Psychological Impact of a Pandemic for Healthcare Professionals

Many people who never caught the novel coronavirus, or knew anyone who did, found the COVID-19 pandemic hard to cope with. A dangerous new virus that went on to claim millions of lives worldwide left many people scared, depressed and anxious.

If there is a valuable lesson to be learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s that there is nothing more important than your health. It’s also better to prevent problems than treat them. For older adults, comparing coverage options such as a Medicare Advantage plan can be one part of planning ahead for health care.

Just the thought of a new virus spreading through communities can be frightening, but healthcare professionals see it firsthand. They have to treat large numbers of patients, some of whom become critically ill.

Like SARS and MERS, COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus that can make it hard for patients to breathe. Some patients need a ventilator, and many of the sickest patients die.

During the worst waves, families often could not visit because of infection risk. Many patients spent their final moments with healthcare workers rather than loved ones.

The Negative Impact of a Pandemic on Healthcare Professionals

Many things that happen during a pandemic can harm the mental health of healthcare professionals. A study published in the journal Psychiatry Research looked at mental health problems among healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Depression, anxiety and stress are among the most common problems for people who care for COVID-19 patients. Heavier workloads are one reason. More patients and longer shifts leave less time for friends and family.

Having very little free time to relax and socialize can increase stress and anxiety. Dealing with death every day can also contribute to sleep problems and depression. The psychological impact of the pandemic on healthcare workers was the main subject of a recent study carried out in China.

The researchers' web-based survey found heavy pressure on doctors and nurses working during the outbreak. Factors known to drive this pressure include overwork, high infection risk, inadequate protection, lack of experience with the disease, negative feedback from patients, major lifestyle changes and less family support.

The study concluded that psychological problems were widespread among nurses, technicians, medical residents and physicians. Among all participants, 46% had symptoms of anxiety, 44% had symptoms of depression and about 29% had symptoms of insomnia. Front-line workers had a higher risk than those who were not on the front line.

These are not the only mental health problems that affect health workers during a pandemic. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious risk. Frequent exposure to death and uncertainty about the future both play a part, and some health workers also lost colleagues to the disease.

PTSD was also a problem for doctors and nurses who worked through the SARS and MERS outbreaks, and some still had symptoms long afterward.

Fear of infection is another major source of trauma. Health workers worry about catching the virus, bringing it home or dying from it. According to research conducted in Mexico, many nurses and doctors feared that patients without symptoms could unknowingly spread the disease among staff and patients.

Many countries do not have enough physicians, nurses and technicians to handle a pandemic comfortably. That is why many medical workers gave up much of their free time to keep health systems from breaking down.

Violence Against Healthcare Professionals During a Pandemic

Treating patients during a pandemic causes heavy stress even when every patient behaves well. Unfortunately, nurses and doctors in many countries also faced hostility and violence from patients and relatives.

Patients can become hostile for many reasons. Some did not believe the virus was real and refused to cooperate with treatment. Others became angry after long waits for testing or care.

Some health workers were attacked by relatives of patients who died, sometimes because the family could not visit beforehand. Many governments and hospitals increased security to protect staff.

The problem did not end with the emergency. The CDC reported that the share of U.S. health workers who experienced harassment at work rose from 6% in 2018 to 13% in 2022, and 46% reported feeling burned out often or very often in 2022.

HP Thoughts: The only way to combat these negative vibes surrounding health workers during the pandemic is to adapt to new ways of maintaining a healthy state of mind. Read our post to learn more: Ways To Improve Your Mental Health.

Sources

• Psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers: a cross-sectional study in China, General Psychiatry (PMC)
• Health Workers Face a Mental Health Crisis, CDC Vital Signs