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Clinical Trial
. 2021 Nov 10;16(11):e0258893.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258893. eCollection 2021.

Surviving SARS and living through COVID-19: Healthcare worker mental health outcomes and insights for coping

Rima Styra  1 , Laura Hawryluck  2 , Allison Mc Geer  3 , Michelle Dimas  4 , Jack Sheen  5 , Peter Giacobbe  6 , Neil Dattani  7 , Gianni Lorello  8 , Valeria E Rac  9   10 , Troy Francis  10 , Peter E Wu  11 , Wing-Si Luk  12 , Enoch Ng  6 , Jeya Nadarajah  13 , Kaila Wingrove  2 , Wayne L Gold  3   11
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Surviving SARS and living through COVID-19: Healthcare worker mental health outcomes and insights for coping

Rima Styra et al. PLoS One. .

Abstract

Objective: Explore how previous work during the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak affects the psychological response of clinical and non-clinical healthcare workers (HCWs) to the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A cross-sectional, multi-centered hospital online survey of HCWs in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada. Mental health outcomes of HCWs who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic and the SARS outbreak were assessed using Impact of Events-Revised scale (IES-R), Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9).

Results: Among 3852 participants, moderate/severe scores for symptoms of post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (50.2%), anxiety (24.6%), and depression (31.5%) were observed among HCWs. Work during the 2003 SARS outbreak was reported by 1116 respondents (29.1%), who had lower scores for symptoms of PTSD (P = .002), anxiety (P < .001), and depression (P < .001) compared to those who had not worked during the SARS outbreak. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed non-clinical HCWs during this pandemic were at higher risk of anxiety (OR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.19-2.15, P = .01) and depressive symptoms (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.34-3.07, P < .001). HCWs using sedatives (OR, 2.55; 95% CI, 1.61-4.03, P < .001), those who cared for only 2-5 patients with COVID-19 (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.06-2.38, P = .01), and those who had been in isolation for COVID-19 (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 0.96-1.93, P = .05), were at higher risk of moderate/severe symptoms of PTSD. In addition, deterioration in sleep was associated with symptoms of PTSD (OR, 4.68, 95% CI, 3.74-6.30, P < .001), anxiety (OR, 3.09, 95% CI, 2.11-4.53, P < .001), and depression (OR 5.07, 95% CI, 3.48-7.39, P < .001).

Conclusion: Psychological distress was observed in both clinical and non-clinical HCWs, with no impact from previous SARS work experience. As the pandemic continues, increasing psychological and team support may decrease the mental health impacts.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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