Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Polish Healthcare Staff in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Grzegorz Kobelski; Katarzyna Naylor; Robert Ślusarz; Mariusz Wysokiński

doi:10.3390/jcm12124072

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Polish Healthcare Staff in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic

J Clin Med. 2023 Jun 15;12(12):4072. doi: 10.3390/jcm12124072.

Authors

Grzegorz Kobelski¹, Katarzyna Naylor², Robert Ślusarz³, Mariusz Wysokiński⁴

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Medical Sciences, University College of Applied Sciences in Chelm, Pocztowa 54, 22-100 Chełm, Poland.
² Chair and Department of Didactics and Medical Simulation, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Medical University of Lublin Poland, Chodźki 7, 20-093 Lublin, Poland.
³ Neurological and Neurosurgical Nursing Department, Faculty of Health Science, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, 85-821 Bydgoszcz, Poland.
⁴ Department of Fundamentals of Nursing, Chair of Nursing Development, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin Poland, 20-093 Lublin, Poland.

Abstract

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many adverse phenomena, particularly in the area of health for both individuals and society as a whole. Healthcare staff also suffered dire consequences.

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess whether the COVID-19 pandemic increased the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder among healthcare professionals in Poland.

Material and method: The survey was conducted between 4 April 2022 and 4 May 2022. The study applied the Computer Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) technique using the standardised Peritraumatic Distress Inventory (PDI) questionnaire.

Results: The average score obtained by the respondents on the PDI was 21.24 ± 8.97. There was a statistically significant difference between the average PDI score obtained based on the gender of the subject (Z = 3.873, p = 0.0001.) The score obtained amongst nurses was statistically significantly higher compared to the paramedic group (H = 6.998, p = 0.030). There was no statistically significant difference between the average PDI score obtained based on the age of the participants (F = 1.282, p = 0.281), nor with their length of service (F = 0.934, p = 0.424). A total of 82.44% of the respondents received 14 PDI points, the cut-off point indicating the risk of PTSD that was adopted in the study. It was concluded that 6.12% of respondents did not require intervention (<7 PDI score); 74.28% of respondents needed further follow-up for PTSD and a reassessment of the PDI approximately 6 weeks after the initial testing; and 19.59% required coverage for PTSD prevention and mitigation (>28 PDI score).

Conclusions: The study has shown a high risk of post-traumatic stress disorder among healthcare professionals in Poland. This risk is related to the gender of the respondents, with an indication of a higher risk of PTSD among women. The results have also shown a correlation between increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder and occupation, with nurses being the most affected group. In contrast, no association has been found in terms of age and length of service for an increase in the risk of PTSD, following exposure to trauma in relation to healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; healthcare system; post-traumatic stress disorder.

Grants and funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.