A Multi-Site Survey Study on the Association Between the COVID-19 Pandemic and United States Anesthesiology Residents' Mental Health

Fei Chen; Robert Isaak; Farzana Afroze; Teresa A Mulaikal; Lauren K Licatino; Beth Ladlie; Ankit Jain; Chelsea Willie; Emily Bairde; Blair H Hayes; Tekuila Carter; Lara Zisblatt; Carol Diachun; Timothy W Martin; Julie M Marshall; Julie Huffmyer; Anna K Hindle; David L Stahl; Yutong Liu; Susan M Martinelli

doi:10.7759/cureus.34782

A Multi-Site Survey Study on the Association Between the COVID-19 Pandemic and United States Anesthesiology Residents' Mental Health

Cureus. 2023 Feb 8;15(2):e34782. doi: 10.7759/cureus.34782. eCollection 2023 Feb.

Authors

Fei Chen¹, Robert Isaak¹, Farzana Afroze², Teresa A Mulaikal³, Lauren K Licatino⁴, Beth Ladlie⁵, Ankit Jain⁶, Chelsea Willie⁷, Emily Bairde⁸, Blair H Hayes⁹, Tekuila Carter¹⁰, Lara Zisblatt¹¹, Carol Diachun¹², Timothy W Martin¹³, Julie M Marshall¹⁴, Julie Huffmyer¹⁵, Anna K Hindle¹⁶, David L Stahl⁹, Yutong Liu¹⁷, Susan M Martinelli¹⁸

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, USA.
² Department of Anesthesiology, Albany Medical Center, Albany, USA.
³ Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia University, New York City, USA.
⁴ Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA.
⁵ Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, USA.
⁶ Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, USA.
⁷ Department of Anesthesiology and Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, USA.
⁸ Department of Anesthesiology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, USA.
⁹ Department of Anesthesiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA.
¹⁰ Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, USA.
¹¹ Department of Anesthesiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
¹² Department of Anesthesiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, USA.
¹³ Department of Anesthesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA.
¹⁴ Department of Anesthesiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, USA.
¹⁵ Department of Anesthesiology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, USA.
¹⁶ Department of Anesthesiology, The George Washington University, Washington, D.C., USA.
¹⁷ Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA.
¹⁸ Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel HIll, USA.

Abstract

Background: At the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, anesthesiology residency programs were impacted differently due to various factors such as the local severity of COVID-19, exposure to patient suffering, and inability to complete rotations. We sought to investigate the impact of local-level pandemic severity on the well-being of anesthesiology residents.

Methods: This multi-site study surveyed postgraduate year two residents from 15 United States (US) anesthesiology programs using the Perceived Stress Scale, Mini-Z, Patient Health Questionnaire-9,WHO-5 Well-Being Index,and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support before the pandemic (baseline survey) and during the first COVID-19 surge (post survey).

Results: A total of 144 (65%) residents responded to the initial baseline survey; 73 (33%) responded to the post survey, and 49 (22%) completed both surveys. There was not a statistically significant difference in any well-being outcomes of participants between the surveys, nor was there a significant difference based on the severity of COVID-19 impact at the program's hospital. Male participants had higher perceived stress scores (β = 4.05, 95%CI: 0.42, 7.67, P = 0.03) and lower social support from family (β = -6.57, 95%CI: -11.64, -1.51, P = 0.01) at the post survey compared to female participants after controlling for baseline scores. Additionally, married participants or those with domestic partners reported higher perceived social support in the post survey (β = 5.79, 95%CI: -0.65, 12.23, P = 0.03).

Conclusion: The local COVID-19 severity at a residency program did not disproportionately impact well-being scores among anesthesiology residents. Those most vulnerable to diminished well-being appeared to be male and single participants. As a result, targeted well-being interventions, including those aiming to increase social support, to higher-risk resident groups may be indicated. Future work is needed to assess the longstanding COVID-19 pandemic impacts on resident well-being.

Keywords: anesthesia; covid-19; impact of covid-19; mental health; post grad medical education; resident well-being; u.s. medical residency; year 2 students.

Grants and funding

UL1 TR002489/TR/NCATS NIH HHS/United States