RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Hospital-Based Healthcare Worker Perceptions of Personal Risk Related to COVID-19: One Year Follow-Up
JF The Journal of the American Board of Family
                Medicine
JO J Am Board Fam Med
FD American Board of Family Medicine
SP 284
OP 294
DO 10.3122/jabfm.2022.02.210272
VO 35
IS 2
A1 David Yamane
A1 Kimia Zarabian
A1 Kyle Devine
A1 Ivy Benjenk
A1 Katherine Farrar
A1 Owen Lee Park
A1 Justin Kim
A1 Danielle Davison
A1 Eric Heinz
YR 2022
UL http://www.jabfm.org/content/35/2/284.abstract
AB Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted health care workers (HCW). Most research focused on the adverse mental health effects during the initial surge of cases; and yet little is known about approximately how workers are faring 1 year into the pandemic. The objective of this study is to examine stress, burnout, and risk perception in an academic medical system, 1 year after the start of the pandemic.Methods: HCW across care specialties participated in online surveys in Spring 2020 and Spring 2021. The surveys included questions related to workplace stress and risk perception related to COVID-19. Correlates of stress and burnout were explored using multivariable linear regression models. Professional Quality of Life Scale (PROQOL) questions were added to the second survey.Results: While HCW reported significantly fewer concerns about the risk of COVID-19 transmission to themselves and their families during the 2021 survey (compared with 2020), the percentage of workers who reported feeling excess stress at work or considered resigning stayed the same. One year into the pandemic, 57% of study participants met criteria for moderate or high levels of traumatic stress and 75% met criteria for moderate or high levels of burnout. As compared with participants who cared for no COVID-19 deaths, participants who cared for COVID-19 patients who died had significantly higher traumatic stress (1 to 10: Coef. = 2.7, P = .007; >10: Coef. = 6.7, P < .001) and burnout scores (1 to 10: Coef. = 2.7, P = .004; >10: Coef. = 2.6, P = .036).Conclusion: While Although perceptions of risk declined over the course of the year, levels of stress still remained high despite high vaccination rates. Those who witnessed more COVID-19 deaths were more likely to report increased burnout and post-traumatic stress. As our nation continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic and new variants emerge it is imperative to focus on recovery strategies for high burnout groups to ensure the wellbeing of our health care workforce.