ABSTRACT
The psychological impact of COVID-19 on Health Care Workers (HCWs) has been widely reported. Few studies have sought to examine HCWs personal models of COVID-19 utilising an established theoretical framework. We undertook a mixed methods study of beliefs about COVID-19 held by HCWs in the Mid-West and South of Ireland during the first and third waves of COVID-19. Template analysis was undertaken on the free text responses of 408 HCWs about their perceptions of the Cause of COVID-19 as assessed by the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ). Responses were re-examined in the same cohort for stability at 3 months follow-up (n = 100). This analytic template was subsequently examined in a new cohort (n = 253) of HCWs in the third wave. Female HCWs perceived greater emotional impact of COVID-19 than men (t = -4.31, df405, p < 0.01). Differences between occupational groups were evident in relation to Timeline (F4,401 = 3.47, p < 0.01), Treatment Control (F4,401 = 5.64, p < 0.001) and Concerns about COVID-19 (F4,401 = 3.68, p < 0.01). Administration staff believed that treatment would be significantly more helpful and that COVID-19 would last a shorter amount of time than medical/nursing staff and HSCP. However, administration staff were significantly more concerned than HSCP about COVID-19. Template analysis on 1059 responses to the Cause items of the B-IPQ identified ten higher order categories of perceived Cause of COVID-19. The top two Causes identified at both Waves were 'individual behavioural factors' and 'overseas travel'. This study has progressed our understanding of the models HCWs hold about COVID-19 over time, and has highlighted the utility of the template analysis approach in analysing free-text questionnaire data. We suggest that group and individual occupational identities of HCWs may be of importance in shaping HCWs responses to working through COVID-19.
ABSTRACT
The well-being of older adults has been linked to the quality of their neighbourhood environment. Given that COVID-19 affected poorer neighbourhoods disproportionately, we partnered with community organizations to identify meso-level psychosocial factors that may improve loneliness, depressive mood, and cognitive function. Five variables were identified through focus groups with older adults and community organizations. These variables were drawn from validated scales, including communal provisions, neighbourhood friendship, self-expression, social experiences, and time outdoors. This paper presents preliminary findings from surveys administered to 151 community-dwelling older adults across British Columbia and interviews in four neighbourhoods.Purposeful and snowball sampling were used to recruit older adults (age 55+) from community centres and neighbourhood houses. Online surveys measured the five meso-level psychosocial exposure variables. Outcome variables included an index of loneliness, depressive mood, self-rated memory, semantic fluency and delayed recall. Data was geocoded and aggregated by Forward Sortation Area. Regression and cross-level mediation analysis were conducted. Four neighbourhoods were selected from a 2x2 matrix of high and low neighbourhood deprivation (CANUE, 2016). Mental health was associated with better social experiences (B=.26, p=.003). Time outdoors (B=.35, p=.047) was associated with better delayed recall. Mental health was better in poorer neighbourhoods (B=.20, p=.015). This was partially mediated by communal provisions (B=.19, p=.032). Social experiences (B=.23, p=.009) fully mediated these effects on mental health. Participants described being of local community services and took on opportunities to volunteer. Social experiences and neighbourhood resources may help support mental health and well-being among older adults during the pandemic and beyond.