Health Services Research, Changi General Hospital, Singapore.
Ann Acad Med Singap. 2022 May;51(5):283-291. doi: 10.47102/annals-acadmedsg.202219.
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost all populations, with frontline workers experiencing a higher risk of mental health effects compared to other groups. Although there are several research studies focusing on the mental health effects of the pandemic on healthcare workers, there is little research about its impact on workers in outsourced hospital essential services. This study aims to examine the prevalence and correlates of psychological distress and coronavirus anxiety among staff working in 3 outsourced hospital essential services-housekeeping, porter service and maintenance services.
A cross-sectional study was conducted among outsourced hospital essential services workers in a tertiary hospital. Data on demographics, medical history, lifestyle factors, psychosocial factors and mental well-being were collected using self-administered questionnaires. Robust logistic regression was used to determine risk factors associated with psychological distress and dysfunctional anxiety related to COVID-19.
A total of 246 hospital essential services workers participated in the study. The prevalence of psychological distress was 24.7%, and dysfunctional anxiety related to COVID-19 was 13.4%. Social support and workplace support were found to be independently associated with a lower risk of psychological distress, and social connectivity was associated with a lower risk of dysfunctional anxiety related to COVID-19.
These findings highlight the crucial roles of communities and workplaces in combating the mental health consequences of the pandemic. Public health programmes that aim to tackle the emerging mental health crisis in hospital essential services workers should incorporate strategies to address psychosocial factors, in addition to traditional self-care approaches.
COVID-19 大流行几乎影响了所有人群，与其他人群相比，一线工作人员更容易受到心理健康影响的风险。尽管有许多研究关注大流行对医护人员心理健康的影响，但关于外包医院基本服务人员的影响的研究甚少。本研究旨在调查从事保洁、护工服务和维修服务这 3 项外包医院基本服务的工作人员的心理困扰和对冠状病毒的焦虑症的患病率及其相关因素。
对一家三级医院的外包医院基本服务人员进行了横断面研究。使用自我管理问卷收集了人口统计学、病史、生活方式因素、心理社会因素和心理健康等数据。采用稳健逻辑回归来确定与心理困扰和与 COVID-19 相关的功能失调性焦虑相关的危险因素。
共有 246 名医院基本服务人员参与了研究。心理困扰的患病率为 24.7%，与 COVID-19 相关的功能失调性焦虑患病率为 13.4%。社会支持和工作场所支持被发现与降低心理困扰的风险独立相关，而社会联系与降低与 COVID-19 相关的功能失调性焦虑的风险相关。
这些发现强调了社区和工作场所在应对大流行带来的心理健康后果方面的关键作用。旨在解决医院基本服务人员新出现的心理健康危机的公共卫生计划应纳入解决心理社会因素的策略，除了传统的自我保健方法。
