Burden for STaff Working in the NHS (COST-NHS)

COST-NHS: COvid Burden in STaff Working in the NHS: A Study to Assess the Mental Health Burden of the COVID-19 Pandemic on NHS Healthcare Staff

The COVID-19 crisis began in China in December 2019 and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation on March 11th 2020. The pandemic has changed the way that clinicians interact with and treat patients overnight. Staff within the NHS will be under high levels of stress due to the increased needs and worse outcomes of work as they are shielding or self-isolating and may feel helpless and guilty. The psychological impact of the pandemic will be prolonged and varied. It is vital that Investigators increase understanding as much as possible to support NHS staff.

The aim of this survey is to examine the possible mental health burden on NHS staff as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and how these change as the pandemic progresses. By understanding these effects, it will allow researchers to identify recommendations to allow support mechanisms to be put in place for NHS staff, to better manage this and future pandemics and similar crises.

Investigators are aiming to sample several cohorts of NHS staff including a subset of staff who are shielding. Staff will be asked to complete a series of online surveys at multiple timepoint: on study initiation, 1 month later and then 3 months after the pandemic has ceased in the UK. Additional timepoints may be added depending on the length and severity of the pandemic.

The main outcomes will be tracking changes in mental health measurements at the pre-defined timepoints. This work will allow Investigators to produce recommendations about the increased mental health support that NHS staff will need. If a need is demonstrated then an interventional research project will be designed and implemented.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: COVID-19; Mental Health Burden

Detailed Description

The aim of this survey is to examine the possible mental health burden on NHS staff as a results of the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and how these change as the pandemic progresses. By understanding these effects, it will allow Investigators to identify recommendations to allow appropriate support mechanisms to be put in place for NHS staff, to better manage this and future pandemics and similar crises.

Method:

Investigators aim to sample several cohorts of staff across the NHS. A subset of participants will include NHS staff that are currently shielding - they are self-isolating due to being identified as part of the at-risk/vulnerable members of society. The aim will be to survey a minimum of 100 members of staff. Introductory emails will be sent out to NHS staff using the hospital email system. Potential participants will be asked to read a participant information sheet and provide informed consent to participate in the subsequent survey.

Staff within the NHS will be asked to complete a series of surveys at multiple timepoints. The survey link will be circulated to staff with the introductory email. It will be sent at the following time points with a reminder to all on each occasion after 5 days: on study initiation, 1 month later and then 3 months after the pandemic has ceased in the UK. Additional timepoints may be added depending on the length and severity of the pandemic.

Qualtrics software will be used to host and administer the survey. The variables to be measured are:

Demographics (At first survey only): Age, sex, ethnic status, socio-economical status, religious identification and occupation.

Exposure to COVID-19 Mental health: The investigators will assess depression with 9 items (PHQ-9); anxiety with 7 items (GAD-7); paranoia (short Green paranoia scale), traumatic stress, somatic symptoms (PHQ-15); conspiracy mentality and social interactions (The loneliness scale).

Mediating psychological variables: Locus of control, death anxiety, 10 item Cognitive Reflection Task of analytical reasoning and personality traits 9 Big-five short version.

The surveys should take approximately 10 minutes to complete. Participants will be informed that should they feel distressed by the questions raised in the survey, that they should seek support from the providers in the introductory email. Participants will be able to withdraw from the study and any timepoint without providing a reason.

The participants anonymised data will be analysed by Professor Bentall's team at the University of Sheffield and stored on a secure, University server. The main outcomes of the study will be tracking changes in mental health measurements at the pre-defined timepoints.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 100

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Colette Mann; Phone Number: 0114 226 5208; Email: colette_mann@nhs.net
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Loretta Chantry-Groves; Phone Number: 0114 226 5208; Email: loretta.chantry-groves@nhs.net

Study Locations

• United Kingdom
  • Sheffield, United Kingdom, S10 1SJ
    • Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study will recruit NHS staff that are working during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participants aged 16 years or over
• Participants must be working in the NHS
• NHS staff that are shielding will be eligible to participate
• NHS staff that are self-isolating will be eligible to participate
• Able and willing to provide informed consent
• Able to read and understand English

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participants will not be excluded on any other basis

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Changes in Depression	We will assess depression with 9 items (PHQ-9);	UP to 3 months after the pandemic ends in the UK
Changes in Anxiety	measured by GAD-7	UP to 3 months after the pandemic ends in the UK
Changes in feelings of paranoia	measured by the short Green paranoia scale	UP to 3 months after the pandemic ends in the UK
Traumatic Stress	As measured by PHQ-15	UP to 3 months after the pandemic ends in the UK
conspiracy mentality and social interactions	as measured by the loneliness scale	UP to 3 months after the pandemic ends in the UK

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Collaborators: University of Sheffield
• Investigators: Study Director: Sarah Danson, Professor, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 2, 2020
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2024
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 21, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 7, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): August 10, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 20, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 19, 2023
• Last Verified: December 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Coronavirus; COVID-19; Mental health; NHS staff
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Coronavirus Infections; Coronaviridae Infections; Nidovirales Infections; RNA Virus Infections; Virus Diseases; Infections; Respiratory Tract Infections; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Pneumonia, Viral; Pneumonia; Lung Diseases; COVID-19
• Other Study ID Numbers: STH21373

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No