Psychological resilience, coping behaviours and social support among health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review of quantitative studies.

Leodoro J Labrague

doi:10.1111/jonm.13336

Abstract

AimTo appraise and synthesize studies examining resilience, coping behaviours and social support among health care workers during the coronavirus pandemic.BackgroundA wide range of evidence has shown that health care workers, currently on the frontlines in the fight against COVID‐19, are not spared from the psychological and mental health‐related consequences of the pandemic. Studies synthesizing the role of coping behaviours, resilience and social support in safeguarding the mental health of health care workers during the pandemic are largely unknown.EvaluationThis is a systematic review with a narrative synthesis. A total of 31 articles were included in the review.Key IssuesHealth care workers utilized both problem‐centred and emotion‐centred coping to manage the stress associated with the coronavirus pandemic. Coping behaviours, resilience and social support were associated with positive mental and psychological health outcomes.ConclusionSubstantial evidence supports the effectiveness of coping behaviours, resilience and social support to preserve psychological and mental health among health care workers during the COVID‐19 pandemic.Implications for Nursing ManagementIn order to safeguard the mental health of health care workers during the pandemic, hospital and nursing administrators should implement proactive measures to sustain resilience in HCWs, build coping skills and implement creative ways to foster social support in health care workers through theory‐based interventions, supportive leadership and fostering a resilient work environment.

Highlights

The COVID-19 pandemic is an urgent health concern worldwide that greatly affects the mental health, well-being, and possibly work effectiveness of healthcare workers
Mounting evidence indicates that healthcare workers have suffered a deterioration in their mental and psychological health during the coronavirus pandemic, with reports from individual and review studies showing higher prevalence rates of anxiety, burnout, depression, PTSD, and psychological distress among healthcare workers compared to the general public (Chew et al, 2020; Shechter et al, 2020)
Earlier studies conducted during other infectious disease outbreaks such as SARS, Ebola, and MERS-CoV identified a protective role for psychological resilience, coping behaviours, and social support in healthcare workers against the psychological and mental health burden of caring for infected patients (De Brier et al, 2020; Baduge et al, 2018)

Summary

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic is an urgent health concern worldwide that greatly affects the mental health, well-being, and possibly work effectiveness of healthcare workers. Mounting evidence indicates that healthcare workers have suffered a deterioration in their mental and psychological health during the coronavirus pandemic, with reports from individual and review studies showing higher prevalence rates of anxiety, burnout, depression, PTSD, and psychological distress among healthcare workers compared to the general public (Chew et al, 2020; Shechter et al, 2020). Studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic have shown a similar pattern: psychological resilience, coping behaviours, and social support safeguard mental health and well-being among healthcare workers who are on the frontlines of the fights against this deadly virus (Labrague & De los Santos, 2020; Blanco-Donoso et al, 2020; Chew et al, 2020). Studies synthesizing the role of coping behaviours, resilience, and social support in safeguarding the mental health of healthcare workers during the pandemic is largely unknown

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