ArticlePloS one2021
Pandemic-related attitudes, stressors and work outcomes among medical assistants during the SARS-CoV-2 ("Coronavirus") pandemic in Germany: A cross-sectional Study.
Article in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 28 citations in OpenAlex.
- Organisational, hygiene- and team-related changes in German general practices during and after the COVID-19 pandemic: a participatory cross-sectional survey among medical assistants (WiSBAH study).BMC public health · 2026Article
- Analysis of Perceived Social Support on Bonding Attachment in Mothers Giving Birth during the COVID-19 Pandemic.Acta medica Philippina · 2026Article
- Article
- ["The Show Must Go on": Medical Assistants and Their Experience Managing Vaccination during the Covid-19 Pandemic].Gesundheitswesen (Bundesverband der Arzte des Offentlichen Gesundheitsdienstes (Germany)) · 2024Article
- Correlation between uncertainty stress and depression among healthcare professionals in China: a nationwide cross-sectional survey.BMJ open · 2024Article
- Individual and organizational factors influencing well-being and burnout amongst healthcare assistants: A systematic review.International journal of nursing studies advances · 2024Review
- Medical assistants' comic styles and their potential for positive functioning at work: a cross-sectional study including a subgroup analysis.BMC primary care · 2024Article
- Psychosocial working conditions and mental health among medical assistants in Germany: a scoping review.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Article
- Changes of working conditions and job-related challenges due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic for medical assistants in general practices in Germany: a qualitative study.BMC primary care · 2022Article
- The Relationship of Medical Assistants' Work Engagement with Their Concerns of Having Made an Important Medical Error: A Cross-Sectional Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- The Impact of the Implementation of Preventive Measures Due to COVID-19 on Work Design and Early Childhood Professionals' Well-Being-A Qualitative Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Burden Associated with Telephone Calls on COVID-19: Results of a Flash Mob Study in Family Practices.ZFA. Zeitschrift fur Allgemeinmedizin · 2022Article
- Evaluating Pharmacists' Pharmacological Knowledge and Views Regarding Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine in Saudi Arabia.Clinical pharmacology : advances and applications · 2022Article
- Psychological Health Issues of Medical Staff During the COVID-19 Outbreak.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2021Article
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe SARS-CoV-2 virus has spread rapidly around the globe since December 2019 creating much uncertainty among medical staff. Due to close patient contact, medical assistants are at increased risk of an infection. Several studies have investigated psychological consequences of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on medical staff, yet studies in the outpatient setting are scarce and studies addressing medical assistants are lacking. This study aimed to investigate pandemic-related stressors, attitudes, and work outcomes among medical assistants and to identify possible determinants.
methodsThe population under study were medical assistants across entire Germany. A self-devised online questionnaire was published between April 7th, 2020, and April 14th. including questions on pandemic-related stressors, attitudes and work outcomes. Additionally, symptoms of depression and anxiety disorder were measured by PHQ-2 and GAD-2, respectively. Logistic regression was performed to identify possible determinants.
results2150 medical assistants provided complete data (98.0% female, mean age 37.6 years). Major stressors were uncertainty about the temporal scope of the pandemic (95.1% agreement), about how to act correctly (77.5%), feelings of not being allowed to let patients down (75.9%), uncertainty about one's financial situation (67.4%) and about contact persons for further information (67.1%). One third (29.9%) of the study population screened positively for depression and 42.6% for anxiety disorder. Feeling burdened by one's financial situation was significantly associated with working in specialist practices (1.32 [1.08-1.62]), caring for children (1.51 [1.22-1.87]), depression (1.28 [1.01-1.62]), and anxiety disorder (1.93 [1.55-2.39]). Feeling burdened by thoughts about virus contraction at work was also significantly associated with working in specialist practices (1.33 [1.07-1.64]), caring for children (1.33 [1.07-1.66]), depression (1.54 [1.18-2.00]), and anxiety (4.71 [3.71-5.98]).
conclusionsThis study provides novel evidence regarding major SARS-CoV-2 pandemic-related stressors among medical assistants and suggests need for special support for medical assistants caring for children and working in specialist practices.
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