Abstract
OrientationThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to fundamental changes in the workplace for many, particularly healthcare workers.Research purposeThis study explored healthcare workers’ (ophthalmologists, nurses and support staff) experiences of anxiety, depression, burnout, resilience and coping strategies during lockdown Levels 2 and 3 in an Ophthalmic consulting practice and hospital in South Africa.Motivation for the studyThe increased workplace stress and vulnerability associated with working during the COVID-19 pandemic introduced an unprecedented level of risk for healthcare workers. Factors contributing to psychological distress must be identified and appropriately mitigated, to prevent dire human and economic costs.Research approach/design and methodA survey was sent out at two separate times to a convenience sample of 31 and 15 healthcare workers respectively. The survey consisted of a demographics section, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Burnout Measure short-version, Brief Cope Inventory, Connor Davidson Resilience Inventory and six open-ended questions investigating personal health and support experiences during COVID-19. Descriptive analyses and thematic analysis were used for data analysis.Main findingsThe sample of healthcare workers experienced some degree of psychological distress, including anxiety, burnout and a lack of social support on both surveys. However, these symptoms were alleviated by personal factors, including positive coping mechanisms, high resilience and organisational support.Practical/managerial implicationsHealthcare facilities should consider in-house structures focusing on building resilience and positive coping mechanisms, whilst ensuring that workplace conditions are optimal for staff members.Contribution/value-addThis study provides some insight into both the risk and protective factors experienced by health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Highlights
OrientationOn 30 January 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was declared as a public health emergency of international concern (World Health Organization, 2020)
This study aims to contribute to an understanding of the psychological states, resilience and coping mechanisms of South African healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
The following questions were considered to conduct this study: 1. What are the levels of depression, anxiety, burnout, resilience and coping mechanisms amongst healthcare workers actively working during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Summary
On 30 January 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was declared as a public health emergency of international concern (World Health Organization, 2020). By 22 December 2020, the death rate was over 1.3 million worldwide, making this the major global health crisis of this century, which has and will continue to have devastating social, economic and political consequences (World Health Organization, 2020). Healthcare workers have been declared as essential workers in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The scale of this pandemic has led to unique and unprecedented workplace considerations for this group. This study aims to contribute to an understanding of the psychological states, resilience and coping mechanisms of South African healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
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