Psychological distress, coping behaviors, and preferences for support among New York healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Ari Shechter, Franchesca Diaz, Nathalie Moise, D Edmund Anstey, Siqin Ye, Sachin Agarwal, Jeffrey L Birk, Daniel Brodie, Diane E Cannone, Bernard Chang, Jan Claassen, Talea Cornelius, Lilly Derby, Melissa Dong, Raymond C Givens, Beth Hochman, Shunichi Homma, Ian M Kronish, Sung A J Lee, Wilhelmina Manzano, Laurel E S Mayer, Cara L McMurry, Vivek Moitra, Patrick Pham, LeRoy Rabbani, Reynaldo R Rivera, Allan Schwartz, Joseph E Schwartz, Peter A Shapiro, Kaitlin Shaw, Alexandra M Sullivan, Courtney Vose, Lauren Wasson, Donald Edmondson, Marwah Abdalla, Ari Shechter, Franchesca Diaz, Nathalie Moise, D Edmund Anstey, Siqin Ye, Sachin Agarwal, Jeffrey L Birk, Daniel Brodie, Diane E Cannone, Bernard Chang, Jan Claassen, Talea Cornelius, Lilly Derby, Melissa Dong, Raymond C Givens, Beth Hochman, Shunichi Homma, Ian M Kronish, Sung A J Lee, Wilhelmina Manzano, Laurel E S Mayer, Cara L McMurry, Vivek Moitra, Patrick Pham, LeRoy Rabbani, Reynaldo R Rivera, Allan Schwartz, Joseph E Schwartz, Peter A Shapiro, Kaitlin Shaw, Alexandra M Sullivan, Courtney Vose, Lauren Wasson, Donald Edmondson, Marwah Abdalla

Abstract

Objective: The mental health toll of COVID-19 on healthcare workers (HCW) is not yet fully described. We characterized distress, coping, and preferences for support among NYC HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional web survey of physicians, advanced practice providers, residents/fellows, and nurses, conducted during a peak of inpatient admissions for COVID-19 in NYC (April 9th-April 24th 2020) at a large medical center in NYC (n = 657).

Results: Positive screens for psychological symptoms were common; 57% for acute stress, 48% for depressive, and 33% for anxiety symptoms. For each, a higher percent of nurses/advanced practice providers screened positive vs. attending physicians, though housestaff's rates for acute stress and depression did not differ from either. Sixty-one percent of participants reported increased sense of meaning/purpose since the COVID-19 outbreak. Physical activity/exercise was the most common coping behavior (59%), and access to an individual therapist with online self-guided counseling (33%) garnered the most interest.

Conclusions: NYC HCWs, especially nurses and advanced practice providers, are experiencing COVID-19-related psychological distress. Participants reported using empirically-supported coping behaviors, and endorsed indicators of resilience, but they also reported interest in additional wellness resources. Programs developed to mitigate stress among HCWs during the COVID-19 pandemic should integrate HCW preferences.

Keywords: Anxiety; COVID-19; Coping; Depression; Distress; Healthcare worker; Insomnia.

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest None of the authors have relevant disclosures.

Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Percent of participants who endorsed distress due to clinical, family, national, and personal concerns.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Percentage of participants who screened positive for acute stress, depressive symptoms, and anxiety by clinical role.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Coping behaviors endorsed by participants by clinical role.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Participant interest in proposed wellness resources by clinical role.

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