Evaluation of Healthcare Workers Infected with COVID-19: A Qualitative Research on the Disease Process and Its Effects

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impacts of COVID-19 on healthcare workers and their experience of the disease. Materials and Methods: The research was conducted using qualitative methods between December 12, 2020 and February 5, 2021 with 30 health workers who had recovered from COVID-19. The research data were collected using semi-structured interviews during which participants were asked about their socio-demographic characteristics, their experiences of the disease, and the impacts of the disease. The data obtained were grouped according to themes and sub-themes. Results: The participants identified the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral effects of the disease, including emotional responses at different stages of the disease, attitudes towards the disease, changes in dietary style, over-attention to symptoms and vital findings, and changes in prevention measures after recovery from the disease. Uncertainty, quarantine periods, fear of infecting others, stress factors such as healthcare worker identity and stigma were also identified by the participants. Conclusions: Providing support for the protection of the mental health of healthcare workers who contract the disease is essential to allow them to continue providing quality patient care. We think it would be beneficial to conduct further research on the nature of psychological support for medical personnel who experience COVID-19.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• Pandemic
• Health Worker
• Mental Health
• Qualitative Research

COVID-19 Geçiren Sağlık Çalışanlarının Değerlendirilmesi: Hastalık Süreci ve Etkileri Üzerine Nitel Bir Araştırma

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışma, COVID-19'un sağlık çalışanları üzerindeki etkilerini ve hastalık deneyimlerini araştırmayı amaçlamıştır. Materyal ve Metot: Araştırma, 12 Aralık 2020 - 5 Şubat 2021 tarihleri ​​arasında COVID-19'dan iyileşen 30 sağlık çalışanı (23 doktor ve 7 hemşire) ile kalitatif yöntemler kullanılarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırma verileri, katılımcılara sosyo-demografik özellikleri, hastalık deneyimleri ve hastalığın etkileri hakkında sorular sorulan yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Elde edilen veriler temalara ve alt temalara göre gruplandırılmıştır. Bulgular: Katılımcılar; hastalığın farklı evrelerinde duygusal tepkiler, hastalığa karşı tutumlar, beslenme tarzındaki değişiklikler, semptomlara ve hayati bulgulara aşırı dikkat ve hastalıktan iyileştikten sonra hastalığı önleme tedbirlerindeki değişiklikler dahil olmak üzere hastalığın duygusal, bilişsel ve davranışsal etkilerini tanımladılar. Katılımcılar tarafından ayrıca belirsizlik, karantina süreleri, başkalarına bulaştırma korkusu, sağlık çalışanı kimliği ve damgalanma gibi stres faktörlerini de belirtildi. Sonuç: Hastalığa yakalanan sağlık çalışanlarının ruh sağlığının korunmasına destek verilmesi, kaliteli hasta bakımı sunmaya devam edebilmeleri için esastır. COVID-19 yaşayan sağlık personeline yönelik psikolojik desteğin niteliği konusunda daha fazla araştırma yapılmasının faydalı olacağını düşünüyoruz.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• Pandemi
• Sağlık Çalışanı
• Ruh Sağlığı
• Nitel Araştırma

References

1. 1. Armocida B, Formenti B, Ussai S, Palestra F, Missoni E. The Italian health system and the COVID-19 challenge. Lancet Public Health. 2020;5(5):e253.
2. 2. Xie J, Tong Z, Guan X, Du B, Qiu H, Slutsky AS. Critical care crisis and some recommendations during the COVID-19 epidemic in China. Intensive Care Med. 2020;46(5):837-840.
3. 3. Wu P, Fang Y, Guan Z, et al. The psychological impact of the SARS epidemic on hospital employees in China: exposure, risk perception, and altruistic acceptance of risk. Can J Psychiatry. 2009;54(5):302-311.
4. 4. Lancee WJ, Maunder RG, Goldbloom DS; Coauthors for the Impact of SARS Study. Prevalence of psychiatric disorders among Toronto hospital workers one to two years after the SARS outbreak. Psychiatr Serv. 2008;59(1):91-95.
5. 5. Maunder RG, Lancee WJ, Balderson KE, et al. Long-term psychological and occupational effects of providing hospital healthcare during SARS outbreak. Emerg Infect Dis. 2006;12(12):1924-1932.
6. 6. Park JS, Lee EH, Park NR, Choi YH. Mental health of nurses working at a government-designated hospital during a MERS-CoV outbreak: A cross-sectional study. Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2018;32(1):2-6.
7. 7. Lai J, Ma S, Wang Y, et al. Factors associated with mental health outcomes among health care workers exposed to Coronavirus Disease 2019. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(3):e203976.
8. 8. Holmes EA, O'Connor RC, Perry VH, et al. Multidisciplinary research priorities for the COVID-19 pandemic: a call for action for mental health science. Lancet Psychiatry. 2020;7(6):547-560.

9. 9. Sun N, Wei L, Shi S, et al. A qualitative study on the psychological experience of caregivers of COVID-19 patients. Am J Infect Control. 2020;48(6):592-598.
10. 10. Liu Q, Luo D, Haase JE, et al. The experiences of health-care providers during the COVID-19 crisis in China: a qualitative study. Lancet Glob Health. 2020;8(6):e790-e798.
11. 11. Sun N, Wei L, Wang H, et al. Qualitative study of the psychological experience of COVID-19 patients during hospitalization. J Affect Disord. 2021;278:15-22.
12. 12. Stuijfzand S, Deforges C, Sandoz V, et al. Psychological impact of an epidemic/pandemic on the mental health of healthcare professionals: a rapid review. BMC Public Health. 2020;20(1):1230.
13. 13. Reynolds DL, Garay JR, Deamond SL, Moran MK, Gold W, Styra R. Understanding, compliance and psychological impact of the SARS quarantine experience. Epidemiol Infect. 2008;136(7):997-1007.
14. 14. Xiang YT, Yang Y, Li W, et al. Timely mental health care for the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak is urgently needed. Lancet Psychiatry. 2020;7(3):228-229.
15. 15. Moradi Y, Mollazadeh F, Karimi P, Hosseingholipour K, Baghaei R. Psychological disturbances of survivors throughout COVID-19 crisis: a qualitative study. BMC Psychiatry. 2020;20(1):594.
16. 16. James PB, Wardle J, Steel A, Adams J. Post-Ebola psychosocial experiences and coping mechanisms among Ebola survivors: a systematic review. Trop Med Int Health. 2019;24(6):671-691.
17. 17. Hossain MM, Sultana A, Purohit N. Mental health outcomes of quarantine and isolation for infection prevention: a systematic umbrella review of the global evidence. Epidemiol Health. 2020;42:e2020038.
18. 18. Gammon J, Hunt J, Musselwhite C. The stigmatisation of source isolation: a literature review. Journal of Research in Nursing. 2019;24(8):677-693.
19. 19. Cheng JG, Tan XD, Zhang L, Zhu SR, Yao H, Liu B. Research on the psychological status and influencing factors of novel coronavirus pneumonia patients and people under medical observation. J. Nurs. Admin. 2020;20(04):247–251.
20. 20. Dong RQ, Zhou X, Jiao XN, Guo BS, Sun LP, Wang Q. Investigation on psychological status of isolation personnel during the outbreak of novel coronavirus. Rehabil Med. 2020; 30(01):7–10.
21. 21. Liu F, Li L, Xu M, et al. Prognostic value of interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and procalcitonin in patients with COVID-19. J Clin Virol. 2020;127:104370.
22. 22. Mak IW, Chu CM, Pan PC, Yiu MG, Chan VL. Long-term psychiatric morbidities among SARS survivors. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2009;31(4):318-26.
23. 23. Kim HC, Yoo SY, Lee BH, Lee SH, Shin HS. Psychiatric findings in suspected and confirmed Middle East respiratory syndrome patients quarantined in hospital: A retrospective chart analysis. Psychiatry Investig. 2018;15(4):355-360.
24. 24. Yoon MK, Kim SY, Ko HS, Lee MS. System effectiveness of detection, brief intervention and refer to treatment for the people with post-traumatic emotional distress by MERS: a case report of community-based proactive intervention in South Korea. Int J Ment Health Syst. 2016;10:51.
25. 25. Huang J, Zhang J, Yu NX. Close relationships, individual resilience resources, and well-being among people living with HIV/AIDS in rural China. AIDS Care. 2018;30(sup5):49-57.
26. 26. Schwerdtle PM, De Clerck V, Plummer V. Experiences of ebola survivors: causes of distress and sources of resilience. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(3):234-9.
27. 27. Gashi̇ F. Koronavirüse yakalanmış kişilerde tedavi döneminde dini başa çıkmanın etkisi . Pamukkale Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi. 2020;7(1),511-535.
28. 28. Wang C, Pan R, Wan X, et al. Immediate psychological responses and associated factors during the initial stage of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) epidemic among the general population in China. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(5):1729.