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Ava Robinette

Dr. Adrienne Cassel

ENG 1201-500

March 18, 2022

How Has the Pandemic Effected the Mental Health of Healthcare Workers?

COVID-19 is something that has become a part of our daily lives. Over the past two

years, many of us have seen the case numbers shoot up and go well over a million. COVID-19

has also taken a toll on the mental health of many, especially due to the constant routine changes

to stay safe. Healthcare workers have had to deal with effects COVID-19 up close for two years.

Healthcare workers have dedicated hours upon hours of their lives to help those who have been

infected. How has the pandemic effected the mental health of healthcare workers?

The beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic took place in early 2020, with the first cases

dating back to the start of December in the year prior. The first cases can be traced back to

Wuhan, China when many patients reported symptoms such as fever and shortness of breath

(CDC). Since 2020, the pandemic has spread throughout the globe and has been the cause for

millions of deaths worldwide.

It’s very common for healthcare workers to develop high levels of stress, especially

during the pandemic. Having high stress levels can lead to issues such as lower levels of

satisfaction in their work and less quality in their care (De Kock et al.). In a survey asking

healthcare workers a variety of questions 92% reported regularly experiencing stress and 86%

reported that they regularly felt anxiety symptoms (Mental Health America). It was found that

the level of stress staff had to deal with was also linked to the number of infected patients. (Spilg

et al.)
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Stress during work can lead to the development of negative psychological effects. This

can include burnout, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), anxiety, depression and more

(Walton et al.). Many healthcare workers have reported personal issues with emotional

exhaustion, trouble sleeping, and physical exhaustion and other physical symptoms (Mental

Health America). Healthcare workers in Nigeria have stated that they have felt physical and

mental exhaustion during their work hours (Kwaghe et al.) These issues are very common and

have been reiterated throughout many of the articles.

Frontline healthcare workers are at the highest risk of infection of COVID-19. This can

lead to stigma around healthcare workers, fearing that they could spread the disease (Kwaghe et

al.). Being at such a high risk, this has led many workers to fearing they may infect household

members or loved ones (Mental Health America). COVID-19 is highly infectious, and this can

also lead to hospitals being understaffed. Many workers may contract the disease and go into

quarantine, leaving their workplaces understaffed (Walton et al.).

In a survey done, only 30% of healthcare workers reported that they felt they had

adequate emotional support. Over half of the nurses reported they received support from family

and friends (Mental Health America). It is important for healthcare workers to receive proper

support during the pandemic. Therapy has been shown through countless studies to help a variety

of people through different struggles. Healthcare workers should seek out proper treatment to

better help themselves mentally.

In one of the survey’s done by Mental Health America, health care workers were asked

about their top three home related struggles during the pandemic. Around 25% reported that they

feel that their partner does not understand their stress. Among those who were parents, many of

them reported that they felt like they didn’t have time to be a parent or have quality time with
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their children (Mental Health America). Healthcare workers have reported that they have felt

stigmatized and neglected by their own family, friends, and colleagues (Kwaghe et al.) Many

people are unaware of how the pandemic has led to issues with relationships and parenting.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left a large impact on the mental health of healthcare

workers. Many of them deal with high levels of stress, anxiety, depression, burnout, and many

get infected themselves. It is possible for these symptoms to be lessened with the help of

emotional support whether this be through professional help or through talking to others. The

pandemic has also led healthcare workers to have issues with home life and relationships with

others. Further research should be found on the effects with relationships and social life to

provide a better conclusion.

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Works Cited

“CDC Museum Covid-19 Timeline.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention, 5 Jan. 2022,

https://www.cdc.gov/museum/timeline/covid19.html.

De Kock, J.H., Latham, H.A., Leslie, S.J. et al. A rapid review of the impact of COVID-19 on

the mental health of healthcare workers: implications for supporting psychological well-

being. BMC Public Health 21, 104 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-10070-3

Kwaghe, A.V., Kwaghe, V.G., Habib, Z.G. et al. Stigmatization and psychological impact of

COVID-19 pandemic on frontline healthcare Workers in Nigeria: a qualitative

study. BMC Psychiatry 21, 518 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03540-4

Matthew Walton, Esther Murray, Michael D Christian, Mental health care for medical staff and

affiliated healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, European Heart Journal.

Acute Cardiovascular Care, Volume 9, Issue 3, 1 April 2020, Pages 241–

247, https://doi.org/10.1177/2048872620922795

Spilg, E.G., Rushton, C.H., Phillips, J.L. et al. The new frontline: exploring the links between

moral distress, moral resilience and mental health in healthcare workers during the

COVID-19 pandemic. BMC Psychiatry 22, 19 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-

021-03637-w
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“The Mental Health of Healthcare Workers in COVID-19.” Mental Health America, 2020,

https://mhanational.org/mental-health-healthcare-workers-covid-19.