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- Title
A prospective cohort study of the psychological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on frontline healthcare workers in New York City.
- Authors
Peccoralo, Lauren A.; Pietrzak, Robert H.; Feingold, Jordyn H.; Syed, Shumayl; Chan, Chi C.; Murrough, James W.; Kaplan, Carly; Verity, Jaclyn; Feder, Adriana; Charney, Dennis S.; Southwick, Steven M.; Ripp, Jonathan A.
- Abstract
Objectives: We sought to describe the course and correlates of psychological distress in frontline healthcare workers (FHCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City (NYC). Methods: A prospective cohort study of FHCWs at the Mount Sinai Hospital was conducted during the initial 2020 surge (T1) and 7 months later (T2). Psychological distress [i.e., positive screen for pandemic-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and/or generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)], occupational and personal exposures to COVID-19, coping strategies, and psychosocial characteristics were assessed. Four courses of psychological distress response were identified: no/minimal, remitted, persistent, and new-onset. Multinomial logistic regression and relative importance analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with courses of distress. Results: Of 786 FHCWs, 126 (16.0%) FHCWs had persistent distress; 150 (19.1%) remitted distress; 35 (4.5%) new-onset distress; and 475 (60.4%) no/minimal distress. Relative to FHCWs with no/minimal distress, those with persistent distress reported greater relationship worries [19.8% relative variance explained (RVE)], pre-pandemic burnout (18.7% RVE), lower dispositional optimism (9.8% RVE), less emotional support (8.6% RVE), and feeling less valued by hospital leadership (8.4% RVE). Relative to FHCWs with remitted symptoms, those with persistent distress reported less emotional support (29.7% RVE), fewer years in practice (28.3% RVE), and psychiatric history (23.6% RVE). Conclusions: One-fifth of FHCWs in our study experienced psychological distress 7 months following the COVID-19 surge in NYC. Pandemic-related worries, pre-pandemic burnout, emotional support, and feeling valued by leaders were linked to persistent distress. Implications for prevention, treatment, and organizational efforts to mitigate distress in FHCWs are discussed.
- Subjects
NEW York (N.Y.); MEDICAL personnel; MOUNT Sinai Hospital (New York, N.Y.); COVID-19 pandemic; PSYCHOLOGICAL distress; PANDEMICS; GENERALIZED anxiety disorder; COHORT analysis
- Publication
International Archives of Occupational & Environmental Health, 2022, Vol 95, Issue 6, p1279
- ISSN
0340-0131
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00420-022-01832-0