IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i17p9263-d627740.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Occupational Disruptions during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Association with Healthcare Workers’ Mental Health

Author

Listed:
  • Natasha Smallwood

    (Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Alfred Hospital, 55 Commercial Road, Prahran, VIC 3004, Australia
    Department of Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Central Clinical School, The Alfred Hospital, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia)

  • Amy Pascoe

    (Department of Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Central Clinical School, The Alfred Hospital, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia)

  • Leila Karimi

    (School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3083, Australia
    School of Medicine and Healthcare Management, Caucasus University, Tbilisi 0102, Georgia)

  • Marie Bismark

    (Department of Psychiatry, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Grattan St, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia
    Centre for Health Policy, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia)

  • Karen Willis

    (College of Health and Biomedicine, Victoria University, Footscray, Melbourne, VIC 3011, Australia
    Division of Critical Care and Investigative Services, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Grattan Street, Parkville, VIC 3050, Australia)

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 crisis has caused prolonged and extreme demands on healthcare services. This study investigates the types and prevalence of occupational disruptions, and associated symptoms of mental illness, among Australian frontline healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A national cross-sectional online survey was conducted between 27 August and 23 October 2020. Frontline healthcare workers were invited to participate via dissemination from major health organisations, professional associations or colleges, universities, government contacts, and national media. Data were collected on demographics, home and work situations, and validated scales of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and burnout. Results: Complete responses were received from 7846 healthcare workers (82.4%). Most respondents were female (80.9%) and resided in the Australian state of Victoria (85.2%). Changes to working conditions were common, with 48.5% reporting altered paid or unpaid hours, and many redeployed (16.8%) or changing work roles (27.3%). Nearly a third (30.8%) had experienced a reduction in household income during the pandemic. Symptoms of mental illness were common, being present in 62.1% of participants. Many respondents felt well supported by their workplaces (68.3%) and believed that workplace communication was timely and useful (74.4%). Participants who felt well supported by their organisation had approximately half the risk of experiencing moderate to severe anxiety, depression, burnout, and PTSD. Half (50.4%) of respondents indicated a need for additional training in using personal protective equipment and/or caring for patients with COVID-19. Conclusions: Occupational disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic occurred commonly in health organisations and were associated with worse mental health outcomes in the Australian health workforce. Feeling well supported was associated with significantly fewer adverse mental health outcomes. Crisis preparedness focusing on the provision of timely and useful communication and support is essential in current and future crises.

Suggested Citation

  • Natasha Smallwood & Amy Pascoe & Leila Karimi & Marie Bismark & Karen Willis, 2021. "Occupational Disruptions during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Association with Healthcare Workers’ Mental Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-14, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:17:p:9263-:d:627740
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/17/9263/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/17/9263/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stella E. Hines & Katherine H. Chin & Danielle R. Glick & Emerson M. Wickwire, 2021. "Trends in Moral Injury, Distress, and Resilience Factors among Healthcare Workers at the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-11, January.
    2. Amalia De Leo & Eloisa Cianci & Paolo Mastore & Caterina Gozzoli, 2021. "Protective and Risk Factors of Italian Healthcare Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-17, January.
    3. Paula Tibandebage & Tausi Kida & Maureen Mackintosh & Joyce Ikingura, 2016. "Can managers empower nurse-midwives to improve maternal health care? A comparison of two resource-poor hospitals in Tanzania," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 379-395, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Jonathan Tran & Karen Willis & Margaret Kay & Kathryn Hutt & Natasha Smallwood, 2022. "The Workplace and Psychosocial Experiences of Australian Senior Doctors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-16, March.
    2. Amy Pascoe & Eldho Paul & Douglas Johnson & Mark Putland & Karen Willis & Natasha Smallwood, 2021. "Differences in Coping Strategies and Help-Seeking Behaviours among Australian Junior and Senior Doctors during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-17, December.
    3. Katherine Petrie & Natasha Smallwood & Amy Pascoe & Karen Willis, 2022. "Mental Health Symptoms and Workplace Challenges among Australian Paramedics during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-15, January.
    4. David Lucas & Sandrine Brient & Tanguy Le Grand & Jean-Dominique Dewitte & Brice Loddé & Richard Pougnet & Bisi Moriamo Eveillard, 2022. "Evolution of Global Health and Psychosocial Factors among Hospital Workers during First Year of SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-11, November.
    5. Oliver S. Holmes & Steven Ellen & Natasha Smallwood & Karen Willis & Clare Delaney & Leon J. Worth & Shelley Dolan & Lisa Dunlop & Geraldine McDonald & Leila Karimi & Megan Rees & Maria Ftanou, 2023. "The Psychological and Wellbeing Impacts of Quarantine on Frontline Workers during COVID-19 and Beyond," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(10), pages 1-11, May.
    6. Karen Willis & Paulina Ezer & Sophie Lewis & Marie Bismark & Natasha Smallwood, 2021. "“Covid Just Amplified the Cracks of the System”: Working as a Frontline Health Worker during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-15, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nicola Magnavita & Paolo Maurizio Soave & Massimo Antonelli, 2021. "Prolonged Stress Causes Depression in Frontline Workers Facing the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study in a COVID-19 Hub-Hospital in Central Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-13, July.
    2. Shan Parker & Vicki Johnson-Lawrence, 2022. "Addressing Trauma-Informed Principles in Public Health through Training and Practice," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-14, July.
    3. Tuyet-Mai H. Hoang & Wan-Jung Hsieh & B. Andi Lee & Kaylee Marie Lukacena & Karen M. Tabb, 2022. "Navigating Pregnancy and the Healthcare System during COVID-19: A Qualitative Study with Perinatal Women of Color," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-13, October.
    4. Bram P. I. Fleuren & Lieze T. Poesen & Rachel E. Gifford & Fred R. H. Zijlstra & Dirk Ruwaard & Frank C. van de Baan & Daan D. Westra, 2021. "We’re Not Gonna Fall: Depressive Complaints, Personal Resilience, Team Social Climate, and Worries about Infections among Hospital Workers during a Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-14, April.
    5. Georgia Libera Finstad & Gabriele Giorgi & Lucrezia Ginevra Lulli & Caterina Pandolfi & Giulia Foti & José M. León-Perez & Francisco J. Cantero-Sánchez & Nicola Mucci, 2021. "Resilience, Coping Strategies and Posttraumatic Growth in the Workplace Following COVID-19: A Narrative Review on the Positive Aspects of Trauma," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-25, September.
    6. Priya-Lena Riedel & Alexander Kreh & Vanessa Kulcar & Angela Lieber & Barbara Juen, 2022. "A Scoping Review of Moral Stressors, Moral Distress and Moral Injury in Healthcare Workers during COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-20, February.
    7. Caterina Gozzoli & Diletta Gazzaroli, 2022. "When Are Organizations Sustainable? Well-Being and Discomfort in Working Contexts: Old and New Form of Malaise," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-4, July.
    8. Sarkar, Nandini D.P. & Bunders-Aelen, Joske & Criel, Bart, 2018. "The complex challenge of providing patient-centred perinatal healthcare in rural Uganda: A qualitative enquiry," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 82-89.
    9. Davis Cooper-Bribiesca & Dulce María Rascón-Martínez & José Adan Miguel-Puga & María Karen Juárez-Carreón & Luis Alejandro Sánchez-Hurtado & Tania Colin-Martinez & Juan Carlos Anda-Garay & Eliseo Espi, 2023. "Physicians’ Distress Related to Moral Issues and Mental Health In-Between Two Late Waves of COVID-19 Contagions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-19, February.
    10. Mihaela Alexandra Gherman & Laura Arhiri & Andrei Corneliu Holman & Camelia Soponaru, 2022. "The Moral Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Nurses’ Burnout, Work Satisfaction and Adaptive Work Performance: The Role of Autobiographical Memories of Potentially Morally Injurious Events and Basic P," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-22, June.
    11. O-Jay B. Jimenez & Sheilla M. Trajera & Gregory S. Ching, 2022. "Providing End-of-Life Care to COVID-19 Patients: The Lived Experiences of ICU Nurses in the Philippines," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-21, October.
    12. Holly Blake & Alisha Gupta & Mahnoor Javed & Ben Wood & Steph Knowles & Emma Coyne & Joanne Cooper, 2021. "COVID-Well Study: Qualitative Evaluation of Supported Wellbeing Centres and Psychological First Aid for Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-27, March.
    13. Natasha Smallwood & Amy Pascoe & Leila Karimi & Karen Willis, 2021. "Moral Distress and Perceived Community Views Are Associated with Mental Health Symptoms in Frontline Health Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-15, August.
    14. Teresa Matarazzo & Francesca Bravi & Giorgia Valpiani & Chiara Morotti & Francesca Martino & Sandra Bombardi & Michela Bozzolan & Elda Longhitano & Paola Bardasi & De Vogli Roberto & Tiziano Carradori, 2021. "CORONAcrisis—An Observational Study on the Experience of Healthcare Professionals in a University Hospital during a Pandemic Emergency," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-13, April.
    15. Chiara Costa & Michele Teodoro & Annalisa De Vita & Federica Giambò & Carmela Mento & Maria Rosaria Anna Muscatello & Angela Alibrandi & Sebastiano Italia & Concettina Fenga, 2022. "Factors Affecting Perceived Work Environment, Wellbeing, and Coping Styles: A Comparison between Physicians and Nurses during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-14, September.
    16. Jonathan Tran & Karen Willis & Margaret Kay & Kathryn Hutt & Natasha Smallwood, 2022. "The Workplace and Psychosocial Experiences of Australian Senior Doctors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-16, March.
    17. Pari Shah Thibodeau & Aela Nash & Jennifer C. Greenfield & Jennifer L. Bellamy, 2023. "The Association of Moral Injury and Healthcare Clinicians’ Wellbeing: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(13), pages 1-21, July.
    18. Esther Alonso-Prieto & Holly Longstaff & Agnes Black & Alice K. Virani, 2022. "COVID-19 Outbreak: Understanding Moral-Distress Experiences Faced by Healthcare Workers in British Columbia, Canada," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-14, August.
    19. Andrea M. D’Alessandro-Lowe & Mauda Karram & Kim Ritchie & Andrea Brown & Heather Millman & Emily Sullo & Yuanxin Xue & Mina Pichtikova & Hugo Schielke & Ann Malain & Charlene O’Connor & Ruth Lanius &, 2023. "Coping, Supports and Moral Injury: Spiritual Well-Being and Organizational Support Are Associated with Reduced Moral Injury in Canadian Healthcare Providers during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(19), pages 1-17, September.
    20. Katherine Petrie & Natasha Smallwood & Amy Pascoe & Karen Willis, 2022. "Mental Health Symptoms and Workplace Challenges among Australian Paramedics during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(2), pages 1-15, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:17:p:9263-:d:627740. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.