Mental health of staff working in intensive care during COVID-19 (January 2021)

Summary

This study, published in Occupational Medicine, aimed to identify the rates of probable mental health disorder in staff working in intensive care units in nine English hospitals during June and July 2020.

Results showed:

• Almost half of intensive care unit staff who participated in this study report symptoms consistent with a probable diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, severe depression or anxiety or problem drinking.
• Around one in seven intensive care unit staff in this study report recent thoughts of self-harm or of wanting to be better off dead.
• Nursing staff in this study were more likely to report higher levels of distress than doctors or other clinical staff.