Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34848518›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2021

Psychological impact of repeated epidemic exposure on healthcare workers: findings from an online survey of a healthcare workforce exposed to both SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and COVID-19.

Lai Gwen Chan, Pei Lin Lynnette Tan, Kang Sim, Ming Yee Tan, Kah Hong Goh, Pei Qi Su, Alvin Kah Heng Tan, Eng Sing Lee, Shu Yun Tan, Wen Phei Lim and 4 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.2field-weighted citation impact, top 19% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors at 7 institutions in 1 country.

Lai Gwen ChanPsychiatry, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore lai_gwen_chan@ttsh.com.sg.ORCID 0000-0003-3553-1525
Pei Lin Lynnette TanPsychiatry, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.
Kang SimAdult Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0003-3209-9626
Ming Yee TanGeneral Psychiatry, Institute of Mental Health, Singapore.
Kah Hong GohPsychological Medicine, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore.
Pei Qi SuNational Skin Centre, Singapore.
Alvin Kah Heng TanAnaesthesia, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, Singapore.
Eng Sing LeeClinical Research Unit, National Healthcare Group Polyclinics, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0003-4963-535X
Shu Yun TanClinical Research Unit, National Healthcare Group Polyclinics, Singapore.
Wen Phei LimMedical Psychiatry, Woodlands Health Campus, Singapore.
Chia Hui AwPalliative Medicine, Woodlands Health Campus, Singapore.
Yi Zhen GohDover Park Hospice, Singapore.
Sapna SadaranganiNational Centre for Infectious Diseases, Singapore.
Angela ChowDepartment of Clinical Epidemiology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.
Tan Tock Seng Hospital · SGInstitute of Mental Health · SGWoodlands Health Campus · SGKhoo Teck Puat Hospital · SGNanyang Technological University · SGNational Skin Centre · SGNg Teng Fong General Hospital · SG

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo measure the psychological well-being of healthcare workers (HCWs) during this COVID-19 pandemic and examine the experiences of the subgroup of participants who were also HCWs during the 2003 SARS epidemic.

designAnonymous online survey adapted from a similar study conducted during the SARS epidemic, disseminated from July 2020 to August 2020.

settingNine healthcare institutions across Singapore ranging from primary care, community care, tertiary care and specialised referral centres.

participantsEmployees working in the participating healthcare institutions.

resultsOf 3828 survey returns, 3616 had at least one completed item on the questionnaire. Majority were female (74.7%), nurses (51.7%), foreign-born (53.2%) and not working in the tertiary care setting (52.1%). The median score on the Impact of Events Scale (IES) was 15 (IQR 23) and 28.2% of the sample scored in the moderate/severe range. 22.7% of the participants were also HCWs during SARS and more than half of them felt safer and better equipped in the current pandemic. 25.2% of SARS HCWs and 25.9% of non-SARS HCWs had moderate/severe IES scores (p=0.904). After adjusting for age, marital status, parity and length of work experience, racial minority groups and living apart from family were independent predictors of high IES regardless of prior SARS epidemic experience. Daily exposure to confirmed or suspect COVID-19 cases increased the odds of high IES for non-SARS HCWs only. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Overall, while 28% of HCWs in our study suffered from significant trauma-related psychological symptoms regardless of prior experience with the SARS epidemic, those with prior experience reported feeling safer and better equipped, finding the workload easier to manage, as well as having more confidence in their healthcare leaders. We recommend for more trauma-informed support strategies for our HCWs especially those from racial minority groups, who are foreign-born and isolated from their families.

Indexed as

COVID-19Severe Acute Respiratory SyndromeDelivery of Health CareFemaleHealth PersonnelHumansMalePandemicsSARS-CoV-2Surveys and QuestionnairesWorkforceCOVID-19epidemiologymental healthpsychiatrypublic health

Identifiers

PMID34848518
PMCPMC8635888
OpenAlexW3217215889

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.