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A Qualitative Investigation of the Impact of COVID-19 on United States’ Frontline Health Care Workers and the Perceived Impact on Their Family Members

Author

Listed:
  • Gary Edward Schaffer

    (Department of Counseling and School Psychology, College of Education, Niagara University, Lewiston, NY 14109, USA)

  • Lisa Kilanowski

    (School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC 3125, Australia)

  • Brian En Chyi Lee

    (School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC 3125, Australia)

Abstract

Although previous research has documented the mental and physical health impacts that COVID-19 had on frontline health workers in the United States, little is known about how the pandemic affected their families. This study sought to explore the impact COVID-19 had on the individual functioning of frontline health care workers in the USA and the perceived impact it had on their family members during the initial nine months of the pandemic. More specifically, this study sought to explore if and how family roles, routines, rules, and social-emotional well-being changed as a result of COVID-19. Twenty-eight frontline health care workers across the United States who were parents to at least one child residing in the home under 24 were interviewed. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. From the analysis, four major themes emerged with regard to the changes and perceived impact to family functioning, family experiences of new hygiene practices, and stigma related to being a health care practitioner or having a family member working in health care, and psychological distress. The results of this study can be used by mental health clinicians to inform policy, develop practice guidelines, and help identify and target interventions for health care workers and their family members.

Suggested Citation

  • Gary Edward Schaffer & Lisa Kilanowski & Brian En Chyi Lee, 2022. "A Qualitative Investigation of the Impact of COVID-19 on United States’ Frontline Health Care Workers and the Perceived Impact on Their Family Members," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-15, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:17:p:10483-:d:895232
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cohen, Jennifer & Rodgers, Yana, 2020. "Contributing Factors to Personal Protective Equipment Shortages during the COVID-19 Pandemic," MPRA Paper 103496, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Huseyin Arasli & Trude Furunes & Kaveh Jafari & Mehmet Bahri Saydam & Zehra Degirmencioglu, 2020. "Hearing the Voices of Wingless Angels: A Critical Content Analysis of Nurses’ COVID-19 Experiences," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-16, November.
    3. Jade Sheen & Elizabeth M. Clancy & Julie Considine & Alison Dwyer & Phillip Tchernegovski & Anna Aridas & Brian En Chyi Lee & Andrea Reupert & Leanne Boyd, 2022. "“Did You Bring It Home with You?” A Qualitative Investigation of the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Victorian Frontline Healthcare Workers and Their Families," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-20, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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