Post-traumatic stress in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Authors

Sanketh Andhavarapu, The Research Associate Program, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Isha Yardi, The Research Associate Program, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Vera Bzhilyanskaya, The Research Associate Program, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Tucker Lurie, The Research Associate Program, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Mujtaba Bhinder, The Research Associate Program, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Priya Patel, The Research Associate Program, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Ali Pourmand, Department of Emergency Medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States.
Quincy K. Tran, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 22 South Greene Street, Suite T3N45, Baltimore, MD 21043, United States; Program in Trauma, The R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States. Electronic address: qtran@som.umaryland.edu.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

11-1-2022

Journal

Psychiatry research

Volume

317

DOI

10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114890

Keywords

COVID-19; Healthcare workers; Mental health; Pandemic; Post-stress distress; SARS-CoV-2

Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has increased healthcare worker (HCW) susceptibility to mental illness. We conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the prevalence and possible factors associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among HCW during the COVID-19 pandemic. We searched PubMed, SCOPUS and EMBASE databases up to May 4th, 2022. We performed random effects meta-analysis and moderator analyses for the prevalence of PTSD-relevant symptoms and severe PTSD symptoms. We identified 1276 studies, reviewed 209 full-text articles, and included 119 studies (117,143 participants) with a total of 121 data points in our final analysis. 34 studies (24,541 participants) reported prevalence of severe PTSD symptoms. Approximately 25.2% of participants were physicians, 42.8% nurses, 12.4% allied health professionals, 8.9% auxiliary health professionals, and 10.8% "other". The pooled prevalence of PTSD symptoms among HCWs was 34% (95% CI, 0.30-0.39, I >90%), and 14% for severe PTSD (95% CI, 0.11 - 0.17, I >90%). The introduction of COVID vaccines was associated with a sharp decline in the prevalence of PTSD, and new virus variants were associated with small increases in PTSD rates. It is important that policies work towards allocating adequate resources towards protecting the well-being of healthcare workers to minimize adverse consequences of PTSD.

APA Citation

Andhavarapu, Sanketh; Yardi, Isha; Bzhilyanskaya, Vera; Lurie, Tucker; Bhinder, Mujtaba; Patel, Priya; Pourmand, Ali; and Tran, Quincy K., "Post-traumatic stress in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis" (2022). GW Authored Works. Paper 2015.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/2015

Department

Emergency Medicine