ABSTRACT
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the burden on healthcare professionals at all levels has increased significantly, especially those who are at the forefront of the fight for patients' lives. Physicians directly caring for COVID-19 patients are exposed to excessive stress and significant biological and psychosocial risk. Objective. To identify the features of the mental state of doctors of various specialties during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and methods. The study included 85 doctors of the Arkhangelsk region: 41 anesthesiologists/intensive care physicians (mean age 32.4+/-5.0 years) and 44 general practitioners (mean age 38.9+/-4.2 years). The study was conducted during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (from May to June 2021). We used the following study methods: questionnaire, psychological testing (K. Maslach and S. Jackson Burnout Inventory (MBI), Beck's Depression Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale, World Health Organisation-Five Well-Being Index), mathematical and statistical processing of empirical data. Results and discussion. Analysis of the results showed that about half of the surveyed general practitioners and only 3 (7.3%) of the anesthesiologists/intensive care physicians had a history of COVID-19, having contracted it while performing professional duties. Manifestations of maladaptation, such as low professional competence, lack of soft skills, aggressiveness, introversion, risktaking, recklessness, and family problems, are more pronounced in anesthesiologists/intensive care physicians. They were more likely to have negative emotions and feelings, were less satisfied with themselves and life in general, and had a lower well-being index than general practitioners. General practitioners overestimated their professional burnout severity and more often complained about their state of health. Correlation analysis of the examination results for anesthesiologists/intensive care physicians allowed us to identify direct relationships between the level of perceived stress, overstrain and depression, low mood, difficulties in relationships with relatives and colleagues, dissatisfaction with various aspects of life, inverse relationships between the level of perceived stress and the well-being index. In general practitioners, direct relationships were established between perceived stress and overexertion, and inverse relationships were established between the level of perceived stress, the well-being index, and the reduction of personal achievements. Conclusion. The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacts anesthesiologists/intensive care physicians more than general practitioners, causing negative emotions and maladaptation. In primary care physicians, the pandemic increases mobilization processes to address emerging professional challenges. Therefore, special attention should be paid to psychological support for anesthesiologists/intensive care physicians.Copyright © 2023, Media Sphera Publishing Group. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the burden on healthcare professionals at all levels has increased significantly, especially those who are at the forefront of the fight for patients' lives. Physicians directly caring for COVID-19 patients are exposed to excessive stress and significant biological and psychosocial risk. Objective. To identify the features of the mental state of doctors of various specialties during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and methods. The study included 85 doctors of the Arkhangelsk region: 41 anesthesiologists/intensive care physicians (mean age 32.4+/-5.0 years) and 44 general practitioners (mean age 38.9+/-4.2 years). The study was conducted during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (from May to June 2021). We used the following study methods: questionnaire, psychological testing (K. Maslach and S. Jackson Burnout Inventory (MBI), Beck's Depression Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale, World Health Organisation-Five Well-Being Index), mathematical and statistical processing of empirical data. Results and discussion. Analysis of the results showed that about half of the surveyed general practitioners and only 3 (7.3%) of the anesthesiologists/intensive care physicians had a history of COVID-19, having contracted it while performing professional duties. Manifestations of maladaptation, such as low professional competence, lack of soft skills, aggressiveness, introversion, risktaking, recklessness, and family problems, are more pronounced in anesthesiologists/intensive care physicians. They were more likely to have negative emotions and feelings, were less satisfied with themselves and life in general, and had a lower well-being index than general practitioners. General practitioners overestimated their professional burnout severity and more often complained about their state of health. Correlation analysis of the examination results for anesthesiologists/intensive care physicians allowed us to identify direct relationships between the level of perceived stress, overstrain and depression, low mood, difficulties in relationships with relatives and colleagues, dissatisfaction with various aspects of life, inverse relationships between the level of perceived stress and the well-being index. In general practitioners, direct relationships were established between perceived stress and overexertion, and inverse relationships were established between the level of perceived stress, the well-being index, and the reduction of personal achievements. Conclusion. The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacts anesthesiologists/intensive care physicians more than general practitioners, causing negative emotions and maladaptation. In primary care physicians, the pandemic increases mobilization processes to address emerging professional challenges. Therefore, special attention should be paid to psychological support for anesthesiologists/intensive care physicians.Copyright © 2023, Media Sphera Publishing Group. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically accelerated the digitalization of education around the world. There has been a lot of recent research on university students' attitudes towards digital educational technologies (DET) in different countries, but much fewer studies examine how these attitudes change during the pandemic. The purpose of the present exploratory study is to compare the attitudes towards DET among Russian university students majoring in psychology before the start of the pandemic and at its different stages. A mixed method research design was used. The quantitative part of the study included The University Students' Attitudes toward DET Questionnaire developed by the authors, and the qualitative part of this study included percentage and thematic analyses of answers to additional multiple choice and open-ended questions. The main findings of the study confirm significant changes in attitudes towards DET at the very beginning of the pandemic, and their relative stabilization later. Additional analysis based on the literature review revealed that the advantages and disadvantages of DET listed by Russian university students and students from other countries, generally coincide. The data obtained will be useful in the development of digital competence among university students.
ABSTRACT
Background: Patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) develop abnormalities in the structural and functional organization of the immune system leading to immune deficiency. Chemotherapy (CT) in patients after SARS-CoV infection is associated with a more severe disease course affecting the treatment results. The cytokine-producing activity (CPA) of blood cells is poorly studied, while it determines the effectiveness of antitumor and anti-infective functions of the immune system. The purpose of this study was to evaluate CPA of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients receiving treatment for NHL after COVID-19. Methods: The study included 8 patients with large B-cell NHL with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 infection in past medical history. All patients received from 3 to 4 chemotherapy cycles. K2EDTA blood samples obtained before and after 3-4 CT cycles were divided into 2 parts after dilution with a sterile nutrient medium solution: part 1, to assess spontaneous CPA;part 2, with addition of a sterile mitogen (phytohemagglutinin 4 μg, concanavalin A 4 μg, and lipopolysaccharide 2 μg) to assess stimulated CPA. The samples were incubated for 24 hours at 370C, and the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-18, IL-4, IL-2, TNF- α, INF-γ, INF-α were determined in the obtained plasma. The stimulation coefficient (SC) was calculated as the ratio of stimulated CPA to spontaneous CPA. Results: 3-4 CT cycles in patients after COVID-19 was accompanied by an elevation of spontaneous CPA of the blood cells IL-6, INF-γ, TNF-α, IL-8, compared to the initial levels, by 678%, 127%, 64% and 57%, respectively. The ability of cells to spontaneous production of IL-10 and INF-α decreased by 30% and 100%. The mitogen-induced CPA of mononuclear cells in relation to IL-10, IL-6, IL-2, IL-1β and INF-α increased by 300%, 130%, 92%, 52% and 52%, respectively. Stimulated CPA in relation to INF-γ decreased by 21% compared to initial levels. As a result of the revealed CPA changes, SC in NHL patients after COVID-19 receiving CT increased, compared to the initial levels, by 465%, 92% and 48% respectively for IL-10, IL-2, IL-1β, as well as the appearing ability to INF-α production. SC for IL-6, INF-γ, TNF-α, and IL-8 decreased by 70%, 66%, 33% and 27% respectively. Conclusions: Certain features of spontaneous and mitogen-activated CPA of blood mononuclear cells were revealed in NHL patients after COVID-19, indicating a change in the functional activity of immune cells which could affect the development of the disease and the effectiveness of the therapy. The data obtained require additional studies and can be used to assess the condition of patients, as well as to predict the therapy efficacy.
ABSTRACT
Objective. To study professional burnout and distress symptoms in anesthesiologists and intensive care specialists during COVID-19 pandemic period. Material and methods. The study involved 43 anesthesiologists and intensive care specialists of the Arkhangelsk region (mean age 28.0±1.2 years) and was conducted in October 2020 (during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic). We used the fol-lowing research methods: questionnaire, Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) adapted by N.E. Vodopyanova, depression scale, perceived stress scale, WHO well-being index. Results. Every second specialist noted significant severity and tension in work, and1/3 of doctors almost daily experienced anxiety during their professional duties. High level of burnout was diagnosed in more than half of the subjects including high level of depersonalization in 60.5% and reduction of professional achievements in1/3 of respondents. Signs of stress and depression were diagnosed in more than 50% of specialists. Low index of well-being characterized by poor health, lack of a sense of vigor and interest in life was found in 41.9% of doctors. Male doctors were more likely to have a decreased mood and emotional state, dissatisfaction with various aspects of life, low efficiency in performing professional tasks, as well as higher level of professional burnout and low performance. Anesthesiologists and intensive care specialists treating patients with COVID-19 were more likely to report lower performance and efficiency in performing professional tasks, poor health and health complaints. These physicians cope worse with emerging stress, have a low assessment of their competence and productivity at work, higher depression. Conclusion. During the COVID-19 pandemic, about 50% of anesthesiologists and intensive care specialists have signs of distress and professional burnout accompanied by emotional exhaustion, signs of depression, poor health and negative own professional assessment. These data should be taken into account when organizing the prevention and correction of negative emotional states in physicians. © 2022, Media Sphera Publishing Group. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Objective: identification of the peculiarities of the emotional states of anesthesiologists and intensivists in different periods of the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and Methods. The study was conducted using an anonymous questionnaire survey in the first and second waves of the pandemic COVID-19 among anesthesiologists and intensivists of the Arkhangelsk region: in May 2020 (in the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic), 58 doctors participated;the average age was 32.7 ± 1.7 years (M ± SD);in October 2020 (during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic), 43 doctors were involved;the average age was 28.0 ± 1.2 years (M ± SD). The repeated questionnaire survey was conducted among the same doctors. Results. During the second wave of COVID-19, male doctors more often noted poor health, significant heaviness and intensity of their work versus the first wave, while women on the contrary during the first wave had a poorer emotional state and higher level of emotional burnout. During the second wave of COVID-19, anesthesiologists and intensivists involved in caring for patients with COVID-19 were more likely to experience poor emotional state, anxiety, low mood, irritability, and a high level of burnout compared to the first wave. Summary. The second wave of COVID-19 is accompanied by further exhaustion of emotional resources of anesthesiologists and intensivists. © 2021 Messenger of Anesthesiology and Resuscitation. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Objective. To analyze the emotional state of anesthesiologists and intensive care specialists throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and methods. The study included 58 anesthesiologists and intensive care specialists in the Arkhangelsk region (mean age 32.7±12.4 years). We have distinguished several groups of respondents: trainee physicians, doctors with professional experience up to 3, 4—10 and over 10 years. An anonymous survey was devoted to social and demographic characteristics, work with COVID-19 patients, as well as emotional and mental health. The study was conducted in May, 2020. Results. In 30% of the examined physicians, professional activity was associated with providing care to COVID-19 patients. The ma-jority of doctors reported a good mood, well-being and high performance. Only 1/5 of respondents had advanced fear associated with disease, they often experienced depression and irritability. Daily anxiety was observed in 31% of physicians. The doctors rarely noted a bad emotional state, anxiety, bad mood, irritability. Male physicians assessed the infection risk, severity and inten-sity of their work higher. They more often noted their poor health and emotional state compared to women. The highest emotional burnout level was observed among physicians with more than 10-year experience. Conclusion. Anesthesiologists and intensive care specialists demonstrate sufficient resistance to adverse epidemiological condi-tions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. However, their emotional state is affected by various social, gender factors, labor organization peculiarities and professional experience. These features should be considered to prevent and correct the emotional disorders associated with professional activity in extreme conditions. © 2020, Media Sphera. All rights reserved.