Elsevier

Psychiatry Research

Volume 292, October 2020, 113312
Psychiatry Research

Review article
PTSD symptoms in healthcare workers facing the three coronavirus outbreaks: What can we expect after the COVID-19 pandemic

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113312Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Healthcare workers were at high risk of PTSD during pandemics.

  • Risk factors for PTSD may interfere with psychological adaptation during pandemics.

  • Better knowledge may reduce PTSD burden in healthcare workers facing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

The COronaVIrus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted the critical need to focus on its impact on the mental health of Healthcare Workers (HCWs) involved in the response to this emergency. It has been consistently shown that a high proportion of HCWs is at greater risk for developing Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS). The present study systematic reviewed studies conducted in the context of the three major Coronavirus outbreaks of the last two decades to investigate risk and resilience factors for PTSD and PTSS in HCWs. Nineteen studies on the SARS 2003 outbreak, two on the MERS 2012 outbreak and three on the COVID-19 ongoing outbreak were included. Some variables were found to be of particular relevance as risk factors as well as resilience factors, including exposure level, working role, years of work experience, social and work support, job organization, quarantine, age, gender, marital status, and coping styles. It will be critical to account for these factors when planning effective intervention strategies, to enhance the resilience and reduce the risk of adverse mental health outcomes among HCWs facing the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords

Corona
Mental health
Nurses
Physicians
Psychological distress
Stress

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