Abstract
This study aimed to describe experiences of managing mental health and psychosocial activities during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden. A national survey was answered by a non-probability sample of 340 involved in the psychosocial response. The psychosocial response operations met several challenges, mainly related to the diverse actors involved, lack of competence, and lack of preparations. Less than 20% of the participants had received specific training in the provision of psychosocial support during major incidents. The interventions used varied, and no large-scale interventions were used. The psychosocial response organizations were overwhelmed by the needs of health care staff and failed to meet the needs of patients and family members. An efficient and durable psychosocial response in a long-term crisis requires to be structured, planned and well-integrated into the overall pandemic response. All personnel involved need adequate and specific competence in evidence-based individual and large-scale interventions to provide psychosocial support in significant incidents. By increasing general awareness of mental wellbeing and psychosocial support amongst health professionals and their first-line managers, a more resilient health care system, both in everyday life and during major incidents and disasters, could be facilitated.
Highlights
During the first half of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic entailed a major adaption for the Swedish health care system, both organizationally and for individual health care professionals
15% (n = 50) of all the participants had been involved in psychosocial response operations covering the whole country, such as the national general medical telephone services or a specific COVID-19 psychosocial support hotline
Most participants had been involved in the psychosocial response within the public health care services (n = 159, 47%), occupational health care services (n = 67, 20%) or social services (n = 66, 19%)
Summary
During the first half of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic entailed a major adaption for the Swedish health care system, both organizationally and for individual health care professionals. Intensive care units and residential care facilities for elderly people were under severe pressure, visiting restrictions were implemented, several groups of students switched to distance learning and the public faced anxiety, uncertainty and social restrictions ordered by authorities to reduce the spread of the virus [1]. A pandemic differs from other disasters by lasting longer and entailing risk for the individual health care professional regarding being infected or spreading the disease to a family member. The threat of a new, invisible virus can be harder to understand than other types of threats, increasing the level of uncertainty compared with other potentially traumatic events [5]
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