Pandemic COVID-19: the residents’ resilience: COVID-19 and residents’ resilience

Pandemic COVID-19: the residents’ resilience

COVID-19 and residents’ resilience

Authors

  • Laura Pasin a:1:{s:5:"en_US";s:86:"Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Azienda ospedaliera-università di Padova";}
  • Nicolò Sella Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Azienda ospedaliera-università di Padova
  • Christelle Correale Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Azienda ospedaliera-università di Padova
  • Annalisa Boscolo Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Azienda ospedaliera-università di Padova
  • Giulia Mormando Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padova, Italy
  • Maria Zordan Department of Mental Health, Azienda ULSS 7 Pedemontana
  • Giovanni Landoni IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute
  • Paolo Navalesi Department of Medicine (DIMED), University of Padova, Italy

Keywords:

post-traumatic stress disorder; residents; COVID-19; survey; intensive care; emergency department

Abstract

Background and aim of the work. Healthcare workers are often exposed to secondary traumatic stress. The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak caused intense psychological pressure in various healthcare professionals, with increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder. Objective of our study was to evaluate the incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder in italian residents in Intensive Care and Emergency Departments facing COVID-19 emergency.

Methods. We developed a short, anonymous web-questionnaire to obtain data regarding sociodemographic, professional characteristics, history of psychological trauma, psychotherapy, use of psychiatric medications and the presence of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Primary outcome was the incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder. Secondary endpoint was to identify possible risk factors associated with the development of post-traumatic stress disorder.  Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms were assessed by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised.  A cut-off of 33 identified a probable diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder while a cut-off of 22 identified subclinical post-traumatic stress disorder.

Results. 503 residents completed the questionnaire. Among residents who were directly involved in the clinical assistance of COVID-19 patients, 34.3% presented a probable diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, while 21.5% presented subclinical post-traumatic stress disorder. Female gender and history of psychological trauma were significantly associated with the development of post-traumatic stress symptoms.

Conclusions. Our data suggest a high incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder in Italian residents working in Intensive Care Units and Emergency Departments during the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. This finding supports the importance of promptly implementing any strategy that might preserve staff mental health.

References

Zhu N, Zhang D, Wang W, et al. A Novel Coronavirus from Patients with Pneumonia in China, 2019. N Engl J Med. Feb 20, 2020;382(8):727-733.

Poston JT, Patel BK, Davis AM. Management of Critically Ill Adults With COVID-19. JAMA. Published online, Mar 26, 2020.

Grasselli G, Pesenti A, Cecconi M. Critical Care Utilization for the COVID-19 Outbreak in Lombardy, Italy: Early Experience and Forecast During an Emergency Response. JAMA. Published online 2020 Mar 13.

Skogstad L, Heir T, Hauff E, Ekeberg Ø.Post-traumatic stress among rescue workers after terror attacks in Norway. Occup Med (Lond). 2016 Oct;66(7):528-35. doi: 10.1093/occmed/kqw063.

Berger W, Coutinho ES, Figueira I et al. TC. Rescuers at risk: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis of the worldwide current prevalence and correlates of PTSD in rescue workers. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2012 jun;47(6):1001–11. .

Hegg-Deloye S, Brassard P, Jauvin N et al. Current state of knowledge of post-traumatic stress, sleeping problems, obesity and cardiovascular disease in paramedics. Emerg Med J. 2014, mar ;31(3):242–7.

Kessler RC, Chiu WT, Demler O et al. Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of 12-month DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2005;62(6):617–27.

Carmassi C, Dell’Osso L, Manni C, et al Frequency of trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress disorder in Italy: analysis from the World Mental Health Survey Initiative. J Psychiatr Res. 2014;59:77–84.

Declercq F, Meganck R, Deheegher J, Van Hoorde H. Frequency of and subjective response to critical incidents in the prediction of PTSD in emergency personnel. J Trauma Stress 2011;24:133–136.

Bills CB, Levy NA, Sharma V et al. Mental health of workers and volunteers responding to events of 9/11: review of the literature. Mt Sinai J Med 2008;75:115–127.

Thoresen S, Tønnessen A, Lindgaard CV, et al. Stressful but rewarding: Norwegian personnel mobilised for the 2004 tsunami disaster. Disasters 2009;33:353–368. .

Pietrzak RH, Schechter CB, Bromet EJ et al. The burden of full and subsyndromal posttraumatic stress disorder among police involved in the World Trade Center rescue and recovery effort. J Psychiatr Res 2012;46:835–842.

Lowery K, Stokes MA. Role of peer support and emotional expression on posttraumatic stress disorder in student paramedics. J Trauma Stress. 2005;18(2):171–9.

Motlagh H. Impact of Event Scale-revised. J Physiother. 2010;56(3):203.

Craparo G, Faraci P, Rotondo G, Gori A. The Impact of Event Scale - Revised: psychometric properties of the Italian version in a sample of flood victims. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2013;9:1427-32.

Maunder R, Hunter J, Vincent L et al. The immediate psychological and occupational impact of the 2003 SARS outbreak in a teaching hospital. CMAJ 2003;168(10):1245-51.

Tam CW, Pang EP, Lam LC, Chiu HF. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Hong Kong in 2003: Stress and psychological impact among frontline healthcare workers. Psychol Med 2004;34(7):1197-204.

Chan AO, Huak CY. Psychological impact of the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak on health care workers in a medium size regional general hospital in Singapore. Occup Med (Lond) 2004;54(3):190-96.

Nickell LA, Crighton EJ, Tracy CS et al. Psychosocial effects of SARS on hospital staff: Survey of a large tertiary care institution. CMAJ 2004;170(5):793-98.

Bai Y, Lin CC, Lin CY et al. Survey of stress reactions among health care workers involved with the SARS outbreak. Psychiatr Serv. 2004;55(9):1055-1057.

Kang L, Ma S, Chen M et al. Impact on mental health and perceptions of psychological care among medical and nursing staff in Wuhan during the 2019 novel coronavirus disease outbreak: A cross-sectional study. Brain Behav Immun. 2020 Mar 30. pii: S0889-1591(20)30348-2. [Epub ahead of print]

Lai J, Ma S, Wang Y et al. Factors Associated With Mental Health Outcomes Among Health Care Workers Exposed to Coronavirus Disease 2019. JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Mar 2;3(3):e203976.

Shanafelt T, Ripp J, Trockel M. Understanding and Addressing Sources of Anxiety Among Health Care Professionals During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA. 2020 Apr 7. [Epub ahead of print]

Maunder R, Lancee WJ, Rourke SB,et al. The experience of the 2003 SARS outbreak as a traumatic stress among frontline healthcare workers in Toronto: Lessons learned. In: McLean AR, May RM, Pattison J, Weiss RA (Eds.), SARS: A Case Study in Emerging Infections. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005;96-106.

Maunder RG1, Leszcz M, Savage D et al. Applying the lessons of SARS to pandemic influenza: an evidence-based approach to mitigating the stress experienced by healthcare workers. Can J Public Health. 2008 Nov-Dec;99(6):486-8.

Hawryluck L, Gold WL, Robinson S et al. SARS control and psychological effects of quarantine, Toronto, Canada. Emerg Infect Dis. 2004 Jul;10(7):1206-12.

Breslau N, Chilcoat HD, Kessler RC, Davis GC. Previous exposure to trauma and PTSD effects of subsequent trauma: results from the Detroit Area Survey of Trauma. Am J Psychiatry. 1999 Jun;156(6):902-7.

Kessler RC, Aguilar-Gaxiola S, Alonso J et al.The associations of earlier trauma exposures and history of mental disorders with PTSD after subsequent traumas.Mol Psychiatry. 2018 Sep;23(9):1892-1899. doi: 10.1038/mp.2017.194.

Wu P, Fang Y, Guan Z et al. The psychological impact of the SARS epidemic on hospital employees in China: exposure, risk perception, and altruistic acceptance of risk. Can J Psychiatry. 2009 May;54(5):302-11.

Liang Y, Chen M, Zheng X, Liu J. Screening for Chinese medical staff mental health by SDS and SAS during the outbreak of COVID-19. J Psychosom Res. 2020 Mar 21;133:110102. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2020.110102. [Epub ahead of print]

Downloads

Published

01-10-2020

Issue

Section

ORIGINAL INVESTIGATIONS/COMMENTARIES - SPECIAL COVID19

How to Cite

1.
Pasin L, Sella N, Correale C, Boscolo A, Mormando G, Zordan M, et al. Pandemic COVID-19: the residents’ resilience: COVID-19 and residents’ resilience. Acta Biomed [Internet]. 2020 Oct. 1 [cited 2024 Jul. 17];91(4):e2020120. Available from: https://mattioli1885journals.com/index.php/actabiomedica/article/view/10061