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Secondary Traumatic Stress and Burnout in Healthcare Workers during COVID-19 Outbreak

Author

Listed:
  • Graziella Orrù

    (Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology, Critical and Care Medicine, University of Pisa, 56121 Pisa, Italy)

  • Francesca Marzetti

    (Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology, Critical and Care Medicine, University of Pisa, 56121 Pisa, Italy)

  • Ciro Conversano

    (Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology, Critical and Care Medicine, University of Pisa, 56121 Pisa, Italy)

  • Guido Vagheggini

    (Weaning and Cardio-Pulmonary Rehabilitation Unit, Auxilium Vitae Rehabilitation Centre, 56148 Volterra, Italy
    Fondazione Volterra Ricerche ONLUS, 56148 Volterra, Italy)

  • Mario Miccoli

    (Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56121 Pisa, Italy)

  • Rebecca Ciacchini

    (Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology, Critical and Care Medicine, University of Pisa, 56121 Pisa, Italy)

  • Eugenia Panait

    (Fondazione Volterra Ricerche ONLUS, 56148 Volterra, Italy)

  • Angelo Gemignani

    (Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology, Critical and Care Medicine, University of Pisa, 56121 Pisa, Italy)

Abstract

(1) Background: The present study aims to assess the level of professional burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS), and to identify potential risk or protective factors among health care workers (HCWs) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.; (2) Methods: This cross-sectional study, based on an online survey, collected demographic data and mental distress outcomes from 184 HCWs from 1 May 2020, to 15 June 2020, from 45 different countries. The degree of STS, perceived stress and burnout was assessed using the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (STSS), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Service Survey (MBI-HSS) respectively. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed to identify potential risk and protective factors for STS; (3) Results: 184 HCWs (M = 90; Age mean: 46.45; SD: 11.02) completed the survey. A considerable proportion of HCWs had symptoms of STS (41.3%), emotional exhaustion (56.0%), and depersonalization (48.9%). The prevalence of STS was 47.5% in frontline HCWs while in HCWs working in other units it was 30.3% ( p < 0.023); 67.1% for the HCWs exposed to patients’ death and 32.9% for those HCWs which were not exposed to the same condition ( p < 0.001). In stepwise multiple regression analysis, perceived stress, emotional exhaustion, and exposure to patients’ death remained as significant predictors in the final model for STS (adjusted R2 = 0.537, p < 0.001); (4) Conclusions: During the current COVID-19 pandemic, HCWs facing patients’ physical pain, psychological suffering, and death are more likely to develop STS.

Suggested Citation

  • Graziella Orrù & Francesca Marzetti & Ciro Conversano & Guido Vagheggini & Mario Miccoli & Rebecca Ciacchini & Eugenia Panait & Angelo Gemignani, 2021. "Secondary Traumatic Stress and Burnout in Healthcare Workers during COVID-19 Outbreak," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-13, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:1:p:337-:d:474870
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    Cited by:

    1. Lorenza Lia & Eleonora Ricci & Corrado Colaprico & Eleonora Di Legge & Augusto Faticoni & Lorenzo Maria Donini & Giuseppe La Torre, 2022. "Assessment of the Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on the Nutritional Status and Lipid Profile of Employees in a Teaching Hospital in Rome: A Retrospective Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-12, April.
    2. Suad Ajab & Balázs Ádam & Muna Al Hammadi & Najwa Al Bastaki & Mohamed Al Junaibi & Abdulmajeed Al Zubaidi & Mona Hegazi & Michal Grivna & Suhail Kady & Erik Koornneef & Raquel Neves & António Sousa U, 2021. "Occupational Health of Frontline Healthcare Workers in the United Arab Emirates during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Snapshot of Summer 2020," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-15, October.
    3. Mariagrazia Di Giuseppe & Graziella Orrù & Angelo Gemignani & Rebecca Ciacchini & Mario Miniati & Ciro Conversano, 2022. "Mindfulness and Defense Mechanisms as Explicit and Implicit Emotion Regulation Strategies against Psychological Distress during Massive Catastrophic Events," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-10, October.
    4. Ilaria Buonomo & Martina Pansini & Sara Cervai & Paula Benevene, 2022. "Compassionate Work Environments and Their Role in Teachers’ Life Satisfaction: The Contribution of Perceived Collective School Performance and Burnout," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-14, October.
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    6. Romana Ulbrichtova & Viera Svihrova & Maria Tatarkova & Jan Svihra & Martin Novak & Henrieta Hudeckova, 2022. "Prevalence of Burnout Syndrome in COVID-19 and Non-COVID-19 Units in University Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-9, October.
    7. Paula Franklin & Anna Gkiouleka, 2021. "A Scoping Review of Psychosocial Risks to Health Workers during the Covid-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-20, March.
    8. Annabel Rushforth & Mia Durk & Gabby A. A. Rothwell-Blake & Ann Kirkman & Fiona Ng & Yasuhiro Kotera, 2023. "Self-Compassion Interventions to Target Secondary Traumatic Stress in Healthcare Workers: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(12), pages 1-14, June.
    9. Andrea Aguglia & Andrea Amerio & Alessandra Costanza & Nicolò Parodi & Francesco Copello & Gianluca Serafini & Mario Amore, 2021. "Hopelessness and Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms among Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Any Role for Mediating Variables?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-10, June.
    10. Ilaria Buonomo & Paolo Emilio Santoro & Paula Benevene & Ivan Borrelli & Giacomo Angelini & Caterina Fiorilli & Maria Rosaria Gualano & Umberto Moscato, 2022. "Buffering the Effects of Burnout on Healthcare Professionals’ Health—The Mediating Role of Compassionate Relationships at Work in the COVID Era," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-15, July.
    11. Eleonora Gambaro & Carla Gramaglia & Debora Marangon & Manuela Probo & Marco Rudoni & Patrizia Zeppegno, 2023. "Health Workers’ Burnout and COVID-19 Pandemic: 1-Year after—Results from a Repeated Cross-Sectional Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(12), pages 1-22, June.
    12. Shimaa A. Elghazally & Atef F. Alkarn & Hussein Elkhayat & Ahmed K. Ibrahim & Mariam Roshdy Elkhayat, 2021. "Burnout Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Health-Care Professionals at Assiut University Hospitals, 2020," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-12, May.
    13. Souad Hassanie & Olusegun A. Olugbade & Georgiana Karadas & Özlem Altun, 2022. "The Impact of Workload on Workers’ Traumatic Stress and Mental Health Mediated by Career Adaptability during COVID-19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-18, September.
    14. Ladislav Štěpánek & Marie Nakládalová & Magdaléna Janošíková & Romana Ulbrichtová & Viera Švihrová & Henrieta Hudečková & Eliška Sovová & Milan Sova & Jiří Vévoda, 2023. "Prevalence of Burnout in Healthcare Workers of Tertiary-Care Hospitals during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey from Two Central European Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-13, February.
    15. Veronika Pacutova & Andrea Madarasova Geckova & Peter Kizek & Andrea F. de Winter & Sijmen A. Reijneveld, 2021. "The Impact of Pandemic Management on the Quality of Life of Slovak Dentists," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-9, May.
    16. Lena Serafin & Aleksandra Kusiak & Bożena Czarkowska-Pączek, 2022. "The COVID-19 Pandemic Increased Burnout and Bullying among Newly Graduated Nurses but Did Not Impact the Relationship between Burnout and Bullying and Self-Labelled Subjective Feeling of Being Bullied," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-12, February.
    17. Mariagrazia Di Giuseppe & Gianni Nepa & Tracy A. Prout & Fabrizio Albertini & Stefano Marcelli & Graziella Orrù & Ciro Conversano, 2021. "Stress, Burnout, and Resilience among Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Emergency: The Role of Defense Mechanisms," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-12, May.
    18. Maria Karanikola & Meropi Mpouzika & Elizabeth Papathanassoglou & Katerina Kaikoushi & Anna Hatzioannou & Ioannis Leontiou & Chris Livadiotis & Nicos Christophorou & Andreas Chatzittofis, 2022. "Work-Related Traumatic Stress Response in Nurses Employed in COVID-19 Settings," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-15, September.
    19. Hyoung Ju Lee & Miyoung Lee & Sun Joo Jang, 2021. "Compassion Satisfaction, Secondary Traumatic Stress, and Burnout among Nurses Working in Trauma Centers: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-13, July.

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