Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38956631›Full record

SynthesisHuman resources for health2024

Impacts of industrial actions, protests, strikes and lockouts by health and care workers during COVID-19 and other pandemic contexts: a systematic review.

Isabel Craveiro, Pradeep Kumar Choudhury, Ana Paula Cavalcante de OLiveira, Alessandra Pereira, Inês Fronteira, Raphael Chança, Giorgio Cometto, Mario Roberto Dal Poz, Paulo Ferrinho

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Human resources for health, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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

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

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. 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

9 authors.

Isabel CraveiroGlobal Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, LA-REAL, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira, 100, 1349-008, Lisbon, Portugal. isabelc@ihmt.unl.pt.ORCID 0000-0003-4348-1986
Pradeep Kumar ChoudhuryZakir Husain Centre for Educational Studies, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Room No. 234, New Delhi, India.ORCID 0000-0001-7378-9426
Ana Paula Cavalcante de OLiveiraInstituto de Medicina Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier 524, 7º Andar, Blocos D E E, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-013, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0003-0654-1417
Alessandra PereiraInstituto de Medicina Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier 524, 7º Andar, Blocos D E E, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-013, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0001-8730-889X
Inês FronteiraGlobal Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, LA-REAL, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira, 100, 1349-008, Lisbon, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0003-1406-4585
Raphael ChançaInstituto Nacional de Cancer, Ministério da Saúde, Rua Marquês de Pombal, 125, Centro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20230240, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-1023-245X
Giorgio ComettoHealth Workforce Department, World Health Organization, Av. Appia 20, 1202, Geneva, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0003-3725-6192
Mario Roberto Dal PozInstituto de Medicina Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier 524, 7º Andar, Blocos D E E, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, 20550-013, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-3005-3280
Paulo FerrinhoGlobal Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, LA-REAL, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Rua da Junqueira, 100, 1349-008, Lisbon, Portugal.ORCID 0000-0002-3722-0803

Funding

World Health Organization 001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPublic health emergencies of international concern (PHEICs) as the COVID-19 pandemic and others that have occurred since the early 2000s put enormous pressure on health and care systems. This is being a context for protests by health and care workers (HCWs) because of additional workload, working conditions and effects on mental and physical health. In this paper, we intended to analyze the demands of HCWs associated with industrial actions, protests, strikes and lockouts (IAPSLs) which occurred during COVID-19 pandemic and other PHEICs; to identify the impact of these grievances; and describe the relevant interventions to address these IAPSLs.

methodsWe included studies published between January 2000 and March 2022 in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, BVS/LILACS, WHO's COVID-19 Research Database, ILO, OECD, HSRM, and Google Scholar for grey literature. Eligibility criteria were HCWs as participants, IAPSLs as phenomenon of interest occurring in the context of COVID-19 and other PHEICs. GRADE CERQual was used to assess risk of bias and confidence of evidence.

results1656 records were retrieved, and 91 were selected for full-text screening. We included 18 publications. A system-wide approach, rather than a limited approach to institutions on strike, makes it possible to understand the full impact of the strike on health and care services. PHEICs tend to aggravate already adverse working conditions of HCWs, acting as drivers for HCWs strikes, leading to staff shortages, and financial issues, both in the North and in the Global South, particularly evident in Asia and Africa. In addition, issues related to deficiencies in leadership and governance in heath sector and lack of medical products and technologies (e.g., lack of personal protective equipment) were the main drivers of strikes, each contributing 25% of the total drivers identified.

conclusionsIt is necessary to focus on the preparedness of health and care systems to respond adequately to PHEICs, and this includes being prepared for HCWs' IAPSLs, talked much in the context of COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence to assist policymakers in defining strategies to respond adequately to the health and care needs of the population during IAPSLs is crucial. The main impact of strikes is on the disruption of health care services' provision. Gender inequality being a major issue among HCWs, a proper understanding of the full impact of the strike on health and care services will only be possible if gender lens is combined with a systemic approach, rather than gender-undifferentiated approaches limited to the institutions on strike.

Indexed as

COVID-19Health PersonnelSARS-CoV-2HumansPandemicsPublic HealthStrikes, EmployeeWorkloadCOVID-19Health and care workforce policyPublic health emergenciesStrikes

Identifiers

PMID38956631
PMCPMC11221126

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.