Assessment of the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Residents Training and Mental Health in Poland

The aim of study is to investigate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on ophthalmology training programs among residents. To the best of our knowledge this study is the first of its kind in Poland. The impact of COVID-19 on ophthalmology training programs is largely unknown as there are only few studies assessing the above issue from the resident's point of view.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: SARS-CoV-2
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Survey

Detailed Description

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, responsible for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), was first identified at the end of the year 2019 in Wuhan (China). A rapid spread of the disease resulted in global threat to public health. On 11 March 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) announced the state of pandemic. In Poland, the first confirmed case of COVID-19 was reported on 4 March 2020 and subsequent growing number of patients has placed tremendous strain on healthcare system. The crisis situation prompted immediate action to divert healthcare resources for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 and to limit the spread of the infection. In accordance with the decision of the Minister of Health of March 13th, 2020, more than twenty hospitals were established to admit only the SARS-CoV-2 affected patients. Moreover, all hospitals were recommended to limit their planned activity and to perform only urgent and emergency services.

The investigators hypothesize that those changes in healthcare system and restrictions established in public area during pandemic caused significant difficulties in residency training considering clinical and surgical practice as well as didactic activities. In spite of gradual reopening the routine services over the last few months, social distancing rules are still in force. Accordingly, different methods of virtual teaching were introduced including, inter alia, organisation of courses, lectures and conferences in form of on-line meetings.

The aim of current study is to investigate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on ophthalmology training programs among residents. To the best of our knowledge this study is the first of its kind in Poland. The impact of COVID-19 on ophthalmology training programs is largely unknown as there are only few studies assessing the above issue from the resident's point of view.

The investigators believe that this investigations will address this gap in the literature and could be used to initiate the new solutions in order to maintain successful residency training during pandemic. Opinions regarding the efficiency of e-learning methods and on-line meetings may be crucial to innovate the conventional teaching way permanently in the future.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 126

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Poland
  • Białystok, Poland, 15-089
    • Medical University
  • Białystok, Poland, 15-089
    • Ophthalmology Clinic Medical University of Bialystok

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 25 years to 35 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: N/A
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Residents of ophthalmology (male and female), in the age of 25-35 working on ophthalmology departments

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• male and female in the age of 25-35 during residence training

Exclusion Criteria:

• lack of consent for participating in survey

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Cohort
• Time Perspectives: Prospective

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort	Intervention / Treatment
Residents of Ophthalmology working on COVID-19 departments; Residents of ophthalmology working on COVID-19 departments and dealing with SARS-CoV-2 positive patients	Other: Survey; The on-line questionnaire which assess the subjective feelings of residents of pandemic impact on ophthalmology training programs
Residents of Ophthalmology working on general ophthalmic departments; Residents of Ophthalmology working on general ophthalmic departments and not dealing with SARS-CoV-2 positive patients	Other: Survey; The on-line questionnaire which assess the subjective feelings of residents of pandemic impact on ophthalmology training programs

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
questionnaire assessing the incidence of disturbance of COVID-19 pandemic on ophthalmology training programs among residents	the opinion of ophthalmology training programs among residents assessed with the questionnaire collecting demographics (age, gender), domicile (state, union territory), current professional status (in training or practising), type of practice (solo, group, institutional, governmental, non-governmental), marital status (married, single), impact of COVID-19 on their training or ophthalmology practice, and impact on income and ability to meet living expense	1 month

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
questionnaire assessing the negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health among ophthalmology residents	the opinion on impact for mental health among residents assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). PHQ-9 is a selfreport measure that is used to assess the severity of depression over the prior 2 weeks. Response to the nine questions are graded as 0 (not at all), 1 (several days), 2 (more than half the days), and 3 (nearly every day). The total score of PHQ-9 that categorizes depression is as follows: minimal/no depression (0-4), mild depression (5-9), moderate depression (10-14), or severe depression (15-21).	1 month
questionnaire assessing the attitude on COVID-19 vaccination of ophthalmology residents	the attitude towards the vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 among residents assessed with the questionnaire with open questions about the willingness of taking the vaccination	1 month

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Medical University of Bialystok
• Investigators: Study Chair: Marek MD Rękas, Prof, Wojskowy Instytut Medyczny

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Silva N, Laiginhas R, Meireles A, Barbosa Breda J. Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Ophthalmology Residency Training in Portugal. Acta Med Port. 2020 Oct 1;33(10):640-648. doi: 10.20344/amp.14341. Epub 2020 Sep 10.
• Mishra D, Nair AG, Gandhi RA, Gogate PJ, Mathur S, Bhushan P, Srivastav T, Singh H, Sinha BP, Singh MK. The impact of COVID-19 related lockdown on ophthalmology training programs in India - Outcomes of a survey. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2020 Jun;68(6):999-1004. doi: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_1067_20.
• El-Saied HMA, Salah Eddin Abdelhakim MA. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Young Ophthalmologists in Cairo University Hospitals. Semin Ophthalmol. 2020 Aug 17;35(5-6):296-306. doi: 10.1080/08820538.2020.1826046. Epub 2020 Oct 5.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 15, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 28, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): April 15, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 4, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 12, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): February 15, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): September 28, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 22, 2021
• Last Verified: September 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Residents training
• 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: 1775

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: Yes
• IPD Plan Description: De-identified participant data that underlie the results reported in this article are available upon reasonable request for academic and non-commercial purposes beginning with article publication and ending 5 years thereafter. Proposals should be submitted to joannakonopinska@o2.pl for review and approval by an internal steering committee. Qualified researchers with reasonable proposals will be provided access to the data along with the redacted study protocol and statistical analysis plan to achieve the specified aims in their approved proposal after signing a data access agreement.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Since the time of publication up to 5 years
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: As above
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: Study Protocol; Statistical Analysis Plan (SAP)

Drug and device information, study documents

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