Mental health impact of COVID-19 pandemic on therapists at an inpatient rehabilitation facility.

Abstract

BackgroundHealthcare workers have faced extraordinary work‐related stress in the face of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech‐language pathology providers at inpatient rehabilitation facilities may represent a distinct at‐risk subgroup for work‐related stress during the pandemic due to the usual nature of their job duties, including close physical contact and extended treatment times.ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on work‐related stress and occurrence of depression and anxiety in physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech‐language pathologists during the first surge of COVID‐19 hospitalizations.DesignCross‐sectional survey.SettingAcademic, freestanding inpatient rehabilitation facility.ParticipantsSurvey responses were collected from 38 therapists.InterventionA 26‐item electronic questionnaire containing a mix of multiple‐choice and open‐ended questions.Main Outcome MeasuresPositive screens for depression or anxiety as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 (PHQ‐9) and the General Anxiety Disorder 7‐item (GAD‐7) scale, respectively.ResultsSeven individuals (19%) scored at or above the clinically significant cutoff of 10 on each the PHQ‐9 and GAD‐7, corresponding to increased risk for depression and anxiety. Therapists younger than 30 years old had significantly higher GAD‐7 scores compared to therapists between 30‐39 years old (p < .05). Occupational stress was attributed to a number of causes including concerns for health and safety, unpredictable changes in hospital protocols and work assignments, acquisition of additional work duties, concerns about the ability to provide high‐quality patient care in a restricted environment, and the psychological toll of caring for patients with or recovering from COVID‐19.ConclusionThis cross‐sectional survey highlights the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on occupational stress and mental health of therapists working at an inpatient rehabilitation facility during the first surge of COVID‐19 hospitalizations. This research may help institutions identify at‐risk individuals who may benefit from support and guide policy changes to resolve potentially modifiable factors at a systems level.