Predictors of somatic symptom burden in healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: an 8-week follow-up study.
Saved in:
| Title: | Predictors of somatic symptom burden in healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic: an 8-week follow-up study. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Engelmann, Petra, Toussaint, Anne, Addo, Marylyn M., Brehm, Thomas Theo, Lohse, Ansgar W., Weigel, Angelika, Thompson, Michelle, Löwe, Bernd |
| Source: | Journal of Mental Health. Dec2023, Vol. 32 Issue 6, p1111-1121. 11p. |
| Subjects: | Symptom burden, Risk assessment, Nurses, Medical personnel, Psychological burnout, Questionnaires, COVID-19 testing, Medically unexplained symptoms, Anxiety, Age distribution, Longitudinal method, Sociodemographic factors, Biopsychosocial model, Psychosocial factors, COVID-19 pandemic, Regression analysis, Patient aftercare, Disease risk factors |
| Geographic Terms: | Germany |
| Abstract: | Literature investigating the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare professionals barely addresses predictors of somatic symptom burden during the COVID-19 pandemic. As biopsychosocial models propose that not only the disease but also sociodemographic and psychosocial factors contribute to the development and maintenance of symptoms, this study investigates the predictive value of these factors for bothersome somatic symptoms in SARS-CoV-2 negative healthcare professionals. German healthcare professionals were assessed with self-rating questionnaires and underwent SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody tests at baseline and 8 weeks later between April and August 2020. Differences in psychosocial variables between the time points were analyzed and regression analyses were performed to predict somatic symptoms at follow-up. 1185 seronegative healthcare professionals completed both assessments. Previous somatic symptom burden, higher levels of anxiety, being a nurse, younger age, higher psychological symptom burden, lower efficiency, and higher fatigability at baseline predicted somatic symptom burden at follow-up. Comparisons between baseline and follow-up showed a significant improvement in psychological impairment and deterioration of physical exhaustion. Our study applies a biopsychosocial perspective to bothersome somatic symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic and contributes to the identification of potential risk factors as a starting point for future interventions that could support the handling of symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Journal of Mental Health is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
|
Full text is not displayed to guests.
Login for full access.
|
|
| Abstract: | Literature investigating the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare professionals barely addresses predictors of somatic symptom burden during the COVID-19 pandemic. As biopsychosocial models propose that not only the disease but also sociodemographic and psychosocial factors contribute to the development and maintenance of symptoms, this study investigates the predictive value of these factors for bothersome somatic symptoms in SARS-CoV-2 negative healthcare professionals. German healthcare professionals were assessed with self-rating questionnaires and underwent SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody tests at baseline and 8 weeks later between April and August 2020. Differences in psychosocial variables between the time points were analyzed and regression analyses were performed to predict somatic symptoms at follow-up. 1185 seronegative healthcare professionals completed both assessments. Previous somatic symptom burden, higher levels of anxiety, being a nurse, younger age, higher psychological symptom burden, lower efficiency, and higher fatigability at baseline predicted somatic symptom burden at follow-up. Comparisons between baseline and follow-up showed a significant improvement in psychological impairment and deterioration of physical exhaustion. Our study applies a biopsychosocial perspective to bothersome somatic symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic and contributes to the identification of potential risk factors as a starting point for future interventions that could support the handling of symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 09638237 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/09638237.2022.2069709 |
