Psychological Support Interventions for Healthcare Providers and Informal Caregivers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Vanessa Bertuzzi,Giada Pietrabissa,Julian Edbrook-Childs,Denise Bruno,Gianluca Castelnuovo,Emanuele M Giusti,Chiara Manna,Michelle Semonella

doi:10.3390/ijerph18136939

Abstract

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare providers and informal caregivers were at an increased risk of adverse mental health effects. This systematic review provides a summary of the available evidence on the content and efficacy of the psychological support interventions in increasing mental health among healthcare providers and informal caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: PubMed, Google Scholar, PsychINFO, and Scopus databases were systematically searched for relevant articles, and the methodological quality of selected articles was assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. Results: A search of electronic databases identified five reports based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. All psychological support interventions for caregivers were delivered digitally. Despite the large heterogeneity of the selected studies, the findings support the efficacy of mental health interventions in reducing distress and burnout, while promoting self-efficacy and well-being in both healthcare providers and informal caregivers. Conclusion: Since mental health problems are expected to increase during, and as a result of, the COVID-19 pandemic, and digital tools might offer a range of mental health treatments to meet the unique and immediate needs of people, further research is needed to test the cost-effectiveness of digital psychological interventions.

Highlights

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been recognized as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization [1]
Findings from this review reveal that different psychological support interventions have been developed during the COVID-19 pandemic for both healthcare professionals (HCPs) and informal caregivers, and that the digital format was a feasible therapeutic solution to improve individuals’ well-being while preventing the risk of contagion and increasing compliance to treatment
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its related social isolation, negative health outcomes have been reported across a range of populations

Summary

Introduction

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been recognized as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization [1] Restrictive measures, such as social distancing, the use of face masks, and mobility restrictions, have been adopted by governments worldwide to reduce the spread of the virus [2], drastically altering people’s lives [3,4]. This systematic review provides a summary of the available evidence on the content and efficacy of the psychological support interventions in increasing mental health among healthcare providers and informal caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the large heterogeneity of the selected studies, the findings support the efficacy of mental health interventions in reducing distress and burnout, while promoting self-efficacy and well-being in both healthcare providers and informal caregivers. Conclusion: Since mental health problems are expected to increase during, and as a result of, the COVID-19 pandemic, and digital tools might offer a range of mental health treatments to meet the unique and immediate needs of people, further research is needed to test the cost-effectiveness of digital psychological interventions

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion