In the midst of the Covid crisis, nurses and women healthcare workers are the most likely to experience mental distress, according to new studies. The key study, conducted by the University of Sheffield, showed that age did not have a significant impact on the stress levels of healthcare workers, despite the greater risk of serious coronavirus complications among older people. Researchers, who have looked at the reactions of staff to other infectious diseases such as SARS, bird flu, swine flu and Ebola, discovered that psychological torment would persist for health professionals for up to three years after the first outbreak of the pandemic.
"Dr. Fuschia Sirois, who leads the research that is the largest ever global study of psychological distress among healthcare workers following the coronavirus emergency, said: "Consistent evidence shows that being a woman, a nurse, experiencing stigma and having contact or risk of contact with infected patients were the greatest risk factors for psychological distress among healthcare professionals.
It is so critical that we recognize the healthcare workers who are most at risk for distress and the variables that can be changed to decrease distress and increase resilience as the world continues to resolve the Covid-19 pandemic. She concluded that "feeling in control" was related to people experiencing less psychological distress, social support, ensuring that people are adequately informed about the pandemic, and sufficient personal protective equipment, training and proper services.