Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Psychotraumatology |
| spelling | doaj.art-9e5c0a28c8c248b58b8194228979a8ee2023-04-18T14:59:08ZengTaylor & Francis GroupEuropean Journal of Psychotraumatology2000-80662023-12-0114110.1080/20008066.2023.21717512171751Characterizing the mental health and functioning of Canadian respiratory therapists during the COVID-19 pandemicAndrea M. D’Alessandro-Lowe0Kimberly Ritchie1Andrea Brown2Yuanxin Xue3Mina Pichtikova4Max Altman5Isaac Beech6Heather Millman7Yarden Levy8Senay Asma9Kelly Hassall10Fatima Foster11Sara Rodrigues12Fardous Hosseiny13Charlene O’Connor14Alexandra Heber15Ann Malain16Hugo Schielke17Ruth A. Lanius18Randi E. McCabe19Margaret C. McKinnon20McMaster UniversityMcMaster UniversityMcMaster UniversityMcMaster UniversityMcMaster UniversityMcMaster UniversityMcMaster UniversityMcMaster UniversityMcMaster UniversityMcMaster UniversitySt. Joseph’s Healthcare HamiltonSt. Joseph’s Healthcare HamiltonAtlas Institute for Veterans and Families, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaAtlas Institute for Veterans and Families, Ottawa, Ontario, CanadaHomewood Health CentreMcMaster UniversityHomewood Health CentreHomewood Health CentreUniversity of Western OntarioMcMaster UniversityMcMaster UniversityIntroduction: Healthcare professionals (HCPs) appear to be at increased risk for negative psychological outcomes [e.g. depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), moral distress] and associated impacts on functioning throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. HCPs working on designated COVID-19 units may be further impacted than their colleagues not on these units given added demands of patient care and risk of contracting COVID-19. Little is known, however, about the mental health and functioning of specific professional groups beyond nurses and physicians, including respiratory therapists (RTs), over the course of the pandemic. Accordingly, the purpose of the present study was to characterize the mental health and functioning of Canadian RTs and compare profiles between RTs working on and off designated COVID-19 units. Methods: Canadian RTs completed an online survey between February and June 2021, including demographic information (e.g. age, sex, gender,) and measures of depression, anxiety, stress, PTSD, moral distress and functional impairment. Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses and between-groups comparisons were conducted to characterize RTs and compare profiles between those on and off COVID-19 units. Results: Two hundred and eighteen (N = 218) RTs participated in this study. The estimated response rate was relatively low (6.2%) Approximately half of the sample endorsed clinically relevant symptoms of depression (52%), anxiety (51%) and stress (54%) and one in three (33%) screened positively for potential PTSD. All symptoms correlated positively with functional impairment (p's < .05). RTs working on COVID-19 units reported significantly greater patient-related moral distress compared to those not on these units (p < .05). Conclusion: Moral distress and symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress and PTSD were prevalent among Canadian RTs and were associated with functional impacts. These results must be interpreted with caution given a low response rate, yet raise concern regarding the long-term impacts of pandemic service among RTs.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2023.2171751respiratory therapistscovid-19mental healthptsdhealthcare |
| spellingShingle | Andrea M. D’Alessandro-Lowe Kimberly Ritchie Andrea Brown Yuanxin Xue Mina Pichtikova Max Altman Isaac Beech Heather Millman Yarden Levy Senay Asma Kelly Hassall Fatima Foster Sara Rodrigues Fardous Hosseiny Charlene O’Connor Alexandra Heber Ann Malain Hugo Schielke Ruth A. Lanius Randi E. McCabe Margaret C. McKinnon Characterizing the mental health and functioning of Canadian respiratory therapists during the COVID-19 pandemic European Journal of Psychotraumatology respiratory therapists covid-19 mental health ptsd healthcare |
| title | Characterizing the mental health and functioning of Canadian respiratory therapists during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Characterizing the mental health and functioning of Canadian respiratory therapists during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Characterizing the mental health and functioning of Canadian respiratory therapists during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characterizing the mental health and functioning of Canadian respiratory therapists during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Characterizing the mental health and functioning of Canadian respiratory therapists during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | characterizing the mental health and functioning of canadian respiratory therapists during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | respiratory therapists covid-19 mental health ptsd healthcare |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2023.2171751 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT andreamdalessandrolowe characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic AT kimberlyritchie characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic AT andreabrown characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic AT yuanxinxue characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic AT minapichtikova characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic AT maxaltman characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic AT isaacbeech characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic AT heathermillman characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic AT yardenlevy characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic AT senayasma characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic AT kellyhassall characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic AT fatimafoster characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic AT sararodrigues characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic AT fardoushosseiny characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic AT charleneoconnor characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic AT alexandraheber characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic AT annmalain characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic AT hugoschielke characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic AT ruthalanius characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic AT randiemccabe characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic AT margaretcmckinnon characterizingthementalhealthandfunctioningofcanadianrespiratorytherapistsduringthecovid19pandemic |