Traumatic stress symptoms among Spanish healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective study

• Published in: Epidemiology and psychiatric sciences Vol. 32; p. e50
• Main Authors: Portillo-Van Diest, Ana, Vilagut, Gemma, Alayo, Itxaso, Ferrer, Montse, Amigo, Franco, Amann, Benedikt L., Aragón-Peña, Andrés, Aragonès, Enric, Asúnsolo Del Barco, Ángel, Campos, Mireia, Del Cura-González, Isabel, Espuga, Meritxell, González-Pinto, Ana, Haro, Josep M., Larrauri, Amparo, López-Fresneña, Nieves, Martínez de Salázar, Alma, Molina, Juan D., Ortí-Lucas, Rafael M., Parellada, Mara, Pelayo-Terán, José M., Pérez-Zapata, Aurora, Pijoan, José I., Plana, Nieves, Puig, Teresa, Rius, Cristina, Rodríguez-Blázquez, Carmen, Sanz, Ferran, Serra, Consol, Urreta-Barallobre, Iratxe, Kessler, Ronald C., Bruffaerts, Ronny, Vieta, Eduard, Pérez-Solá, Víctor, Alonso, Jordi, Mortier, Philippe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 09.08.2023
• Subjects: Cohort analysis; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; health personnel; Infections; Medical personnel; Mental disorders; Original; Original Article; Pandemics; Post traumatic stress disorder; prospective cohort study; Psychiatry; Risk factors; Sex crimes; traumatic stress; Spain; COVID-19; traumatic stress; prospective cohort study; health personnel
• ISSN: 2045-7960; 2045-7979; 2045-7979
• DOI: 10.1017/S2045796023000628

To investigate the occurrence of traumatic stress symptoms (TSS) among healthcare workers active during the COVID-19 pandemic and to obtain insight as to which pandemic-related stressful experiences are associated with onset and persistence of traumatic stress. This is a multicenter prospective cohort study. Spanish healthcare workers (  = 4,809) participated at an initial assessment (i.e., just after the first wave of the Spain COVID-19 pandemic) and at a 4-month follow-up assessment using web-based surveys. Logistic regression investigated associations of 19 pandemic-related stressful experiences across four domains (infection-related, work-related, health-related and financial) with TSS prevalence, incidence and persistence, including simulations of population attributable risk proportions (PARP). Thirty-day TSS prevalence at T1 was 22.1%. Four-month incidence and persistence were 11.6% and 54.2%, respectively. Auxiliary nurses had highest rates of TSS prevalence (35.1%) and incidence (16.1%). All 19 pandemic-related stressful experiences under study were associated with TSS prevalence or incidence, especially experiences from the domains of health-related (PARP range 88.4-95.6%) and work-related stressful experiences (PARP range 76.8-86.5%). Nine stressful experiences were also associated with TSS persistence, of which having patient(s) in care who died from COVID-19 had the strongest association. This association remained significant after adjusting for co-occurring depression and anxiety. TSSs among Spanish healthcare workers active during the COVID-19 pandemic are common and associated with various pandemic-related stressful experiences. Future research should investigate if these stressful experiences represent truly traumatic experiences and carry risk for the development of post-traumatic stress disorder.