The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare professionals

Maria Dolores Braquehais; Sebastián Vargas-Cáceres; Esperanza Gómez-Durán; Gemma Nieva; Sergi Valero; Miquel Casas; Eugeni Bruguera

doi:10.1093/qjmed/hcaa207

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of healthcare professionals

QJM. 2020 Jun 22:hcaa207. doi: 10.1093/qjmed/hcaa207. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Maria Dolores Braquehais^{1

2}, Sebastián Vargas-Cáceres³, Esperanza Gómez-Durán¹, Gemma Nieva^{1

3}, Sergi Valero^{1

4}, Miquel Casas^{1

3}, Eugeni Bruguera^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Galatea Care Programme for Sick Health Professionals, Galatea Clinic, Palafolls Street 17-19, Barcelona, Spain.
² Group of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addictions, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Passeig Vall Hebron, 119-129, Barcelona, Spain.
³ Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), CIBERSAM, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Passeig Vall Hebron, 119-129, Barcelona, Spain.
⁴ Research Centre and Memory Clinic, Fundació ACE Institut Català de Neurociències Aplicades - Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC), Gran Via de Carles III, 85 bis, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.

Abstract

Introduction: Healthcare professionals (HPs) have been confronted by unprecedented traumatic experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in countries that had not experienced similar epidemic outbreaks in recent years.

Aim: To analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of HPs.

Method: We comprehensively reviewed the studies published in MEDLINE (PubMed), Web of Science and Google Scholar between December 2019 and May 2020.

Results: Most studies report a high prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms among HPs that can be associated with: a) COVID-19 exposure; b) epidemiological issues; c) material resources; d) human resources; and e) personal factors. The role of certain variables, before, during and after the pandemic, remains unexplored. Longitudinal studies will help elucidate which factors are associated with a higher risk of developing long-lasting negative effects. Qualitative studies may contribute to understanding the influence of individual and social narratives in HPs' distress.

Conclusion: A deeper analysis on the individual, institutional, political and socio-cultural factors, meanings and values influencing HPs distress and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic is needed.