| Abstract [eng] |
The Coronavirus pandemic has become a major challenge to healthcare workers due to large workloads, dangerous working environments and stress, with consequences to their mental wellbeing. One of those consequences is post-traumatic stress disorder, which may manifest after experiencing substantial physical or psychological trauma and prolonged stress. The purpose of this work was to review the literature about the prevalence and related risk factors of post-traumatic stress among healthcare workers due to the Coronavirus pandemic. From the PubMed database, 42 original research articles studying the prevalence of post-traumatic stress among healthcare personnel were selected. In the majority of the articles (25 out of 42), post-traumatic stress was assessed using the Impact of Event Scale. The prevalence of post-traumatic stress syndrome in the selected studies varied in total from 7.4 to 62.2 percent, while in most of the studies, it was in the 20–40 percent range. This prevalence was similar to that found in systematic reviews of this subject. The main risk factors that increased the likelihood of post-traumatic symptoms mentioned in the selected studies were strenuous working conditions, traumatic events and passive coping strategies, female gender, and working as a nurse. Although the prevalence of post-traumatic stress estimated in the selected studies varied within a large range, it appeared reasonable to assume that it is considerable and higher than that in the general population. Reducing the prevalence and burden of this problem requires healthcare system measures aimed at prevention and management of post-traumatic stress among healthcare workers through screening and social and psychological support. |
