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Trends in Moral Injury, Distress, and Resilience Factors among Healthcare Workers at the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

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  • Stella E. Hines

    (Department of Medicine, The University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA)

  • Katherine H. Chin

    (Department of Medicine, The University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA)

  • Danielle R. Glick

    (Department of Medicine, The University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA)

  • Emerson M. Wickwire

    (Department of Medicine, The University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA)

Abstract

The coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome (COVID-19) pandemic has placed increased stress on healthcare workers (HCWs). While anxiety and post-traumatic stress have been evaluated in HCWs during previous pandemics, moral injury, a construct historically evaluated in military populations, has not. We hypothesized that the experience of moral injury and psychiatric distress among HCWs would increase over time during the pandemic and vary with resiliency factors. From a convenience sample, we performed an email-based, longitudinal survey of HCWs at a tertiary care hospital between March and July 2020. Surveys measured occupational and resilience factors and psychiatric distress and moral injury, assessed by the Impact of Events Scale-Revised and the Moral Injury Events Scale, respectively. Responses were assessed at baseline, 1-month, and 3-month time points. Moral injury remained stable over three months, while distress declined. A supportive workplace environment was related to lower moral injury whereas a stressful, less supportive environment was associated with increased moral injury. Distress was not affected by any baseline occupational or resiliency factors, though poor sleep at baseline predicted more distress. Overall, our data suggest that attention to improving workplace support and lowering workplace stress may protect HCWs from adverse emotional outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Stella E. Hines & Katherine H. Chin & Danielle R. Glick & Emerson M. Wickwire, 2021. "Trends in Moral Injury, Distress, and Resilience Factors among Healthcare Workers at the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-11, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:2:p:488-:d:477410
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    11. Stokar, Yaffa Naomi, 2024. "Sense of failure in end of life care: Perspectives from physicians and nurses," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 348(C).
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    15. Bram P. I. Fleuren & Lieze T. Poesen & Rachel E. Gifford & Fred R. H. Zijlstra & Dirk Ruwaard & Frank C. van de Baan & Daan D. Westra, 2021. "We’re Not Gonna Fall: Depressive Complaints, Personal Resilience, Team Social Climate, and Worries about Infections among Hospital Workers during a Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-14, April.
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    17. Andrea M. D’Alessandro-Lowe & Mauda Karram & Kim Ritchie & Andrea Brown & Heather Millman & Emily Sullo & Yuanxin Xue & Mina Pichtikova & Hugo Schielke & Ann Malain & Charlene O’Connor & Ruth Lanius &, 2023. "Coping, Supports and Moral Injury: Spiritual Well-Being and Organizational Support Are Associated with Reduced Moral Injury in Canadian Healthcare Providers during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(19), pages 1-17, September.
    18. O-Jay B. Jimenez & Sheilla M. Trajera & Gregory S. Ching, 2022. "Providing End-of-Life Care to COVID-19 Patients: The Lived Experiences of ICU Nurses in the Philippines," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-21, October.
    19. Priya-Lena Riedel & Alexander Kreh & Vanessa Kulcar & Angela Lieber & Barbara Juen, 2022. "A Scoping Review of Moral Stressors, Moral Distress and Moral Injury in Healthcare Workers during COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-20, February.

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