Investigating the Psychological Impact of COVID-19 on Healthcare Professionals: Implications and Recommendations

Public health crises that increase the demand for healthcare professionals (HCPs) often result in increased mental distress in HCPs. The current study investigated the specific mental health ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic on HCPs and perceived support from their places of work. Data was collected from US-based HCPs (N = 325) working as physicians (21.8%), nurses (26.8%), mental health professionals (MHPs;30.5%), and allied healthcare professionals (AHPs;20.9%) from April 2020 to April 2021 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, using an online self-report survey. Descriptive and correlational statistical analyses assessed worry, stressors, psychological functioning, and perceived support. A majority of participants expressed worry about the pandemic broadly (93%), and approximately half (50.5%) indicated that their degree of worry was moderate to extreme. Respondents worried most about the risk of infection for family and relatives. HCPs reported not having been able to enjoy daily activities (66.9%), losing sleep (43.1%), and feeling constantly under strain (66.9%), compared to usual. Most HCPs indicated a strong desire for clear communication regarding the pandemic and psychological support from their workplaces. This paper provides recommendations to support HCP mental health by both ameliorating distress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as protecting the health and wellness of HCPs more generally. HCPs and institutions that employ them should seek out or provide access to mental health resources and services, engage with or provide opportunities and activities to actively address mental health, and improve communication regarding COVID-19 or other topics HCPs demonstrate interest in.

The Educational, Health, and Economic Impacts of COVID-19 Among Haitians in the USA: Time for Systemic Change.

Haitians are the fourth largest Afro-Caribbean immigrant group in the USA, and there is a dearth of research focusing on the factors impacting their lives. As a marginalized group with extensive pre-existing conditions, Haitian immigrants are disproportionately affected by the pandemic in areas such as education, health, and economics. This paper provides a summary of existing disparities among Haitians in the USA and how COVID-19 has significantly impacted this group. It concludes with an analysis of how the Strategic Framework for Improving Racial and Ethnic Minority Health and Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities can be used to guide, organize, and coordinate systematic planning for sustainable changes to address these disparities. Addressing immigrant and minority health in the USA requires a deeper dive into the various immigrant groups. This paper concludes with recommendations for research and policy changes necessary to eliminate disparities in the USA.

When public health messages become stressful: Managing chronic disease during COVID-19.

To curb the spread of COVID-19, the United States has endorsed a variety of public health measures and distributed their content expediently. While these measures are critical for saving the lives of thousands, they may be sources of stress for individuals managing a chronic disease or make disease management more challenging. Forty-five percent of Americans live with chronic disease and already manage a range of everyday stressors related to their disease, making the additional stress produced by this public health guidance and their messages more difficult. Guided by Cohen and colleagues' Stage Model of Stress and Disease (Cohen et al., 2016) and Ryan and Sawin's Individual and Family Self-Management Theory (Ryan & Sawin, 2009), this paper identifies the various dimensions of these public health measures that may cause stress and negatively impact individuals managing chronic disease. Further, this paper presents a conceptual model for understanding how these stressors and common stressors associated with managing chronic disease interact and significantly impact chronic disease management. Considering the impact of these stressors on individuals managing chronic disease is paramount to ensure this population is empowered to manage this additional stress healthily and effectively. Recommendations for individuals managing chronic disease and health care professionals working with this population are provided.