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A Scoping Review of Psychosocial Risks to Health Workers during the Covid-19 Pandemic

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  • Paula Franklin

    (Occupational Safety & Health and Working Conditions Unit, European Trade Union Institute (ETUI), Boulevard du Roi Albert II, 1210 Brussels, Belgium)

  • Anna Gkiouleka

    (Department of Public Health & Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB1 8RN, UK)

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed health workers to a diverse set of hazards impacting their physical, psychological and social wellbeing. This review aims to provide an overview of the categories of the psychosocial risk factors and hazards affecting HCWs during the Covid-19 pandemic and the recommendations for prevention. We used the scoping review methodology to collate categories of psychosocial risks, the related health outcomes, interventions, and data gaps. The review was conducted on global peer-reviewed academic and authoritative grey literature, published between 1. January–26. October 2020; in total, 220 articles were included into the review and the subsequent analysis. Analysis of the extracted data found PSRs related to four sources: personal protective equipment (PPE), job content, work organisation, and social context. is. Women health workers and nurses reported worst health outcomes. Majority of the research to date concerns health workers in secondary care, while data on psychosocial risks at primary and community-based settings are scarce. However, the emerging research implies that the pandemic creates psychosocial risks also to non-clinical health workers. The intervention and mitigation measures address individual and organisational levels. Preventative and mitigating measures for social and societal risks—such as staff shortages, intersecting inequalities, and financial stressors require further research.

Suggested Citation

  • Paula Franklin & Anna Gkiouleka, 2021. "A Scoping Review of Psychosocial Risks to Health Workers during the Covid-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-20, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:5:p:2453-:d:509132
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    2. Patricia Angeli da Silva Pigati & Renato Fraga Righetti & Victor Zuniga Dourado & Bruna Tiemi Cunha Nisiaymamoto & Beatriz Mangueira Saraiva-Romanholo & Iolanda de Fátima Lopes Calvo Tibério, 2022. "Resilience Improves the Quality of Life and Subjective Happiness of Physiotherapists during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-22, July.
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    4. Grzegorz Józef Nowicki & Barbara Ślusarska & Bożena Zboina & Aneta Jędrzejewska & Marzena Kotus, 2022. "Factors Predicting Post-Traumatic Positive and Negative Psychological Changes Experienced by Nurses during a Pandemic COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-18, June.
    5. Carla Barros & Pilar Baylina, 2024. "Disclosing Strain: How Psychosocial Risk Factors Influence Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Healthcare Workers Preceding and during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(5), pages 1-12, April.
    6. Paula Franklin & Wouter Zwysen & Agnieszka Piasna, 2022. "Temporal Dimensions of Job Quality and Gender: Exploring Differences in the Associations of Working Time and Health between Women and Men," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-18, April.
    7. Mehwish Majeed & Muhammad Irshad & Jos Bartels, 2021. "The Interactive Effect of COVID-19 Risk and Hospital Measures on Turnover Intentions of Healthcare Workers: A Time-Lagged Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-15, October.
    8. Mariela Loreto Lara-Cabrera & Moisés Betancort & C. Amparo Muñoz-Rubilar & Natalia Rodríguez Novo & Carlos De las Cuevas, 2021. "The Mediating Role of Resilience in the Relationship between Perceived Stress and Mental Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-10, September.
    9. Lucio Ghio & Sara Patti & Giulia Piccinini & Cinzia Modafferi & Eleonora Lusetti & Massimo Mazzella & Massimo Del Sette, 2021. "Anxiety, Depression and Risk of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Health Workers: The Relationship with Burnout during COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-13, September.
    10. Kurashvili Mari & Reinhold Karin & Järvis Marina, 2022. "Work Ability and Psychosocial Factors in Healthcare Settings During COVID-19 Pandemic – Specific Focus on Ageing Workers," Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 36(1), pages 164-178, January.
    11. Maryline Vivion & Nathalie Jauvin & Nektaria Nicolakakis & Mariève Pelletier & Marie-Claude Letellier & Caroline Biron, 2023. "Psychosocial Risks among Quebec Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Social Media Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(12), pages 1-15, June.
    12. Ivan Marzocchi & Valerio Ghezzi & Cristina Di Tecco & Matteo Ronchetti & Valeria Ciampa & Ilaria Olivo & Claudio Barbaranelli, 2023. "Demand–Resource Profiles and Job Satisfaction in the Healthcare Sector: A Person-Centered Examination Using Bayesian Informative Hypothesis Testing," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-21, January.
    13. Rhodes, Tim & Ruiz Osorio, Maria Paula & Maldonado Martinez, Adriana & Restrepo Henao, Alexandra & Lancaster, Kari, 2024. "Exhausting care: On the collateral realities of caring in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 343(C).

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