The COVID-19 pandemic as a stress factor in the work of a paramedic.

BACKGROUND: A paramedic is a person providing health services in a state of sudden threat to life or health. This profession is one of the most difficult and responsible, and the appearance of SARS-CoV-2 has made working in the healthcare system an incredible challenge. The aim of the study was to analyze the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the psychological condition of paramedics. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The research material was a database developed from a questionnaire administered to 300 active paramedics. Respondents answered questions about their subjective feelings and questions related to their experiences as paramedics during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: More than half of the respondents were infected with the SARS-CoV-2 and the majority contracted it at work. The survey showed that 11% of the respondents felt very high stress, 38.4% high and 32% moderate. Research has shown that very high, high and moderate levels of stress were experienced more often by paramedics in the 31-40 age group, and little or no stress in the 20-30 age group and paramedics with the longest professional experience less frequently declared experiencing stress at a very high or high level and less frequently experienced burnout in relation to paramedics working in the profession of 1-5 or 6-10 years. CONCLUSIONS: The results of a study showed that performing professional duties during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic may have influenced paramedics' perceptions of their psychological condition, including subjective feelings of stress levels, social exclusion, or burnout. Med Pr. 2023;74(1):9-17.

COVID-19 lockdown leads to changes in alcohol consumption patterns. Results from the Polish national survey.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of nationwide lockdown during the Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on an average volume of alcohol consumption and drinking patterns. A survey was conducted with a random sample of 4072 people. The authors found a significant influence of the pandemic period on alcohol consumption compared to the pre-pandemic period. The vast majority of respondents reduced the frequency of consumption of all types of alcohol. However, when the population was divided into subgroups, this differentiation demonstrated that particular groups are more vulnerable to alcohol misuse. Higher frequency of alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown was most often found in the group of men, people aged 18-24 years, inhabitants of big cities, and remote workers. Besides, significant differences were observed in subpopulations concerning different types of alcohol. Results emphasized the importance of monitoring and implementation of actions aimed at reducing the potential psychosocial impact of COVID-19, including alcohol-related disorders.