scholarly journals COVID-19: Risk Factors and Protective Role of Resilience and Coping Strategies for Emergency Stress and Secondary Trauma in Medical Staff and Emergency Workers—An Online-Based Inquiry

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 9004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiziana Maiorano ◽  
Monia Vagni ◽  
Valeria Giostra ◽  
Daniela Pajardi
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Mediation Analysis ◽  
Medical Staff ◽  
Direct Contact ◽  
Secondary Trauma ◽  
Protective Role ◽  
Emergency Workers ◽  
And Coping

The COVID-19 crisis has placed a heavy burden on medical staff and emergency workers, who may be at risk of developing psychological distress and secondary trauma. Coping and resilience to stress during a pandemic are protective factors that can mitigate the potential adverse psychological effects. Here, we investigated the direct and mediated effects of coping strategies and hardiness on secondary trauma among Italian medical staff (physicians and nurses, n = 140) and emergency workers (firefighters, civil protection, and ambulance personnel, n = 100) involved in the first phase of the pandemic. For this purpose, we collected data from participants through online questionnaires to measure emergency stress, coping strategies, hardiness, and secondary trauma. Other variables analyzed were age, sex, direct contact with COVID-19 patients, and use of personal protective equipment (PPE). We performed a correlational analysis, regressions, and a mediation analysis. The results show that nurses and physicians experienced higher levels of emergency stress than emergency workers. Direct contact with COVID-19 patients, female sex, unexpected events, and lack of PPE were risk factors for emergency stress, while resilience and coping strategies played a protective role. Mediation analysis shows that coping strategies and hardiness are protective factors and reduce the effect of stress on secondary trauma.

scholarly journals Protective Factors against Emergency Stress and Burnout in Healthcare and Emergency Workers during Second Wave of COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 178
Author(s):  
Monia Vagni ◽  
Tiziana Maiorano ◽  
Valeria Giostra ◽  
Daniela Pajardi
Keyword(s):  
Protective Factors ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Predictive Power ◽  
Total Stress ◽  
Emergency Workers ◽  
Stress Levels ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Reducing Stress ◽  
Second Wave

Working as healthcare workers (HCWs) and emergency workers (EWs) during the first wave of COVID-19 has been associated with high levels of stress and burnout, while hardiness, coping strategies and resilience have emerged as protective factors. No studies have so far investigated these psychological factors during the second wave. We aimed to verify the trend of stress levels, burnout, coping strategies and resilience during the pandemic in Italian healthcare and emergency workers by comparing a first sample recruited from the first COVID-19 wave (N = 240) with a second sample relating to the second wave (N = 260). Through an online platform we administered questionnaires to measure stress, burnout, resilience, hardiness and coping strategies. The results showed that in the two waves the total stress levels of HCWs and EWs did not differ, while the physical stress and hardiness scores in the second wave were greater. No differences were found in the coping strategies used. An analysis of burnout levels in the second wave sample found that stress showed a high predictive power in the emotional exhaustion and depersonalization scales. Hardiness and resilience emerged as protective factors in reducing stress. The implications for the need to provide support and to improve hardiness for HCWs and EWs are discussed.

scholarly journals Hardiness and Coping Strategies as Mediators of Stress and Secondary Trauma in Emergency Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 7561 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monia Vagni ◽  
Tiziana Maiorano ◽  
Valeria Giostra ◽  
Daniela Pajardi
Keyword(s):  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Secondary Trauma ◽  
Red Cross ◽  
Rescue Workers ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
Italian Regions ◽  
Emergency Workers ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

The work environment of emergency workers is an important factor related to stress. Coping with the COVID-19 emergency is a factor that is highly related to stress, and severe stress is a risk factor for developing secondary trauma. Coping and resilience can help rescue workers to better respond in emergency situations and could protect them from secondary trauma. We aimed to explore the relationship of emergency stress, hardiness, coping strategies, and secondary trauma among emergency workers and the mediating roles of coping strategies and hardiness on the effect of stress in producing secondary trauma. The study involved 513 emergency workers from the Red Cross Committee in Veneto, one of the Italian regions most affected by the COVID-19. Participants completed questionnaires online to measure emergency stress (physical, emotional, cognitive, organizational‒relational, COVID-19, and inefficacy decisional), hardiness, coping strategies, and secondary trauma. Other variables analyzed were age, gender, weekly hours of service, and use of personal protective equipment (PPE). We performed t-tests, a correlational analysis, regressions, and a mediation analysis. Hardiness and coping strategies, in particular, which stop unpleasant emotions and thoughts and problem-focused, emerged as mediators in reducing the predicted effect of stress on secondary trauma. The mediating effects of hardiness and coping strategies were found to reduce the effect of stress on arousal by 15% and the effect on avoidance by 25%.

scholarly journals Prevalence and Risk Factors for Musculoskeletal Pain and Coping Strategies in School Teachers

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 77
Author(s):  
Saravanan Murugan ◽  
Prerana Saravanan ◽  
Disha Avaiya ◽  
Ibrahim Bawa ◽  
Charmi Shah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Musculoskeletal Pain ◽  
Musculoskeletal Symptoms ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
High Prevalence ◽  
And Coping ◽  
Self Administered Questionnaire

<strong>Introduction:</strong> School teachers have high prevalence of work related musculoskeletal disorders which decrease productivity at work due to sick leave and absenteeism. In India, more traditional methods of teaching are used as compared to other countries, and this difference encouraged us to determine prevalence of musculoskeletal pain, risk factors and coping strategies adopted by teachers. <strong>Methods:</strong> A self-administered Questionnaire was distributed to 810 particcipants. 567 responses were received out of which 30 questionnaires were incomplete. The self-administered Questionnaire included 31 questions under 5 categories: General Profile, Occupational profile, Health/Musculoskeletal pain profile, Perceived risk factors and Coping Strategies. Descriptive statistics of mean and standard deviation, frequency were calculated for continuous and categorical variables respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the association of musculoskeletal symptoms with demograpic factors and working conditions. <strong>Results:</strong> 112 (20.9%) reported having musculoskeletal pain. Low back (48.2%) was commonly affected. 50.9% had chronic pain and 71.4% reported pain interfered with occupational routine. 48.2% reported with sleep disturbances. Commonly percieved factor was standing for prolonged periods (76.8%). Risk factor analysis using logistic regression model on cause of pain showed statistical significance (χ2 (27)=77.169, p&lt;0.005). Females were 3.952 times more likely to exhibit pain than males (OR 3.952, 95% CI 1.694- 9.217). Commonly reported coping strategy was visiting a Physiotherapist (44.6%). While 33% coped up with pain using prescribed analgesics, none of them opted to rest. Despite high prevalence and severity, only 17% had frequented absenteism to work by taking sick leave.<strong> Discussion:</strong> Prevalence rate of musculoskeletal pain was found to be higher among school teachers as per the results of this present study. Prevalence and risk factor perceptions of school teachers as reported in this study can be of significance in understanding and addressing these factors and appropriate measures to prevent and overcome them can be devised based on these results. Since the risk factors for musculoskeletal symptoms can be multifactorial in nature, the results of this present study need to be correlated with all possible mechanisms related to this population and further studies to determine the effectiveness of appropriate ergonomic modifications should be taken into consideration.

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