| Abstract [eng] |
Healthcare professionals face many challenges in their daily work environment that can increase the risk for the development of mental health problems. Factors such as stigma associated with mental health, lack of time, and concerns about confidentiality can all make it difficult to decide whether to seek psychological help. Internet-delivered interventions based on the principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are an innovative and accessible way of helping to overcome the psychological difficulties faced by healthcare professionals. However, there is still a lack of research confirming their effectiveness. The aim of this study is to assess changes in depression and anxiety among healthcare professionals after participating in an internet-based stress management intervention for medical staff. The sample consisted of 32 healthcare professionals (93% women and 6,3% men) aged between 24 and 58 years, with a mean age of around 40 years. Participants in this study enrolled in and used the FOREST+ internet-delivered intervention based on the principles of CBT and mindfulness for four weeks. The participants were assessed before and after the intervention. The Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) was used for the assessment of depression and anxiety. The results showed that various sociodemographic characteristics of healthcare professionals were not associated with the risk of anxiety and depression. No significant changes in anxiety and depression after the intervention were found in the total sample. However, changes in symptoms of participants with a high risk of anxiety and depression disorder and high levels of psychological distress were found post-intervention, indicating that FOREST+ is an effective intervention program. Finally, the study showed that various sociodemographic factors were not associated with a change in participants‘ psychological distress after the intervention, with the exception of seeing a psychologist or a psychotherapist, which may suggest that the FOREST+ program is more effective for psychological distress when blended with the face-to-face therapy. |
