» Articles » PMID: 17326946

Long-term Psychological and Occupational Effects of Providing Hospital Healthcare During SARS Outbreak

Abstract

Healthcare workers (HCWs) found the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) to be stressful, but the long-term impact is not known. From 13 to 26 months after the SARS outbreak, 769 HCWs at 9 Toronto hospitals that treated SARS patients and 4 Hamilton hospitals that did not treat SARS patients completed a survey of several adverse outcomes. Toronto HCWs reported significantly higher levels of burnout (p = 0.019), psychological distress (p<0.001), and posttraumatic stress (p<0.001). Toronto workers were more likely to have reduced patient contact and work hours and to report behavioral consequences of stress. Variance in adverse outcomes was explained by a protective effect of the perceived adequacy of training and support and by a provocative effect of maladaptive coping style and other individual factors. The results reinforce the value of effective staff support and training in preparation for future outbreaks.

Citing Articles

Burnout among South African nurses during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic: a holistic investigation.

Khamisa N, Madala S, Fonka C BMC Nurs. 2025; 24(1):290.

PMID: 40089693 DOI: 10.1186/s12912-025-02938-9.


General Practitioners' Mental Well-Being During Crises: Results of the PRICOV-19 Study Pilot in Serbia.

Santric Milicevic M, Tripkovic K, Bjelica N, Dinic M, Jeremic D, Van Poel E Healthcare (Basel). 2025; 13(5).

PMID: 40077135 PMC: 11899723. DOI: 10.3390/healthcare13050573.


Inpatient Physician and Nurse Experience During the COVID-19 Crisis at a Public Safety Net Hospital.

Nayak S, Waters A, Warsi M, Hegde A, Chu E Brown J Hosp Med. 2025; 2(1):57694.

PMID: 40046543 PMC: 11878838. DOI: 10.56305/001c.57694.


Psychological distress as a driver of early COVID-19 pandemic fatigue: a longitudinal analysis of the time-varying relationship between distress and physical distancing adherence among families with children and older adults.

Morris K, Ashida S, Ramirez M, Tarr G BMJ Public Health. 2025; 2(2):e001256.

PMID: 40018625 PMC: 11816714. DOI: 10.1136/bmjph-2024-001256.


Changes in primary healthcare workforce burnout during and after the termination of COVID-19 emergency response: A one-and-half-year observational study.

Wu X, Ruan H, Feng X, Xie C, ODonnell R, Zhang Z J Family Med Prim Care. 2025; 14(1):126-131.

PMID: 39989571 PMC: 11844944. DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_891_24.


References
1.
Fraley R, Waller N, Brennan K . An item response theory analysis of self-report measures of adult attachment. J Pers Soc Psychol. 2000; 78(2):350-65. DOI: 10.1037//0022-3514.78.2.350. View

2.
Maunder R, Lancee W, Nolan R, Hunter J, Tannenbaum D . The relationship of attachment insecurity to subjective stress and autonomic function during standardized acute stress in healthy adults. J Psychosom Res. 2006; 60(3):283-90. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2005.08.013. View

3.
Aiken L, Clarke S, Sloane D . Hospital staffing, organization, and quality of care: cross-national findings. Int J Qual Health Care. 2002; 14(1):5-13. DOI: 10.1093/intqhc/14.1.5. View

4.
Kessler R, Andrews G, Colpe L, Hiripi E, Mroczek D, Normand S . Short screening scales to monitor population prevalences and trends in non-specific psychological distress. Psychol Med. 2002; 32(6):959-76. DOI: 10.1017/s0033291702006074. View

5.
Aiken L, Clarke S, Sloane D, Sochalski J, Silber J . Hospital nurse staffing and patient mortality, nurse burnout, and job dissatisfaction. JAMA. 2002; 288(16):1987-93. DOI: 10.1001/jama.288.16.1987. View