IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i8p4897-d796025.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

“Did You Bring It Home with You?” A Qualitative Investigation of the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Victorian Frontline Healthcare Workers and Their Families

Author

Listed:
  • Jade Sheen

    (School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong 3200, Australia)

  • Elizabeth M. Clancy

    (School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong 3200, Australia)

  • Julie Considine

    (Centre for Quality and Patient Safety, Institute for Health Transformation, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Deakin University, Geelong 3200, Australia)

  • Alison Dwyer

    (Eastern Health Melbourne, Box Hill 3128, Australia)

  • Phillip Tchernegovski

    (School of Educational Psychology and Counselling, Monash University, Clayton 3800, Australia)

  • Anna Aridas

    (School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong 3200, Australia)

  • Brian En Chyi Lee

    (School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong 3200, Australia)

  • Andrea Reupert

    (School of Educational Psychology and Counselling, Monash University, Clayton 3800, Australia)

  • Leanne Boyd

    (Eastern Health Melbourne, Box Hill 3128, Australia)

Abstract

Concerns regarding the physical and mental health impacts of frontline healthcare roles during the COVID-19 pandemic have been well documented, but the impacts on family functioning remain unclear. This study provides a unique contribution to the literature by considering the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on frontline healthcare workers and their families. Thirty-nine frontline healthcare workers from Victoria, Australia, who were parents to at least one child under 18 were interviewed. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Five superordinate and 14 subordinate themes were identified. Themes included more family time during lockdowns, but at a cost; changes in family responsibilities and routines; managing increased demands; healthcare workers hypervigilance and fear of bringing COVID-19 home to their family members; ways in which families worked to “get through it”. While efforts have been made by many healthcare organisations to support their workers during this challenging time, the changes in family functioning observed by participants suggest that more could be done for this vulnerable cohort, particularly with respect to family support.

Suggested Citation

  • Jade Sheen & Elizabeth M. Clancy & Julie Considine & Alison Dwyer & Phillip Tchernegovski & Anna Aridas & Brian En Chyi Lee & Andrea Reupert & Leanne Boyd, 2022. "“Did You Bring It Home with You?” A Qualitative Investigation of the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Victorian Frontline Healthcare Workers and Their Families," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-20, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:8:p:4897-:d:796025
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/8/4897/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/8/4897/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stephanie Chandler-Jeanville & Rita Georges Nohra & Valerie Loizeau & Corinne Lartigue-Malgouyres & Roger Zintchem & David Naudin & Monique Rothan-Tondeur, 2021. "Perceptions and Experiences of the COVID-19 Pandemic amongst Frontline Nurses and Their Relatives in France in Six Paradoxes: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-14, June.
    2. Nicola Magnavita & Paolo Maurizio Soave & Walter Ricciardi & Massimo Antonelli, 2020. "Occupational Stress and Mental Health among Anesthetists during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-14, November.
    3. Sachiyo Nishida & Kanna Nagaishi & Masayo Motoya & Ayako Kumagai & Noriko Terada & Ai Kasuga & Narumi Kubota & Kotoe Iesato & Motonobu Kimizuka & Satsuki Miyajima & Masayuki Koyama & Hirofumi Ohnishi , 2021. "Dilemma of physician-mothers faced with an increased home burden and clinical duties in the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(6), pages 1-9, June.
    4. Estrella Romero & Laura López-Romero & Beatriz Domínguez-Álvarez & Paula Villar & Jose Antonio Gómez-Fraguela, 2020. "Testing the Effects of COVID-19 Confinement in Spanish Children: The Role of Parents’ Distress, Emotional Problems and Specific Parenting," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-23, September.
    5. Pavani Rangachari & Jacquelynn L. Woods, 2020. "Preserving Organizational Resilience, Patient Safety, and Staff Retention during COVID-19 Requires a Holistic Consideration of the Psychological Safety of Healthcare Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-12, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Wang Xiang & Li Chen & Qunjie Peng & Bing Wang & Xiaobing Liu, 2022. "How Effective Is a Traffic Control Policy in Blocking the Spread of COVID-19? A Case Study of Changsha, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-17, June.
    2. Glory Makhado & Busisiwe Ntuli & Lindiwe Zungu & Ntevhe Thovhogi & Peter Modupi Mphekgwana & Sogolo Lucky Lebelo & Sphiwe Madiba & Perpetua Modjadji, 2024. "The Wellbeing of Healthcare Workers during COVID-19 Era in Public Primary Health Facilities in Johannesburg, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(3), pages 1-20, March.
    3. Gary Edward Schaffer & Lisa Kilanowski & Brian En Chyi Lee, 2022. "A Qualitative Investigation of the Impact of COVID-19 on United States’ Frontline Health Care Workers and the Perceived Impact on Their Family Members," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-15, August.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nicola Magnavita & Paolo Maurizio Soave & Massimo Antonelli, 2021. "Prolonged Stress Causes Depression in Frontline Workers Facing the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study in a COVID-19 Hub-Hospital in Central Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-13, July.
    2. Nicola Magnavita & Igor Meraglia & Giacomo Viti & Martina Gasbarri, 2024. "Tracking Workplace Violence over 20 Years," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(11), pages 1-21, October.
    3. Christoph Lindner & Ibolya Kotta & Eszter Eniko Marschalko & Kinga Szabo & Kinga Kalcza-Janosi & Jan Retelsdorf, 2022. "Increased Risk Perception, Distress Intolerance and Health Anxiety in Stricter Lockdowns: Self-Control as a Key Protective Factor in Early Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-22, April.
    4. Grażyna Puto & Maria Jurzec & Anna Leja-Szpak & Joanna Bonior & Marta Muszalik & Agnieszka Gniadek, 2021. "Stress and Coping Strategies of Nurses Working with Patients Infected with and Not Infected with SARS-CoV-2 Virus," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Nicola Magnavita & Luca Mele & Igor Meraglia & Marco Merella & Maria Eugenia Vacca & Anna Cerrina & Maddalena Gabriele & Marcella Labella & Maria Teresa Soro & Simona Ursino & Carmela Matera, 2022. "The Impact of Workplace Violence on Headache and Sleep Problems in Nurses," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-12, October.
    6. César Fernández-de-las-Peñas & Domingo Palacios-Ceña & Víctor Gómez-Mayordomo & María L. Cuadrado & Lidiane L. Florencio, 2021. "Defining Post-COVID Symptoms (Post-Acute COVID, Long COVID, Persistent Post-COVID): An Integrative Classification," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-9, March.
    7. Georgia Libera Finstad & Gabriele Giorgi & Lucrezia Ginevra Lulli & Caterina Pandolfi & Giulia Foti & José M. León-Perez & Francisco J. Cantero-Sánchez & Nicola Mucci, 2021. "Resilience, Coping Strategies and Posttraumatic Growth in the Workplace Following COVID-19: A Narrative Review on the Positive Aspects of Trauma," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-25, September.
    8. Dongsheng Zhu & Jinyu Wang & Yurui Zhao & Lu Yang & Jinxia Gao & Xuhong Chang & Sheng Li & Yanni Zheng, 2022. "The Status of Occupational Stress and Its Influence on the Health of Medical Staff in Lanzhou, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-13, August.
    9. Ying Yang & Yanan Xiao & Yulu Liu & Qiong Li & Changshuo Shan & Shulin Chang & Philip H.-S. Jen, 2021. "Mental Health and Psychological Impact on Students with or without Hearing Loss during the Recurrence of the COVID-19 Pandemic in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-28, February.
    10. Tedone, Archana Manapragada & Lanz, Julie J., 2024. "Staying silent during a crisis: How workplace factors influence safety decisions in U.S. nurses," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 341(C).
    11. Olga Amberger & Angelina Müller & Dorothea Lemke & Hardy Müller & David Schwappach & Peter Wendt & Michel Wensing & Maria-Sophie Brueckle & Beate S. Müller, 2022. "Patient Safety and the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany: A Repeated Population-Based Cross-Sectional Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-12, December.
    12. Cristina Moreno-Mulet & Noemí Sansó & Alba Carrero-Planells & Camelia López-Deflory & Laura Galiana & Patricia García-Pazo & Maria Magdalena Borràs-Mateu & Margalida Miró-Bonet, 2021. "The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on ICU Healthcare Professionals: A Mixed Methods Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-17, September.
    13. Pinky Mahlangu & Yandisa Sikweyiya & Andrew Gibbs & Nwabisa Shai & Mercilene Machisa, 2023. "“I Carry the Trauma and Can Vividly Remember”: Mental Health Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Frontline Health Care Workers in South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-14, January.
    14. Abdulmajeed A. Alkhamees & Moath S. Aljohani & Simindokht Kalani & Amira Mohammed Ali & Fahad Almatham & Afnan Alwabili & Naif Abdullah Alsughier & Thomas Rutledge, 2023. "Physician’s Burnout during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-11, March.
    15. Abdulhakim S. Alburaidi & Ahmed M. Al-Wathinani & Mohammed M. Aljuaid & Abdullah S. Almuhaidly & Krzysztof Goniewicz, 2023. "Sustainable Resilience in Healthcare Delivery: A Comparative Study on Safety Awareness in Hospital-Based and Pre-Hospital EMS in Times of Crisis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-15, July.
    16. Rafat Ghanamah & Hazar Eghbaria-Ghanamah, 2021. "Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Behavioral and Emotional Aspects and Daily Routines of Arab Israeli Children," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-18, March.
    17. Nicola Magnavita & Reparata Rosa Di Prinzio & Igor Meraglia & Maria Eugenia Vacca & Paolo Maurizio Soave & Enrico Di Stasio, 2023. "Sleep in Residents: A Comparison between Anesthesiology and Occupational Medicine Interns," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-13, January.
    18. Lorenza Lia & Eleonora Ricci & Corrado Colaprico & Eleonora Di Legge & Augusto Faticoni & Lorenzo Maria Donini & Giuseppe La Torre, 2022. "Assessment of the Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on the Nutritional Status and Lipid Profile of Employees in a Teaching Hospital in Rome: A Retrospective Cohort Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(8), pages 1-12, April.
    19. Xiao Han & Mengxiao Xue & Qi Zhang & Xiaotian Dong, 2022. "Impact of COVID-19 Risk Perception on Emotional Exhaustion among Chinese Hospitality Employees: The Mediating Effect of Job Insecurity," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-14, November.
    20. 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.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:8:p:4897-:d:796025. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.