Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35043077›Full record

ArticleBJPsych open2022

The mental health of NHS staff during the COVID-19 pandemic: two-wave Scottish cohort study.

Johannes H De Kock, Helen Ann Latham, Richard G Cowden, Breda Cullen, Katia Narzisi, Shaun Jerdan, Sarah-Anne Muñoz, Stephen J Leslie, Neil McNamara, Adam Boggon and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BJPsych open, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
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

13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  5. Elevated levels of mental health issues among optometrists in the United Kingdom.Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists) · 2025
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  11. Suffering, psychological distress, and well-being in Indonesia: A prospective cohort study.Stress and health : journal of the International Society for the Investigation of Stress · 2022
    Article
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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

11 authors.

Johannes H De KockInstitute for Health Research and Innovation, University of the Highlands and Islands; and Department of Clinical Psychology, New Craigs Psychiatric Hospital, NHS Highland, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2468-5572
Helen Ann LathamNairn Healthcare Group, NHS Highland, UK.
Richard G CowdenInstitute for Quantitative Social Science, Harvard University, USA.
Breda CullenInstitute of Health & Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, UK.
Katia NarzisiInstitute for Health Research and Innovation, University of the Highlands and Islands, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9869-0799
Shaun JerdanInstitute for Health Research and Innovation, University of the Highlands and Islands, UK.
Sarah-Anne MuñozInstitute for Health Research and Innovation, University of the Highlands and Islands, UK.
Stephen J LeslieInstitute for Health Research and Innovation, University of the Highlands and Islands; and Cardiac Unit, Raigmore Hospital, NHS Highland, UK.
Neil McNamaraDepartment of Psychiatry, New Craigs Psychiatric Hospital, NHS Highland, UK.
Adam BoggonUniversity College London Medical School, Royal Free Hospital, UK.
Roger W HumphryEpidemiology Research Unit, Scottish Rural College, UK.

Funding

Chief Scientist Office COV/UHI/20/01
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHealth and social care workers (HSCWs) are at risk of experiencing adverse mental health outcomes (e.g. higher levels of anxiety and depression) because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This can have a detrimental effect on quality of care, the national response to the pandemic and its aftermath.

aimsA longitudinal design provided follow-up evidence on the mental health (changes in prevalence of disease over time) of NHS staff working at a remote health board in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic, and investigated the determinants of mental health outcomes over time.

methodA two-wave longitudinal study was conducted from July to September 2020. Participants self-reported levels of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), anxiety (Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7) and mental well-being (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale) at baseline and 1.5 months later.

resultsThe analytic sample of 169 participants, working in community (43%) and hospital (44%) settings, reported substantial levels of depression and anxiety, and low mental well-being at baseline (depression, 30.8%; anxiety, 20.1%; well-being, 31.9%). Although mental health remained mostly constant over time, the proportion of participants meeting the threshold for anxiety increased to 27.2% at follow-up. Multivariable modelling indicated that working with, and disruption because of, COVID-19 were associated with adverse mental health changes over time.

conclusionsHSCWs working in a remote area with low COVID-19 prevalence reported substantial levels of anxiety and depression, similar to those working in areas with high COVID-19 prevalence. Efforts to support HSCW mental health must remain a priority, and should minimise the adverse effects of working with, and disruption caused by, the COVID-19 pandemic.

Indexed as

COVID-19Mental healthNational Health Servicerisk factorsstaff

Identifiers

PMID35043077
PMCPMC8755549

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.