Bemath Nabeelah, Israel Nicky, Hassem Tasneem
School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
S Afr J Physiother. 2023 Jul 6;79(1):1881. doi: 10.4102/sajp.v79i1.1881. eCollection 2023.
While attention has been drawn to the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the mental health of healthcare workers generally, little is known regarding mental health changes over time in frontline and non-frontline physiotherapists during this period.
Our study aimed to investigate differences in mental health trends among frontline and non-frontline physiotherapists across three time periods during the pandemic.
Survey-based data were collected from 366 practising physiotherapists across three time periods during the pandemic (Time 1: = 171; Time 2: = 101; Time 3: = 94). Variations in reported mental health of frontline and non-frontline respondents generally and over time were analysed using comparative statistical techniques and trend analysis.
Frontline physiotherapists reported significantly lower levels of general mental well-being and resilience, and significantly higher levels of burnout and maladaptive strategy use. Only frontline physiotherapists' general mental well-being and resilience decreased over time, whereas depression decreased over time for both groups. Anxiety decreased over time for non-frontline physiotherapists but initially decreased and then increased for frontline physiotherapists. Burnout increased initially and then decreased for non-frontline physiotherapists.
Varying mental health trends were found between frontline and non-frontline physiotherapists over time. Nuanced mental health interventions that consider the period of the pandemic and degree of exposure are needed.
Understandings of the mental health trajectories experienced by physiotherapists across the pandemic can inform long-term, targeted interventions that effectively enhance well-being, retention, and sustainability of practitioners, and thus the care delivered, in the healthcare system.
虽然人们普遍关注2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）大流行对医护人员心理健康的影响，但在此期间一线和非一线物理治疗师的心理健康随时间的变化情况却鲜为人知。
我们的研究旨在调查大流行期间三个时间段内一线和非一线物理治疗师心理健康趋势的差异。
在大流行期间的三个时间段（时间1：n = 171；时间2：n = 101；时间3：n = 94）收集了366名执业物理治疗师基于调查的数据。使用比较统计技术和趋势分析来分析一线和非一线受访者总体及随时间报告的心理健康变化。
一线物理治疗师报告的总体心理健康和恢复力水平显著较低，倦怠和适应不良策略使用水平显著较高。只有一线物理治疗师的总体心理健康和恢复力随时间下降，而两组的抑郁水平均随时间下降。非一线物理治疗师的焦虑水平随时间下降，但一线物理治疗师的焦虑水平最初下降，然后上升。非一线物理治疗师的倦怠水平最初上升，然后下降。
随着时间的推移，一线和非一线物理治疗师的心理健康趋势各不相同。需要考虑大流行时期和接触程度的细微心理健康干预措施。
了解物理治疗师在整个大流行期间经历的心理健康轨迹，可以为长期、有针对性的干预措施提供信息，这些措施可以有效提高从业者的幸福感、留用率和可持续性，从而改善医疗系统中提供的护理。
