Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37640461›Full record

Observational studyBMJ open2023

Stress and safety of maternal and newborn healthcare workers early in the COVID-19 pandemic: a repeat cross-sectional analysis from a global online survey from March 2020 to March 2021.

Ashley Ezema, Matthew Caputo, Aline Semaan, Lenka Benova, Shu-Ting Liang, Lisa R Hirschhorn

Abstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMJ open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
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

6 authors.

Ashley Ezema *Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Matthew Caputo *Robert J Havey, MD Institute for Global Health, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-7408-6084
Aline SemaanDepartment of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0001-8348-1206
Lenka BenovaDepartment of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerpen, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0001-8595-365X
Shu-Ting LiangRobert J Havey, MD Institute for Global Health, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Lisa R HirschhornRobert J Havey, MD Institute for Global Health, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA lisa.hirschhorn@northwestern.edu.ORCID 0000-0002-4355-7437

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesThis study aims to characterise the physical and psychological well-being of maternal and newborn healthcare workers (MNHCWs) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

designObservational repeated cross-sectional study.

settingAn online questionnaire was distributed to MNHCWs around the globe in three separate rounds from March 2020 to March 2021.

participantsTotal samples of N=1357 (round 1) and N=420 (round 3) primarily consisted of doctors, midwives and nurses in maternal and newborn specialties. Samples represented all WHO regions, with 33% (round 1) and 42% (round 3) from low- or middle-income countries (LMICs). PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Responses from rounds 1 (March-June 2020) and 3 (December 2020-March 2021) were analysed to measure self-reported levels of relative stress and workplace protection from COVID-19, while associated factors were determined through multivariable ordinal logistic regression.

resultsIn round 1, 90% of MNHCWs reported increased stress levels and 45% reported insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) access. Nurses and physicians were less likely to report increased stress than midwives at the pandemic onset. Factors associated with increased stress included being female, being from an LMIC and insufficient PPE. In round 3, 75% reported similar or increased stress while 10% reported insufficient PPE. In both rounds, over 50% of MNHCWs felt relatively or completely unprotected from COVID-19 in the workplace. Those from LMICs were more likely to report feeling unprotected, while receiving organisational information that valued safety was associated with better feelings of protection in the workplace.

conclusionsAmong our international sample of MNHCWs, we observed high rates of self-reported stress increase at the start of the pandemic with persistence or increase up to a year later. High rates of feeling unprotected persisted even as PPE became more available. These results may inform interventions needed to support and protect MNHCWs during this and future pandemics.

Indexed as

COVID-19PhysiciansCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansInfant, NewbornMalePandemicsSelf ReportCOVID-19maternal medicinemental healthoccupational & industrial medicinepublic health

Identifiers

PMID37640461
PMCPMC10462945

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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.