COMVC-19: A Program to protect healthcare workers' mental health during the COVID-19 Pandemic. What we have learned.
Clinics (Sao Paulo)
; 76: e2631, 2021.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1534495
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought a work and stress overload to healthcare workers, increasing their vulnerability to mental health impairments. In response, the authors created the COMVC-19 program. The program offered preventive actions and mental health treatment for the 22,000 workers of The Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMUSP). This paper aims to describe its implementation and share what we have learned from this experience.METHODS:
Workers were able to easily access the program through a 24/7 hotline. Additionally, a mobile phone app that screened for signs and symptoms of emotional distress and offered psychoeducation and/or referral to treatment was made available. Data from both these sources as well as any subsequent psychiatric evaluations were collected.RESULTS:
The first 20 weeks of our project revealed that most participants were female, and part of the nursing staff working directly with COVID-19 patients. The most frequently reported symptoms were anxiety, depression and sleep disturbances. The most common diagnoses were Adjustment, Anxiety, and Mood disorders.CONCLUSIONS:
Implementing a mental health program in a multimodal intervention was feasible in a major quaternary public hospital. Our data also suggests that preventive actions should primarily be aimed at anxiety and depression symptoms, with a particular focus on the nursing staff.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
COVID-19
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
Limits:
Female
/
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
South America
/
Brazil
Language:
English
Journal:
Clinics (Sao Paulo)
Journal subject:
Medicine
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Clinics
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