Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38131026›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in public health2023

What are effective strategies to respond to the psychological impacts of working on the frontlines of a public health emergency?

Sarah E Neil-Sztramko, Emily Belita, Stephanie Hopkins, Diana Sherifali, Laura Anderson, Emma Apatu, Lydia Kapiriri, Jean Eric Tarride, Olivier Bellefleur, Sharon Kaasalainen and 2 more

Open access · goldAbstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in public health, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
3.4field-weighted citation impact, top 7% 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

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. 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

12 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Sarah E Neil-SztramkoDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Emily BelitaSchool of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Stephanie HopkinsNational Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Diana SherifaliSchool of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Laura AndersonDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Emma ApatuDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Lydia KapiririHealth, Aging & Society, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Jean Eric TarrideDepartment of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact (HEI), McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Olivier BellefleurNational Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Sharon KaasalainenSchool of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Sharon MarrUnity Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Maureen DobbinsNational Collaborating Centre for Methods and Tools, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
McMaster University · CANational Collaborating Centre for Methods and ToolsImpact · CAPrograms for Assessment of Technology in Health Research Institute · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the healthcare and public health sectors. The impact of working on the frontlines as a healthcare or public health professional has been well documented. Healthcare organizations must support the psychological and mental health of those responding to future public health emergencies. Objective: This systematic review aims to identify effective interventions to support healthcare workers' mental health and wellbeing during and following a public health emergency. Methods: Eight scientific databases were searched from inception to 1 November 2022. Studies that described strategies to address the psychological impacts experienced by those responding to a public health emergency (i.e., a pandemic, epidemic, natural disaster, or mass casualty event) were eligible for inclusion. No limitations were placed based on study design, language, publication status, or publication date. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed methodological quality using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. Discrepancies were resolved through discussion and a third reviewer when needed. Results were synthesized narratively due to the heterogeneity of populations and interventions. Outcomes were displayed graphically using harvest plots. Results: A total of 20,018 records were screened, with 36 unique studies included in the review, 15 randomized controlled trials, and 21 quasi-experimental studies. Results indicate that psychotherapy, psychoeducation, and mind-body interventions may reduce symptoms of anxiety, burnout, depression, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, with the lowest risk of bias found among psychotherapy interventions. Psychoeducation appears most promising to increase resilience, with mind-body interventions having the most substantial evidence for increases in quality of life. Few organizational interventions were identified, with highly heterogeneous components. Conclusion: Promoting healthcare workers' mental health is essential at an individual and health system level. This review identifies several promising practices that could be used to support healthcare workers at risk of adverse mental health outcomes as they respond to future public health emergencies.

Indexed as

Public HealthQuality of LifeEmergenciesHealth PersonnelHumansPandemicsCOVID-19education/awareness and skill development/traininghealthcare workersmental healthpreventionpublic health emergency

Identifiers

PMID38131026
PMCPMC10733471
OpenAlexW4389441176

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.