Health and Wellbeing of Regional and Rural Australian Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Baseline Cross-Sectional Findings from the Loddon Mallee Healthcare Worker COVID-19 Study—A Prospective Cohort Study

Mark McEvoy (), Gabriel Caccaviello, Angela Crombie, Timothy Skinner, Stephen J. Begg, Peter Faulkner, Anne McEvoy, Kevin Masman, Laura Bamforth, Carol Parker, Evan Stanyer, Amanda Collings and Xia Li
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Mark McEvoy: La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia
Gabriel Caccaviello: Swan Hill District Health Service, Swan Hill, VIC 3585, Australia
Angela Crombie: Bendigo Health, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia
Timothy Skinner: School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia
Stephen J. Begg: La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia
Peter Faulkner: Bendigo Health, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia
Anne McEvoy: Kyabram District Health Service, Kyabram, VIC 3620, Australia
Kevin Masman: Bendigo Health, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia
Laura Bamforth: Bendigo Health, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia
Carol Parker: Bendigo Health, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia
Evan Stanyer: Bendigo Health, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia
Amanda Collings: Bendigo Health, Bendigo, VIC 3550, Australia
Xia Li: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3550, Australia

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 5, 1-30

Abstract: Background: Coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) has created complex pressures and challenges for healthcare systems worldwide; however, little is known about the impacts COVID-19 has had on regional/rural healthcare workers. The Loddon Mallee Healthcare Worker COVID-19 Study (LMHCWCS) cohort was established to explore and describe the immediate and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on regional and rural healthcare workers. Methods: Eligible healthcare workers employed within 23 different healthcare organisations located in the Loddon Mallee region of Victoria, Australia, were included. In this cohort study, a total of 1313 participants were recruited from November 2020–May 2021. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and burnout were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Impact of Events Scale-6 (IES-6), and Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), respectively. Resilience and optimism were measured using the Brief Resilience Scale and Life Orientation Test—Revised (LOT-R), respectively. Subjective fear of COVID-19 was measured using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. Results: These cross-sectional baseline findings demonstrate that regional/rural healthcare workers were experiencing moderate/severe depressive symptoms (n = 211, 16.1%), moderate to severe anxiety symptoms (n = 193, 14.7%), and high personal or patient/client burnout with median total scores of 46.4 (IQR = 28.6) and 25.0 (IQR = 29.2), respectively. There was a moderate degree of COVID-19-related fear. However, most participants demonstrated a normal/high degree of resilience (n = 854, 65.0%). Based on self-reporting, 15.4% had a BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 kgm 2 and 37.0% have a BMI of 25 kgm 2 or over. Overall, 7.3% of participants reported they were current smokers and 20.6% reported alcohol consumption that is considered moderate/high-risk drinking. Only 21.2% of the sample reported consuming four or more serves of vegetables daily and 37.8% reported consuming two or more serves of fruit daily. There were 48.0% the sample who reported having poor sleep quality measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Conclusion: Regional/rural healthcare workers in Victoria, Australia, were experiencing a moderate to high degree of psychological distress during the early stages of the pandemic. However, most participants demonstrated a normal/high degree of resilience. Findings will be used to inform policy options to support healthcare workers in responding to future pandemics.

Keywords: healthcare workers; psychological distress; wellbeing; COVID-19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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