Occupational Stress and Mental Health among Anesthetists during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Nicola Magnavita,Paolo Maurizio Soave,Massimo Antonelli,Walter Ricciardi

doi:10.3390/ijerph17218245

Abstract

Anesthetist-intensivists who treat patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) are exposed to significant biological and psychosocial risks. Our study investigated the occupational and health conditions of anesthesiologists in a COVID-19 hub hospital in Latium, Italy. Ninety out of a total of 155 eligible workers (59%; male 48%) participated in the cross-sectional survey. Occupational stress was assessed with the Effort Reward Imbalance (ERI) questionnaire, organizational justice with the Colquitt Scale, insomnia with the Sleep Condition Indicator (SCI), and mental health with the Goldberg Anxiety and Depression Scale (GADS). A considerable percentage of workers (71.1%) reported high work-related stress, with an imbalance between high effort and low rewards. The level of perceived organizational justice was modest. Physical activity and meditation—the behaviors most commonly adopted to increase resilience—decreased. Workers also reported insomnia (36.7%), anxiety (27.8%), and depression (51.1%). The effort made for work was significantly correlated with the presence of depressive symptoms (r = 0.396). Anesthetists need to be in good health in order to ensure optimal care for COVID-19 patients. Their state of health can be improved by providing an increase in individual resources with interventions for better work organization.

Highlights

IntroductionIntensivists have played a vital role in the treatment of patients with coronavirus disease 2019
Intensivists have played a vital role in the treatment of patients with coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
Simple linear regression analysis showed that anxiety and depression levels in the sample were significantly associated with efforts made at work (Effort) (Table 4)

Summary

Introduction

Intensivists have played a vital role in the treatment of patients with coronavirus disease 2019. (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). When the first cases of the COVID-19 disease were reported in Italy, it was already clear that SARS-CoV-2 could be transmitted from human to human [1]. Evident was the need to adopt very different measures from those previously used to safeguard workers [2]. The rapidity with which the pandemic spread severely tested the ability of the health service to respond. There was a grave shortage of protective devices, e.g., masks and disinfectants, and mechanical ventilators for patient care. Emergency rooms, in-patient departments for respiratory and infectious diseases, and intensive care units (ICUs) were suddenly inundated with confirmed and suspected

Results

Discussion

Conclusion