Department of Social Work, 26451The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
Palliative Care Unit, Department of Medicine & Geriatrics, 518774Caritas Medical Centre, Hong Kong.
Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2022 Oct;39(10):1227-1235. doi: 10.1177/10499091211057043. Epub 2021 Dec 14.
This study aimed to examine the mental health of palliative care professionals in Hong Kong during the COVID-19 pandemic, the relationship of mental health with socio-demographic factors, and the impact of the pandemic on palliative care services.
A total of 142 palliative care professionals in Hong Kong participated in an online survey. The questionnaire includes measurements on depression, anxiety, perceived stress, post-traumatic stress, professional quality of life, items that measure the effect of COVID-19 on palliative care services, and one open-ended question for describing how the services were affected. Descriptive and multivariate regression analyses were conducted. Quantitative and qualitative data about the impact of COVID-19 on palliative care services were analyzed and triangulated using a mixed-methods approach.
Up to 82%, 43%, and 42% of the participants felt moderately to highly stressed, anxious, and depressed, respectively, during the pandemic. Younger participants tended to have poorer mental health and professional quality of life. Around 82% felt stressed when communicating with patients and family members under the no-visiting policy during the pandemic. More than three-quarters of participants showed lack of confidence in the anti-epidemic policy of the government. Qualitative findings identified 3 themes affecting the provision of palliative care: 1. the tightening of restrictions on visitors; 2. the limited provision of services; and 3. staff deployment.
Appropriate responses are required to give extra support to palliative care professionals during the pandemic and facilitate their coping with the impact of COVID-19 on the provision of palliative care.
本研究旨在探讨 COVID-19 大流行期间香港姑息治疗专业人员的心理健康状况、心理健康与社会人口因素的关系，以及大流行对姑息治疗服务的影响。
本研究共纳入 142 名香港姑息治疗专业人员参与在线调查。问卷包括抑郁、焦虑、感知压力、创伤后应激障碍、职业生活质量的测量项目，以及衡量 COVID-19 对姑息治疗服务影响的项目，以及一个用于描述服务受影响的开放式问题。进行了描述性和多元回归分析。采用混合方法对 COVID-19 对姑息治疗服务的影响的定量和定性数据进行分析和三角剖分。
在大流行期间，82%、43%和 42%的参与者分别感到中度至高度压力、焦虑和抑郁。年轻的参与者往往心理健康和职业生活质量较差。大约 82%的参与者在大流行期间实施非探视政策与患者和家属沟通时感到压力。超过四分之三的参与者对政府的防疫政策缺乏信心。定性研究结果确定了影响姑息治疗服务提供的 3 个主题：1. 访客限制收紧；2. 服务提供受限；3. 人员部署。
需要采取适当的措施，在大流行期间为姑息治疗专业人员提供额外的支持，并帮助他们应对 COVID-19 对姑息治疗服务的影响。
