Implementation of a Psychiatric Consultation for Healthcare Workers during First Wave of COVID-19 Outbreak

Lamyae Benzakour, Gérard Langlois, Verena Marini, Alexandra Groz, Chiara Chiabotto, Diana Apetrei, Bruno Corneau and Guido Bondolfi
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Lamyae Benzakour: Liaison Psychiatry and Intervention Crisis Service, Geneva University Hospital, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
Gérard Langlois: Health Care Directorate, Geneva University Hospital, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
Verena Marini: Health Care Directorate, Geneva University Hospital, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
Alexandra Groz: Health Care Directorate, Geneva University Hospital, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
Chiara Chiabotto: Liaison Psychiatry and Intervention Crisis Service, Geneva University Hospital, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
Diana Apetrei: Liaison Psychiatry and Intervention Crisis Service, Geneva University Hospital, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
Bruno Corneau: Health Care Directorate, Geneva University Hospital, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
Guido Bondolfi: Liaison Psychiatry and Intervention Crisis Service, Geneva University Hospital, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 8, 1-15

Abstract: Background: Prevention and management strategies of mental suffering in healthcare workers appeared as important challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article aims to: (1) show how potential psychiatric disorders for healthcare workers (HCW) during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak were identified; (2) present an activity report of this consultation; and (3) analyze and learn from this experience for the future. Methods: We performed a retrospective quantitative analysis of socio-demographic and clinical data, in addition to psychiatric scales scores for the main potential psychiatric risks (PDI, PDEQ, PCL-5, HADS, MBI-HSS) and post-hoc qualitative analysis of written interviews. Results: Twenty-five healthcare workers consulted between 19 March 2020 and 12 June 2020. We found 78.57% presented high peritraumatic dissociation and peritraumatic distress, 68.75% had severe anxiety symptoms, and 31.25% had severe depression symptoms. Concerning burnout, we found that 23.53% had a high level of emotional exhaustion. In the qualitative analysis of the written interview, we found a direct link between stress and the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily concerning traumatic stressors, and secondarily with work-related stress. Conclusions: Early detection of traumatic reactions, valorization of individual effort, and limitations on work overload appear like potential key preventive measures to prevent psychiatric complications for healthcare workers in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: healthcare workers; COVID-19; psychiatric consultation; burnout; Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD); stress (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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